Chapter 50

Ten million dollars!

That was unbelievable! The price had increased tenfold!

Shock rippled through the crowd, and for a couple of seconds,nobody said a word. Then the silence broke.and the place exploded with frantic voices.

"She's still biddingl"

"Whoever's at Seat 823 realy wants to go head-to-head with Brandon!"

"That takes some nerve!"

"Are we about to witness something historic here?"

"I bet Brandon's never had anyone push him like this!"

Voices echoed all over, nearly drowning out every other sound.

Vivian shot a glare toward Seat 823,her jaw tight with frustration.

She was struggling to figure out Serena's endgame.

An idea flashed in her eyes.

After a moment, she turned her back to Brandon,

careful not to draw attention, and quietly typed out a message to someone

On the other side, Brandon lifted his hand again.

"Bidder number 888 is still in the running. The new offer is twelve million dollars!" the auctioneer called out.

"Twelve million-now it's twelve times the original!"

"Gosh, this is crazy! How far will this go? Will she keep pushing?"

A single piece of tanzanite was now worth twelve million dollars!

Excitement swept across the entire hall, and the l spotlights focused on the two second-floor seats.

Everyone was whispering to one another.

"She's doing this on purpose-she's just driving up the price! There's no way this is fair!" someone screamed from somewhere in the crowd.

For a split second, the entire room went quiet before bursting into noise once more.

People glanced around, searching for the speaker,but the person was already long gone.

A few people chimed in, supporting that thought,"Honestly, Brandon has already promised to outbid anyone for the tanzanite, but she keeps pushing the price higher. Maybe she's just trying to make Brandon pay an extra fortune for that gem."

The majority, however, seemed to treat it all like a show and didn't care what her reasons might be.

"Brandon isn't clueless. Since he made that promise about the tanzanite, you'd think he saw this coming."

Another person added, "Yeah, Brandon chose to go down this road. He's not the type to be scared off by someone else trying to outbid him. On top of that.this sum barely means anything to him."

With the noise rising, the auctioneer stepped in,hoping to keep things under control. "Distinguished guests, please keep your composure. At Evans Group Auction House, we do not permit any form of malicious bidding."

People simply ignored him, since everyone at this charity auction belonged to a world where normal rules did not always apply.

As the conversation heated up and some guests began pulling out their phones, clearly aiming to share what was happening, a sudden flurry of sharp, quick knocks captured the entire room's attention.

Immediately, every light focused on the high platform above the second floor.

A wheelchair slowly came into view. There sat Napier Evans, unmistakably present in his wheelchair.

He picked up the microphone.

"Good evening, everyone." Napier's words, though carried by an aged voice, rang out with steady authority.

For a moment, all conversation came to a halt.

"Bidder number 888," Napier announced.

Brandon lifted his gaze to the platform, giving Napier a respectful nod.

"Bidder number 823," Napier called out again.

In response, Millie rose slowly from her seat, drawing every eye in the room.

Under the curious eyes of everyone present, she moved out from the shadows and took her place by the second-floor railing, just as Brandon had done.

With the spotlight shining directly on her, the silver satin gown she wore seemed to make her even more striking.

Turning her gaze toward Napier, she offered a polite nod to show her respect.

Napier addressed the room, saying, "Is there anyone else who wishes to bid on this tanzanite?"

Silence followed. Nobody answered, and not a single person made a move. After allowing about half a minute to pass, Napier gave a nod and continued, "Very well. I want to ask both of you directly, are you participating in this bidding of your own free will?"

Both participants signaled their agreement by raising their hands.

Napier lifted his own hand, and immediately, the lighting in the room shifted, transforming the entire atmosphere.

With the sound of a dramatic drumroll in the background, Napier spoke once more. "Everyone here should know that I am fully aware of both parties ' circumstances. I, Napier Evans, along with the Evans Group, promise that this auction is being conducted fairly,without any ill intentions."

People began glancing at each other, curiosity written across their faces.

This turn of events made everything even more captivating.

No schemes, no attempts at publicity-simply two determined bidders, each genuinely wanting the tanzanite for personal reasons.

Every single bid from bidder 823 must have come from sincere intentions.

Just what was happening in this auction? Brandon's brow tightened as he watched Millie stand so quietly across from him.

She did not return his gaze: instead, she simply lowered her eyes for a moment.

Napier had always known who she was. She once asked Charles to keep her identity a secret when she donated this stone to the charity auction tonight,but nothing could escape Napier's notice.

After all, Charles happened to be Napier's own grandson.

Perhaps Napier had even already figured out that the tanzanite was intended as a gift to mark the birth of her child.

Given all that, it made sense that she did not want her husband to win the stone, only for him to hand it over to another woman.

There was nobody who would find fault with her motives.

Yet,could it really be so simple?

Millie's eyes flickered with a touch of irony.

Even knowing there was no chance to win, she kept bidding with everything she had.

Millie knew better than to act recklessly. She lifted her head once more, her eyes locking with Brandon's as a faint smile touched her red lips.

He was watching her just as intently.

In that instant, it seemed like some unseen barrier separated the two of them from everyone else,leaving only the two locked in their silent battle.

A tense mind game had begun.

Brandon held the clear advantage with his fortune and influence, while Millie seemed wrapped in a quiet,mysterious confidence.

Brandon drew his brows together, deep in thought.

He found himself wondering who this woman really was.

Through all his years dealing with people in the business world, never had he met anyone quite so unpredictable.

Just then, Napier's voice carried down from above. "I will take charge and lead this next part of the auction myself."

The energy in the room spiked once more after a brief moment of calm.

"Mr. Evans himself is stepping in! When was the last time he did that?!" someone exclaimed.

"This really is a moment for the history books!"

"Do you think we'll see a repeat of those legendary auctions he ran twenty years ago?"

As another round of sharp, steady knocks echoed, the noise began to fade.

Every eye turned to the three focal points in the room:the elevated platform above, Seat 888, and Seat 823.

Napier's commanding voice rang out. "We are continuing with the bids. Bidder number 888 stands at twelve million dollars. Is there a higher offer?"