From Ashes to Sunrise

After leaving the Walton house, I was thinking about my future career plans when an email from the auction house suddenly arrived.

I opened it and saw that my jewelry had been selected as the finale piece.

The auction house had also sent me a formal VIP invitation.

I felt a surge of surprise. When I first asked Jonathan to put my new designs up for auction, I only wanted to raise cash quickly for my mother's medical bills, so I had prepared myself for a low price. I never expected it to become the highlight of the evening.

This could be my chance to rebuild my career. I had to attend.

The hall glittered under sparkling crystal chandeliers that spoke of the event's high status.

I sat in a private box on the second floor with a perfect view of the entire auction floor.

The auction began soon after.

The opening item was a perfectly even glass-type jadeite ring with no inclusions.

Bidding started fiercely.

"Ten million!"

The bold opening bid drew every eye in the room.

The familiar voice made me freeze. I looked down and saw Colton in the front row on the ground floor, raising his paddle with determination. Shirley nestled intimately against him.

He had only just divorced me, and already he was parading her around like this, as if he wanted the whole world to know. It made our eight years of marriage feel like one big joke.

During the intermission, the chatter around me was full of undisguised envy toward Shirley.

"Mr. Walton is buying all these pieces tonight just to please Dr. Elliott. What a lucky woman."

"Exactly. I heard the marriage alliance between the Waltons and the Elliots was originally meant for Shirley. Mira only managed to marry him through underhanded tricks."

"Mr. Walton really is a romantic. All these years, and he still only has eyes for Dr. Elliott."

I lowered my gaze, not caring, until a shadow fell over me. "Mira, how does a powerless nobody like you end up at an event like this?"

Shirley walked over and looked me up and down, taking in my simple dress before exclaiming in mock surprise. "Mira, I heard from Colton how determined you were when you left the Walton house. Don't tell me life outside is too hard now, and you've come crawling back, hoping to win him again? It must have taken real effort to even get an auction ticket."

Colton looked enlightened. The disgust in his eyes toward me deepened. "Mira, I told you clearly before the marriage that I only love Shirley. Stop doing these disgusting things to cling to me. It's impossible between us."

In that moment, the one who felt sickened was me. "Colton, you really think too highly of yourself. To me, you're not some treasure. You're just garbage."

Colton was momentarily speechless. He stared at me, searching my face as if trying to bore a hole through it.

Shirley noticed his reaction, and a flicker of displeasure crossed her face before she looped her arm through his. "I know you're only saying that to hide how you really feel about Colton, but you're going too far."

She deliberately raised her voice, adopting a pitiful posture that drew attention from everyone nearby. "I stepped aside for eight years so I wouldn't fight with you, yet Colton's heart has always belonged to me. Now that you're divorced, you still followed him here to pester him. Feelings can't be forced. Please just let us be."

The guests latched onto the key phrases. Their looks toward me filled with contempt.

"So she's the shameless ex-wife who stole someone's husband. Disgusting. Divorced and still stalking him here."

"No wonder Mr. Elliot couldn't stand his late wife. Look at the daughter she raised. The mother couldn't have been much better."

Insults poured over me. To protect my reputation and career, I fought back one by one. "How does anything between me and the Walton family suddenly turn into a story about my parents' relationship? I'm here today because I received an invitation, as the designer of the finale piece, not to stalk an ex-husband I no longer care about! I have zero interest in him!"

But my explanations sounded weak and pale against their prejudice.

Colton wore a helpless expression. "Mira, if you won't admit to stalking, then fine, but there's no need to lie. We were together eight years. How would I not know you're some designer?"

Shirley looked even more triumphant. "Mira, when we were little, every time Dad said he was coming to see me, you would lie and say you were sick so he wouldn't leave. All these years later, and you haven't changed at all. Your lies just get bigger and bigger."

I regretted for the first time that at the peak of my fame, I had never revealed my true identity and always stayed anonymous in the industry.

I regretted even more that after marrying Colton, I had set aside my career to please him.

Seeing me unable to defend myself, the crowd that had been wavering now believed every word they said, and the insults grew harsher.

One socialite close to Shirley even stood up and called for security. "I don't want to look at this shameless woman anymore. She makes me sick. Get her out of here now."

Just as the guard was about to touch my arm, a clear, strong male voice cut through the noise from the entrance. "Who was it just now saying they wanted to throw out my invited guest?"

At the far end of the crowd, Edmund walked slowly toward me.

Ignoring the stunned faces around him, he extended his hand to me. "Miss Elliott, on behalf of the company, I formally invite you to join us as our top jewelry designer."