Chapter 243
"Bid!" Gemma clutched his arm, her knuckles white. "Raise it! They're all fighting for it—this land has to be worth something!"
Preston clenched his jaw and shot his paddle up. "Three hundred seventy-five million!"
"Three hundred eighty million." Lucinda's voice was steady.
"Three hundred ninety million." Wesley.
"Four hundred million." Aiden.
The price rocketed upward in minutes.
The entire hall reached a fever pitch, every eye bouncing between those few bidders.
Preston's paddle went up faster and faster, each raise forced through gritted teeth.
His back was soaked through. His shirt clung to his skin, cold and clammy.
"Four hundred ten million!" he shouted.
The front row went quiet for a beat.
Lucinda glanced down at her phone, as if she'd just received a message.
After reading it, she flipped the phone over onto her lap. She didn't raise her paddle again.
Wesley's section also fell silent.
He murmured something to Valencia. She nodded. He lowered his paddle.
The Wipere family let out a shaky breath of relief.
Just when they thought they'd won, Reginald tilted his head slightly and met Lucinda's gaze. Endless affection flickered in his eyes.
To play his part in his fiancée's takedown, he raised his hand.
His assistant understood immediately. He lifted the paddle, his voice cutting through the room like ice: "Four hundred twenty million."
Four hundred twenty million!
That number shattered the last shred of sanity the three Wiperes had left.
In the back row, Preston heard the figure and collapsed into his chair, his eyes practically bulging out of their sockets.
This had drained every last chip they'd brought today.
This was everything they had. Not a penny more.
"Dad! Raise the paddle! That bitch already dropped out! It's just this guy left!" Allegra lunged at him, her hands clamped around Preston's arm. "We've come this far—we can't give up now! Win this, and we'll be top-tier! We'll have billions!"
"Preston! Raise it! Raise it now! We can't lose!" Gemma's eyes were bloodshot. She and Allegra hoisted the Wipere family paddle into the air together.
"Four hundred fifty million!" Preston roared.
The hall went silent.
The man in the black suit in the front row turned his head and glanced at Lucinda again.
Lucinda's lips curved ever so slightly.
Hooked.
The Wiperes were about to hand over everything they had.
The man pulled his gaze back and lowered his paddle.
"Four hundred fifty million once—" The auctioneer's voice echoed through the hall. "Four hundred fifty million twice—four hundred fifty million three times—sold! Congratulations to bidder number 37, who has won the core downtown South District plot for four hundred fifty million dollars!"
The gavel fell.
Preston slumped back in his seat, boneless.
Gemma threw herself at him, tears streaming down her face. "We did it! Preston! We won!"
Allegra stood beside them, her eyes red too.
They'd won.
Once they developed it, the Wiperes would rise again. The money would come back. The reputation would come back. Everything would come back.
Preston took a while to stand. His legs were weak. He had to grip the back of the chair to steady himself.
When he turned and saw Allegra and Gemma circling him, eyes red, his nose stung.
"All right, all right." He patted Gemma's back, his voice hoarse. "Don't cry. People are watching."
Gemma wiped her tears and laughed through them, swatting him lightly. "You scared me to death! When you kept raising, I thought my heart was going to stop!"
Allegra stood beside them and smiled faintly.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and glanced toward the front row.
Lucinda had already stood up.
The man in the black suit was picking up the shawl draped over her chair and placing it gently over her shoulders.
Lucinda tilted her head slightly, as if saying something to him.
He smiled. The expression was faint, but softer than anything he'd shown during the entire auction.
Allegra looked away and curled her fingers into fists.
No matter what, she'd won today.
She followed her parents toward the exit. As they passed the front row, she caught sight of Lucinda looking down at her phone, her profile calm and quiet, as if the brutal bidding war had nothing to do with her.
Allegra's lips quirked up. She straightened her spine.
She linked arms with her parents and walked out of the auction hall in those worn heels, one step at a time.
Sunlight hit her face. It was blinding.
She squinted and took a deep breath.
The Wiperes were coming back.
The crowd thinned. Reginald stood beside Lucinda, adjusting her shawl.
As they stepped outside, Reginald was about to head for the car when Milton appeared, his gaze landing on Reginald's hand for a beat.
"Cindy, ride with me." Milton stepped forward, his tone stubborn. "Mom told me to bring you home for dinner. I can fill you in on the research institute project on the way."
Reginald turned his head, his voice unhurried. "My car's closer."
"So is mine."
"Mine's parked at the main entrance."
"Mine's at the VIP exit."
The two men stood on either side of her, neither backing down.
Lucinda pinched the bridge of her nose, exasperated.
She patted Reginald's hand, then turned to Milton, her voice gentle. "Milton, I'll ride with Reginald. You go ahead."
A flash of disappointment crossed Milton's face.
He lowered his eyes, his expression dimming.
But he quickly looked up again, forcing a bright smile. "All right. Whatever Cindy wants. I'll head back now and make your favorite pastries myself. So when you get home, you can eat them fresh and hot."
"Thank you, Milton." Lucinda nodded.
Milton looked at her for a long moment before finally turning away, his steps quick and a little lonely.
Reginald stepped closer, noticing the fatigue on Lucinda's face. His heart ached. "Cindy, you must be starving. Wait here for me—I'll run across the street and grab you something from that bakery you love. I'll be right back."
Lucinda's lips curved. "All right. I'll wait."
Reginald smiled at her and strode off into the rain.
The drizzle was lighter now. The covered walkway felt empty.
Lucinda slipped her hands into her coat pockets and stood by a marble pillar, expression cool and composed as she waited for Reginald.
"Well, well. If it isn't our all-powerful Lucinda." Allegra descended the steps and stopped a few feet away, arms crossed, eyes sweeping over her. Her lips curved in a smile, but there was no warmth in her gaze.