Chapter 114

Chapter 114:
As the other guests murmured and speculated, Oakley was also on the second floor, laughing so hard he had to brace himself against the table.
“Charles really is an idiot. Grandpa’s already furious with him, and now this? He’s digging his own grave. I won’t even have to lift a hand, he’ll take care of himself.”
Near the back, another man sat quietly in the shadows. He said nothing, simply swirling the wine in his glass before taking a measured sip.
Meanwhile, Vivian could hardly believe someone had dared to challenge her bid.
This was all part of her strategy.
She hadn’t planned to compete for anything extravagant or meaningless—just something in between, enough to make a mark without seeming excessive.
The tanzanite fit that goal perfectly. Latest content published on
She could easily claim it was just a playful gesture to use Brandon’s paddle, but in reality, she intended to use her own money since she wanted to contribute to the charity.
After tonight, the tanzanite would be a symbol of her connection with Brandon.
Besides, whatever she spent now, he’d make up for later. He always did.
Not to mention, the attention online alone would bring her a decent return.
It was their first bid of the night. According to the usual unspoken rules, that should have been enough for others to step back. She’d even bumped the price by an extra hundred thousand, bringing it to eight hundred thousand. She never imagined Serena would respond.
Whose decision was it? Did Serena act on her own? Or was Charles behind it? Were they testing her? Trying to stir trouble? Or were they targeting Brandon?
For what reason, though?
She had no answers. And now, she wasn’t sure if she should place another bid. The gem’s value sat around a million. Her limit was 1.2 million. Beyond that, it just wasn’t worth it.
As Vivian weighed her options, the auctioneer carried on.
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He called out, asking if anyone else wanted to place a bid.
After a brief pause, Vivian lifted the paddle again.
She didn’t believe Serena would keep pushing.
“Bidder number 888 has returned with a bid of one million dollars.” A ripple of voices spread through the audience. “They increased the bid again. They must really want it.” “Will 823 follow?”
All eyes turned toward Millie’s section.
Before the auctioneer could say more, Millie raised her hand.
“Bidder 823 has placed a new bid—one point one million.”
Vivian gritted her teeth and quickly scribbled down another bid. She couldn’t afford to lose.
“Bidder 888 bids again—1.2 million!”
And right away, Millie raised the bid again.
“Bidder 823 bids again—1.5 million!”
The atmosphere in the room was charged with restless anticipation. Millie had raised the price three times already, each increase a clear indication of how badly she wanted to win.
Her most recent bid had surged from a modest hundred thousand to three hundred thousand, underscoring her determination.
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