Chapter 48

Excitement burst through the entire room.

A surge of energy carried the auctioneer's voice as he called out, "Bidder number 888 just made a bold move!Let's give him a big hand!"

Applause thundered fromn every corner.

Every eye in the room could feel the tension rising-this was the climax of the auction!

Before,people had whispered among themselves, but now voices rang out as everyone started talking and shouting without restraint.

"Wow! It's been forever since a charity auction was this dramatic!"

"You're right! The last time we saw anything like this was a year ago, all for that antique cup. The bids just kept climbing until some mystery bidder swept in with a twelve-billion-dollar offer and ended it!"

"Don't forget the one three years back. A single painting set off a bidding war, and another mysterious bidder snatched it for seven billion!"

"And there was also that modern art sculpture in Flaville-another seven-billion-dollar finish, all thanks to an anonymous buyer!"

Loud chatter filled the space, with one person turning to his friends in confusion. "You keep talking about these record bids, but what's actually happening right now? I still don't get it."

A quick answer came back. "It's all about Brandon's signal. He's letting everyone know he's not backing down-he's going to keep bidding for that tanzanite,no matter how high it goes."

The puzzled guest tried again. "But can anyone just do that? What if they can't pay up?"

Someone else leaned in and explained, "The auction house has rules for this. The Evans family runs a tight ship. I heard of one person who tried and couldn't cover the bid, and the fallout? Wasn't pretty. We're all guests of the Evans Group, so they're definitely in control. Even at smaller auctions, they check that bidders have the money first."

A thoughtful nod followed."That makes sense."

Another voice chimed in, "But there's nothing to worry about this time-this is Brandon Watson we're talking about!"

Everyone agreed, because Brandon was the face of the Watson family-the most powerful name out of Crobert's three leading families!

Lighting in the venue first faded, but then flared back to life,filling the room with bursts of color that swept across the entire space.

Outside, the quiet streets around the mansion transformed as clusters of drones filled the sky.

Every drone glowed brightly, hovering in formation and painting intricate patterns high above the estate.

"What's all this? Did something happen?"

"No clue. What's going on inside?"

"Somebody go check! Whatever it is, it must be big!"

Back in the mansion, screens projected a live feed of the scene outside. Inside and out, everything was a whirlwind of activity.

A question suddenly rose above the noise. "Has Brandon ever gone this far at an auction before?"

Someone answered, "He actually did, once."

"Really? How come I never heard about it? What was he bidding for?"

A thoughtful look crossed the person's face before they replied, "It happened seven years ago, if l remember right."

"Seven years ago?" the listener asked, surprised. "He would have been so young."

A quick nod confirmed it. "That's right. He was just a teenager, and the thing he wanted was pretty unusual."

Interest only deepened. "What was it?"

A moment's hesitation, and then the answer came. "It was a document."

"People auction off documents?"

"Yeah, apparently. The details are fuzzy, since the auction was private. Only a few people even know it happened. I stumbled on the story by chance, but l never heard the full tale."

...

Not far away on the second floor, Vivian stared at Brandon,her heart racing.

Once she realized what Brandon was doing, Vivian found it almost impossible to stay seated.

The rush of excitement faded into a deep satisfaction,giving her the feeling that everything was falling into place as she wanted.

Among all the men in Crobert, Brandon held power and status above anyone else-he was the type women would do anything to win over. Yet here he was,making such a bold move just for her.

Victory felt close enough for Vivian to taste.

With barely any effort, she managed to get Brandon to prove his love for her in front of everyone.

All at once, it became clear-his feelings for her ran far deeper than anything he had ever felt for Millie.

Watching Brandon, Vivian noticed his calm face as he stared straight at Serena, waiting to see her reaction.

A sly smile tugged at Vivian's lips, eager for the moment Serena would have no choice but to accept defeat.

Meanwhile, Charles sat beside Millie, his anger simmering to the point of eruption.

"Just what is Brandon thinking?" Charles blurted out,leaping to his feet. If Millie hadn't grabbed his arm,he might have stormed over to confront Brandon.

"Allowing Vivian to use his paddle was already bad enough. Even if he let her bid against you for the tanzanite, I could try to excuse it by saying he didn't know what the stone realy meant. But this?" Charles's frustration left him breathless. "Right here, going this far for his lover at a public auction packed with reporters, where the whole world will hear about it-what kind of position does this leave you, who is still legally married to him?"

Glancing at Millie, Charles saw nothing but calm, and his anger grew heavy with worry.

Everyone was aware that while the auction might be private within these walls, the moment it ended,everything would become public knowledge.

No reporter, and certainly not Vivian, would ever let such a story slip away.

As Brandon's wife, Millie would be the talk of the town by then,ridiculed by all.

Besides, people had no clue that Serena and Millie were the same person.

If the truth ever came out... it'd only be more humiliating for Millie.

Charles didn't even want to imagine the fallout.

Millie simply stared at Brandon, her expression hidden behind the white mask, her feelings impossible to guess.

Seven years was all it took to turn Brandon into someone she barely recognized, able to shift all his former tenderness toward someone new.

A memory flitted by-Brandon at thatprivate auction seven years ago, his right hand held high as he placed a bid.

At last, Millie's lips formed a faint, ironic smile,her eyes remaining cold and distant.

"Serena, do you want to keep bidding?" Charles asked,his voice tight with worry.

Only a calm smile answered him. Millie looked unbothered by the show of money and influence-her smile never faltered.

Colorful lights swirled as the auctioneer called out with energy, "The auction isn't over yet! Please continue placing your bids."

But his attention never left the seat marked 823.

Everyone's eyes followed, each person eager to see what choice the woman holding that number would make.

In the next moment, a hand reached out from the darkness, raising the paddle marked 823.

A new bid followed immediately after.

The screen above the stage changed,displaying a new offer-five million dollars.

Stunned, the auctioneer stared at the number, and then glanced up at the bidder on the second floor,double-checking just to be sure.

Finally, his voice rang out for all to hear. "Bidder number 823 is still in the game with a new bid of five million!"