# Chapter 57 How Much Do You Want: A Priceless Victory
The moment Eric Ferguson appeared in the doorway, Quinn's face transformed with desperate relief. Her eyes, previously clouded with humiliation and defeat, immediately reddened as she rushed toward her son emotionally.
"Eric..."
But before she could say another word, Ingrid's panicked voice cut through the air. "Brother, Nicole snatched away the pipe! That's Grandpa's favorite. If he can't find it, he'll surely make a big fuss!"
Eric stood like a statue carved from ice, impossibly tall and handsome, his body half-shrouded in shadows. His cold eyes swept across everyone in the room with chilling precision.
"Shut up! How dare you steal from Grandpa?"
His harsh tone lashed out like a whip, and Ingrid flinched, trembling as she hid behind her mother, too afraid to even lift her gaze.
Behind Eric stood the event organizer, visibly sweating with trepidation. The man glanced nervously at his staff. "Are the formalities done?"
"Yes, everything is settled," the staff member replied cautiously.
*Everything was settled.* Nicole smiled inwardly. The battle was won. With the precious family heirloom now legally in her hands, she held all the cards. Quinn and Ingrid had played their games, but Nicole played to win.
She turned to Roman beside her. "Let's go. We shouldn't disturb their family reunion."
She didn't even bother with farewells, pivoting on her heel to leave.
"Nicole, you can't take it away." Eric's voice was frost, sharp enough to cut.
Quinn quickly chimed in, her earlier fear melting away now that her son stood beside her. "Yeah, we can't let her take it away!"
With her protector present, Quinn no longer felt the need to maintain her fake, sweet facade.
Nicole raised her eyebrows and laughed—a light, almost mocking sound. She held up the document in her hand like a trophy. "Look, you don't have a say here. The emerald pipe is mine now."
Her gaze swept across Eric's gloom-filled face, and she couldn't help but feel an inexplicable surge of satisfaction. *This feels good.*
"Mrs. Ferguson, you should just save your energy and think about how you'll explain this to Old Master Ferguson. I'm sure he'll be very curious to know how his family heirloom appeared at a charity auction. I wonder what he'll do when he finds out this emerald pipe no longer belongs to him?"
Quinn's face drained of all color. She had hidden this from her father-in-law, terrified of his wrath. Now, she could already picture the old man's thunderous rage. She might even be kicked out of the Ferguson family entirely!
Eric's eyes deepened, the air around him turning frigid. "Nicole, how much do you want to leave this behind?"
Nicole laughed softly. *He thinks I want money? Do I look like I'm short of cash?*
Her eyes flickered across his cold, handsome face as she raised the emerald pipe high. "Leave this behind? Dream on!"
With that, she snorted and strode out of the room. Roman hurried after her.
Quinn anxiously grabbed Eric's arm. "How can you let her go like this? We must take it back from her—"
"Brother, we must!" Ingrid looked at him with desperation. "Otherwise, Grandpa will kill us!"
Eric raised his eyes, watching Nicole's retreating back with slightly knitted brows. He looked at the two panicked women in front of him with cold indifference. "I'll find a way to get it back, but you should think about how to explain this to Grandpa."
He straightened the cuffs of his suit and turned to leave.
Perhaps the old man already knew his beloved pipe was missing. Eric had no intention of hiding this matter from his grandfather. *They should learn to bear the consequences of their own actions.*
"What?" Quinn's eyes rolled back as she collapsed in a faint. Ingrid barely managed to catch her mother, shouting for help, but Eric never looked back. Only a staff member came forward to ask if they needed assistance.
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With such a valuable item now in her possession, the organizer politely asked Nicole if she needed a security escort. She politely declined. She hadn't wanted the pipe for its monetary value—she only wanted to spite Quinn and Ingrid.
As the elevator doors slid open, Nicole stepped inside. Roman's voice came from beside her. "Is that Mr. Ferguson?"
Eric was walking toward them.
*He still doesn't want to give up?* Nicole thought irritably.
She had no desire to share an elevator with that man. Without hesitation, she pressed the close button, watching as the doors slid shut between them.
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## Reader's Impressions & Star Rating
This chapter was absolutely *delicious* in its execution! Nicole's victory felt so earned—watching Quinn's panic and Ingrid's cowardice was deeply satisfying. Eric's arrival didn't shake Nicole at all, and his assumption that money could solve everything was perfectly countered by her proud refusal. The tension was palpable, and Nicole walking away with her head held high, leaving Quinn to faint and Eric to chase after her, was pure gold. The author masterfully balanced power dynamics here—Nicole may be divorced, but she's never been more powerful.
**⭐ Rating: 4.9 / 5 Stars**
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## Next Chapter Prediction
With the emerald pipe now in Nicole's hands, the Ferguson family's secrets are on the verge of exploding. Eric will likely try to negotiate or threaten Nicole privately, but he may discover that the woman he divorced is no longer the pushover he once knew. Meanwhile, Old Master Ferguson's discovery of the missing heirloom will send shockwaves through the Ferguson household, and Quinn will be forced to face the consequences of her greed. The real question is: will Eric choose to protect his family's honor or finally see Nicole in a new light?