Chapter 126

Selina raised her eyebrows thoughtfully. Herbert hadn't mocked her; it was peculiar. Since he hadn't approached her to quarrel, she remained silent, awaiting the charity auction's commencement. After the host's introduction, the auction items were presented: antiques spanning various eras, out-of-print handbags, and jewelry from prestigious brands. It was, after all, a high-end charity auction; every item met the highest standards.

During the auction, Selina coveted an out-of-print Louis Vuitton handbag. The starting price: $500,000. Delighted, she bid, "One million dollars." After several bids, as Selina prepared to counter, a sneering voice cut through the air: "One point five million dollars."

She looked over to see Cora staring arrogantly. Cora's intention to antagonize her was evident. Timothy, meanwhile, looked away, disinclined to participate in their contest. Selina hadn't anticipated encountering such animosity. Smiling, she unhesitatingly raised the price: "Three million dollars."

The audience erupted in an uproar.

Herbert began to speak, then hesitated. "Selina, you…" he mumbled, thinking, Trevon can afford it, but it's a wasteful display. Trevon is so unfortunate.

"Four million dollars," Cora countered, deliberately escalating the competition. When the final price reached $6.5 million, Selina shrugged and conceded.

After the host announced the result, Cora preened triumphantly. Observing Selina's surrender, Herbert was surprised. He'd expected her to angrily continue bidding, especially given Trevon's funds. Her restraint, however, impressed him; she was clearly shrewd enough to avoid reckless spending.

Every time Selina bid, Cora raised the price by hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars. Even Timothy could no longer tolerate it. He intervened, saying, "Mom, stop bidding. You've humiliated Selina enough."

"Humph… It's merely over thirty million dollars. I can afford it. Consider it the Clark Group's charity. It's immensely satisfying to see Selina thwarted!"

Cora ceased bidding. As the wife of the Clark Group CEO, she possessed considerable wealth. However, the company's charity budget was limited this year, leaving Cora to cover the excess. Despite the premium, Cora felt the retribution worthwhile, given Selina's earlier humiliation of her and Sara at the airport.

Unbeknownst to them, Cora was perceived by others as an easy target. Even with the Clark Group's wealth, a thirty-million-dollar premium was a significant sum, essentially unrecoverable cash. Felix's past indiscretions, exposed years ago, had prompted Cora to act decisively, minimizing the impact on the Clark Group's stock price. This fostered a deep sense of guilt in Felix; otherwise, he would have reprimanded her, even if she'd used her own money.

Chapter 120

Herbert asked, "Did you do that on purpose?"

Selina rested her chin on her hands and yawned languidly. "Since Cora enjoys squandering money for spite, let her. I don't mind. While the Clark Group is affluent, spending over thirty million dollars on petty revenge is unwise."

Herbert pursed his lips. Even for leading conglomerates, such a sum was substantial, crucial for operational costs, industry distribution, and new project development. Only Cora, fueled by Felix's guilt, would act so recklessly.

When the next item arrived, Selina's eyes lit up. A pair of crescent earrings, green and brown, exuded historical significance. Appraisal indicated they belonged to a 19th-century woman, though the exact date was uncertain. Despite their antique nature, their lack of collectability resulted in a low starting bid of $500,000; few participated. Selina bid $1.5 million, securing them without competition.

Cora attempted to bid but was stopped by Timothy, who gestured for her to desist.

Hugging herself, Ashley tugged Sara's arm. "Mommy, the crescent earrings are exquisite! No wonder Selina loves them; I do too."

Sara, who would have previously striven to acquire them, merely nodded. "Yes, they are beautiful."

Ashley bit her lip, lowering her head. She understood the Harvey family's altered demeanor since Selina's identity as Angel was revealed. While they remained kind, she couldn't compete with Selina, and Sara wouldn't assist her.

The auction concluded. Selina received an ornately patterned box containing the earrings. Her admiring gaze betrayed her delight.

Cora entered, sneering. "Mere worthless earrings. What's so exhilarating?"

Selina placed the box in her bag, replying indifferently, "Better than thirty-million-dollar antiques. Business has been sluggish lately; low cash flow. Mrs. Clark is remarkably generous."

Ashley and Sara arrived, witnessing the spat. Ashley rushed to intervene. "Mrs. Clark, Selina, please stop. I'm distressed."

Cora snorted. "Unlike you, I'm using my own money, not the group's. But you… it seems Mr. Brady isn't very generous. You secured a mere pair of earrings for fifteen million dollars. Cheap. Ashley, which one do you prefer? I'll gift it to you."

"Oh, this… Mrs. Clark, it's far too expensive. I couldn't accept," Ashley feigned refusal. Even at a premium, each earring was worth millions; possessing one would make her exceedingly wealthy.