Chapter 180: You're No Match for Me

"Number 14, 45 million! Going once! Going twice!" The host's voice, brimming with excitement, focused on Maggie.

Beth's heart pounded. She was unsure whether she wanted Maggie to continue bidding or give up.

Maggie chose not to. After consulting Mia, she knew the azure porcelain vase's estimated value was around 18 million, making a sale price of 22.5 million quite feasible. Beth's bid of 45 million had already doubled the price, and she likely wouldn't go higher.

From the side, Mia, feeling excited, asked, "Should we raise the bid?"

Maggie glanced at her. "It's your family's vase. Why would you want to buy it?"

Mia wisely remained silent. She had been daydreaming about making Beth bid higher, however unlikely that seemed.

Maggie interrupted her daydream. "Beth's not an idiot," she stated firmly. "A dog that barks doesn't bite. Beth overbid by 15 million just to discourage me. I wouldn't call that stubborn; I'd call it reckless."

"45 million, sold! Congratulations to Number 14!"

The hammer fell, awarding the azure porcelain vase to Beth. The surrounding crowd applauded and offered congratulations, their eyes turning to her. Beth remained impassive, lamenting only that her seat was too far forward to see Maggie's expression. But there was no rush; she would rub it in at the post-auction banquet.

A few more items were auctioned, but none caught Maggie's interest, so she refrained from bidding. After all, she wasn't made of money.

Then came the vintage fan she and Leo had chosen together. Perhaps Beth didn't want to offend Leo, or perhaps she wasn't aware of their relationship; she didn't interfere. Leo successfully acquired it, though at a significantly higher price due to audience demand.

Next was the fountain pen Emma liked, intended as a gift for Ericko. It was exquisite: a deep navy blue, with a diamond embedded in the cap and a gold clip complementing the gleaming navy. It exuded subtle luxury, representing the pinnacle of craftsmanship of its time—a modest yet luxurious design.

Maggie listened sporadically. As the host announced the starting bid, Mia asked, "Should I compete with Emma?"

Maggie knew Mia merely wanted to cause trouble. "Why bother?" she asked.

"It's cheap, and isn't she planning to give it to Ericko? If I win it, I'll give it to him. That'll really piss her off!" Mia remarked casually, her cat-like eyes lazy.

"No need for trouble; let her give it to him if she wants," Maggie sneered indifferently.

Mia, realizing Maggie had a plan, looked at her. Meeting Mia's lazy gaze, Maggie smiled. Mia shivered; those eyes were surprisingly sharp and calculating.

Mia withdrew her gaze. Maggie had always been shrewd. With that look alone, Mia knew someone was about to be in trouble or heartbroken.

"After she gives it to Ericko, I'll have him give it to me," Maggie said, her eyes crinkling in a smile.

Mia was stunned. "Yeah! Why didn't I think of that? I can't wait to see Emma's face!"

"But it's still a good idea to raise the price for her. The more valuable the gift, the more sincere it seems," Maggie said softly.

Mia immediately raised her paddle, eager to see Emma's misery. "1.2 million!"

The fountain pen's price jumped from 750,000 to 1.2 million—a hefty sum. Emma, frustrated, turned to Maggie and Mia. Mia raised an eyebrow, laughing openly and provocatively.

Emma gritted her teeth, raising her paddle. "1.5 million!"

"Number 15, 1.5 million! Any more bids?"

Mia threw out another bombshell. "2.2 million. Emma, you can't hear me"

Originally, Emma hadn't planned to continue; she didn't have Beth's wealth. But she never expected Mia's audaciousness, openly calling her out in the auction house. The blatant provocation felt like a personal insult.

Maggie's expression remained unchanged; after all, she hadn't done anything for over an hour.

"Mia, you're speaking too soon! Do you really think Aquapolis is solely under the Gatlins' control?" Emma glared at Mia, her voice cold.

"Of course not! There are only a few of us Gatlins; we can't compare to the Hollands' large family," Mia retorted sarcastically.

The host, flustered, asked, "Ladies, are there any other bids?"

Mia, staring at Emma, said bluntly, "75 million."

A gasp went through the room. Some were shocked by Mia's outrageous bid. The bid silenced Emma, who had planned to bid 3 million. She decided against continuing.

Her gaze fell on Mia, with her wavy curls, deep V-neck black dress, alluring cat eyes, and bright red lips—a sexy actress from an old movie. But her features also conveyed spoiled arrogance and a cold, determined gaze.

Mia's lips curved. "I heard you've long admired Ericko and planned to give him this pen. So, Ms. Holland, is your love only worth 1.5 million? Or can't the Hollands afford a mere 75 million?"

This revised version corrects grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors, improves sentence structure, and enhances readability. It also removes inconsistencies and redundancies.