Chapter 266: Tense Standoff
The red-haired woman faced the crowd's intense stares with poise, her mysterious smile leaving her motives undisclosed. Zayn nearly let the gavel slip from his grasp, shocked, but his professional training quickly regained his composure. He cleared his throat, steadying himself before asking, “Does anyone have a bid over five hundred million?”
Jacob confidently raised his paddle, declaring, “Six hundred million!” Without skipping a beat, the red-haired woman said, “Seven hundred million!” Jacob glanced over at her as she sat in his row, her smile brimming with challenge as she waved playfully.
A slight crease formed on Jacob’s forehead. After receiving a quick directive through his earpiece, he confidently exclaimed, “Eight hundred million!” The bidding frenzy escalated, shocking Zayn. While the typical increments were ten million, these two escalated by a staggering hundred million each time. This was truly a display where money did all the talking.
The woman’s lips twisted into a bright smile as she called out confidently, “Nine hundred million.” From a secluded VIP room, Vivienne watched with a hint of chill in her gaze. “Looks like tonight might not go as you hoped,” Derek said. With a defiant lift of her eyebrows, Vivienne’s face took on an expression of fierce determination. “We’ll just see about that.” She then reached for her laptop, swiftly transferring a billion to her account, ready for the next move.
In another VIP room, the blond man watched the bidding unfold with surprise. He mused to himself about the hidden depths of those involved. “Lyhaton does have quite a few powerhouses,” he said quietly, his smile subtle and unreadable. “Yet, some still underestimate what’s ahead.” His crew-cut companion felt a surge of sympathy for the opposing bidder. His boss was known for always securing his desires. Going against his boss was a daring, maybe even reckless, decision.
At the auction, the tense standoff between the red-haired woman and Jacob persisted. “One billion!” the red-haired woman announced confidently, her posture defiant. A chill seemed to pass over Jacob’s features, his gaze turning cold. This sum was way beyond what Vivienne had allocated for the auction. Regardless of the red-haired woman’s intentions—whether spiteful or sincere—the bid now surpassed Vivienne’s financial limit. His stare intensified as he looked at her. With a challenging lift of her eyebrow, the woman’s arrogant presence was unmistakable, even from afar.
Zayn, momentarily caught off guard, quickly recovered, raising his gavel to ask, “Do we have a higher bid than one billion?” Silence enveloped the room. Zayn continued, “One billion going once! One billion going twice! One billion…” His voice grew louder, each word ringing with an eerie clarity that filled the hall.
At that moment, the doors to the hall burst open. All heads turned toward the entrance. A man with graying hair and a serious expression entered, carrying a tray that prominently displayed a black gold card. The shock was evident not only on Zayn’s face on stage but also among the seated mid-level members. A whisper swept through the crowd. “Is that a black gold card?” As the question hung in the air, a wave of disbelief swept over the attendees.