Chapter 178

Audrey Lane had witnessed firsthand the miraculous effects of Aria Bennett's protective talisman.

Unable to contain her excitement, she planted a kiss on Aria's cheek. "I adore you too!"

She resolved to prepare an extravagant gift for Aria later—such precious jade talismans couldn't possibly be accepted without reciprocation.

As for whether Aria's stones would yield nothing? The thought never crossed their minds.

Their affectionate display, flanking Aria on either side, drew scowls from Damian Cross and Nolan Reed trailing behind them.

Nolan muttered sourly, "Since when did girls become so shameless? Canoodling in public like this."

Not that he'd ever admit to jealousy. After all, he hadn't even held Aria's hand yet.

Remembering his pretentious aloofness during their past relationship made him want to travel back in time and slap some sense into his younger self.

Damian surprisingly agreed. "Quite improper."

He hadn't even gotten to hold his future wife's hand, yet these two women were stealing kisses.

Their complaints carried clearly to the trio ahead.

Vivienne Archer turned with a triumphant smirk. "Sour grapes!"

Audrey added with a playful wink, "Aria belongs to us!"

Though truthfully, they too felt slightly embarrassed by their impulsive displays.

Aria sighed, touching her cheek. "These are supposed to be reserved for my boyfriend."

Vivienne pinched her rosy cheek affectionately. "Noted. We'll leave them for him next time."

The three dissolved into laughter, warmth blooming in Aria's chest. Having close girlfriends was wonderful—something she'd lacked in her previous life when Nolan had been her sole focus.

Their merry gathering attracted numerous envious glances, including a particularly icy stare from Celine Valmont.

Seeing Aria and Vivienne's closeness twisted Celine's gut. This minor celebrity certainly had tricks—not only ensnaring two well-connected men but also befriending the Archer heiress.

What infuriated her more was Aria snatching up all the prime rough stones she'd earmarked. Her planned grand debut was off to a disastrous start. Something felt fundamentally wrong about how events were unfolding.

Her only hope now lay in the afternoon auction. Spotting Damian conversing amiely with Elias Vaughn, her brow furrowed. These two knew each other? This "Damian Cross" required deeper investigation.

Soon, all participants had selected their stones.

Caleb Monroe asked eagerly, "Shall we head to the cutting area?"

As first-time stone gamblers, everyone was itching to see results. Audrey and Vivienne tugged Aria along enthusiastically.

Thanks to celebrity privilege, others yielded their spots willingly. The production crew summoned additional lapidaries.

"Who wants to go first?" the director asked.

Caleb and others volunteered eagerly while Aria smiled. "I bought the most—I'll go last."

The cutting commenced.

Of Caleb's six stones, only one yielded bean jade—a net loss. Yet he remained cheerful. "Better than I expected!"

Wesley Hart fared worse—all five stones were duds. "Stone gambling carries risks," he warned the cameras wryly.

Audrey hit three out of six. While the first two were mediocre, the last revealed ice jade.

"Oh my god! Aria, I love you!" She hugged Aria fiercely—this was precisely the stone Aria had recommended.

Vivienne also scored three from seven stones, the final one being premium ruby jade.

"Aria, you're magical!" She twirled excitedly. "This'll make bangles for all three of us!"

It matched exactly what she'd casually wished for earlier.

Exchanging stunned glances, the two women saw identical realization—Aria's luck bordered on supernatural.