Chapter 240
Gemma stood beside him, asking urgently, "Who was it?"
"The Boleyn family." Preston rubbed his temples. "The Boleyn family from the south district. They're willing to take my shares."
Gemma's eyes lit up instantly.
The next day, Tamsin and Preston met at a café. The discussion went relatively smoothly.
The price wasn't cut too much, the procedures were simple, and Preston signed the contract that very day.
After signing, Tamsin tucked away the contract. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she lifted her coffee cup and took a sip, her tone casual. "Since our families are cooperating, I'll give you a tip on how to turn things around. There's a top-tier land auction happening next week across the city. There's a plot secretly labeled '03'—extremely valuable. Word is, it's part of the future core development zone. If you can secure it, the Wipere Group won't just come back from the dead—you could multiply your fortune tenfold..."
But what Preston didn't know was that the land had severe hidden property disputes. Whoever touched it was doomed.
This was precisely why Lucinda had sent Tamsin to meet Preston.
Preston's breathing quickened noticeably.
Plot 03. Of course he knew about it.
The planning map had been released six months ago. It was slated to be a key development area in the coming years. Whoever secured it could turn their fortunes around.
"What's the starting bid?" he asked.
Tamsin quoted a figure.
Preston's fingers tightened on his knee.
That number—he could barely scrape it together after selling his shares.
"Ms. Boleyn." He leaned forward, his face breaking into a smile. "Do you have connections to this auction?"
Tamsin smiled faintly, lifted her coffee cup, and didn't answer directly.
"If you want it, you can try when the time comes. But I've heard..." She paused, lowering her voice. "Several major corporations have their eyes on this land. The Douglas family, the Lancaster family, and a company called BlueWave Tech—they've all registered."
Preston's expression shifted slightly.
"But..." Tamsin smiled again. "They're not necessarily set on winning it. When the scene gets heated, they might not even get a chance to raise their bids. If you're serious about it, I could introduce you to someone at the auction house."
Preston's eyes lit up.
He thanked her profusely, trembling with excitement. "Thank you! Thank you, Ms. Boleyn, for saving my life! I'll definitely bid!"
Half an hour later, in the CEO's office at BlueWave Tech.
Tamsin sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, laughing uncontrollably as she reported the results to Lucinda, who sat in the main seat.
"Lucinda, you should've seen Preston's pathetic, grateful face. He sold me his shares at a low price and treated me like his savior!"
After laughing, Tamsin cleared her throat, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. "But Lucinda, Preston's sold off all his shares now. He's used the cash to pay off debts. He probably has barely a few cents left. Even if he's tempted, does he really have the money to bid on that land?"
At the head of the table, Lucinda sat elegantly, her long legs crossed, holding a cup of black coffee.
Hearing this, she slowly lifted her head and let out a cold laugh. "If he doesn't have money, he can borrow. He can take out high-interest loans and mortgage everything."
Lucinda took a sip of her coffee, her voice calm yet laced with decisive sharpness. "As for the auction that day... I'll arrange everything personally."
She leaned back in her chair, her eyes deep. "Once the bidding starts, Lancaster Group, Douglas Group, and my own BlueWave Tech—all the top-tier corporations will show up."
"We'll put on a grand show together, driving up the price of that land like crazy. We'll create momentum, forcing the Wipere family to stake everything they have, betting it all on buying that worthless plot."
The higher they climbed, the harder they'd fall.
She wanted to watch the Wipere family with her own eyes—at the peak of their hope, thinking they were about to turn things around—plunge into eternal hell, never to rise again!
Tamsin stared in stunned admiration, unable to help herself from praising loudly. "Brilliant! Lucinda, this chain of schemes is absolutely brilliant! This time, even if the Wipere family had nine lives, you'd finish them off completely! I can't wait for next week's auction!"
On the day of the auction, torrential rain poured down.
The sky was so overcast it seemed ready to collapse.
The auction was held at Starlight City's most luxurious seven-star hotel. Luxury cars flowed like water, and elites gathered in droves.
Outside the venue entrance, a red carpet stretched out, camera flashes flickering endlessly.
Suddenly, a shabby taxi stopped not far away.
The door opened. Preston, Gemma, and Allegra stumbled out, awkwardly holding umbrellas.
The clothes they wore couldn't even be called decent.
To raise the deposit for the auction, Preston had sold off all his shares. Gemma and Allegra had sold every designer gown and precious piece of jewelry in the house.
At this moment, Preston wore a somewhat frayed, out-of-season suit. Gemma and Allegra wore cheap, everyday clothes.
Among the impeccably dressed top-tier elites around them, they stuck out like sore thumbs.
"Isn't that the Wipere family? Why are they dressed like that?"
"I heard the Wipere Group's on the verge of bankruptcy. Can't even afford to rent formal wear?"
"Showing up to a top-tier auction in casual clothes—how embarrassing."
Mocking whispers drifted around them like knives, stabbing into the Wipere family.
Preston's face turned unbearably grim.
Gemma clutched the strap of her cheap handbag tightly, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Allegra kept her head down, nails digging into her palms, humiliated tears brimming in her eyes.
They'd completely lost face!
"Don't look at them! Let's go!" Preston bit out through clenched teeth.
As he walked, he muttered under his breath, "Ignore them. Once we get that land, who'll dare say a word?"
Gemma gritted her teeth and followed.
The three of them entered the auction hall. They were greeted by a long registration desk.
A uniformed receptionist stood behind the table. Her gaze swept over them lightly, and without much expression, she handed them three numbered paddles.
Preston took the paddle and glanced down: Number 37.
They'd been assigned seats in the third-to-last row, near the door.
He sat down and looked up. The rows ahead of him were packed with people.
Their backs were straight, their laughter low and restrained, exuding an innate composure.
Preston tightened his grip on his numbered paddle.
For the sake of Plot 03—the land that could bring the Wipere Group back from the dead—he could only steel himself and head to his seat.
Just then, the main entrance suddenly fell silent for a moment.
Instinctively, he looked up and saw a tall figure walking in from the doorway.
The man wore a custom-tailored dark gray suit. His demeanor was calm, his features carrying the composed authority of someone long accustomed to power.
Behind him followed a woman in an emerald green dress, holding his arm. Her smile was gentle, her entire presence radiating the dignified grace of a matriarch.