Chapter 48 He Really, Really Loves Her
The entire venue erupted.
The auctioneer's excited voice echoed in the villa: "Bidder No. 888 wants to bid to the end!" Let's give him a round of applause! "
The thunderous applause nearly lifted the roof off.
The auction had reached its white-hot stage!
If before there had only been quiet murmurs, now everyone had completely let loose, discussing loudly:
"Going all the way! How long has it been since we've seen that at an auction!"
"Yeah, the last time was at an auction a year ago. The bidding kept going up, and finally a mysterious buyer closed the deal at 12 billion dollars!"
"The time before that was three years ago, with that artist's painting. A mysterious buyer finally got it for 7 billion dollars!"
"And before that, in Veridian, that globally famous modern art symbolic sculpture was taken by a mysterious buyer for 7 billion dollars."
While everyone was discussing loudly, some people were confused—
"You've said so much, but I still don't know what's going on. Can someone explain it to me?"
Someone immediately explained: "It's William's gesture right now. It means he's claiming this tanzanite, and no matter what anyone else bids, he'll raise it."
The person was confused again: "Can anyone do that? What if they can't pay in the end? Wouldn't that blow everything up?"
"The auction house has its own rules. The Adams family runs this business, they know what they're doing. Anyway, I heard that someone once went all the way but couldn't pay, and it ended badly for them."
"We were invited to this auction, and the Adams family basically has everyone vetted. You know, other smaller auctions even have a fund verification process."
The person nodded: "You're right about that."
"But now we don't need to worry about fund verification. That's William!"
Right, that's William.
William, the sole ruler of the Brown family, the first among Shadow City's three major powers!
The lights in the venue dimmed, then suddenly brightened, with a sweep of dazzling special effects creating brilliant colors throughout the hall.
"What's happening? What's going on?"
"I don't know. What happened?"
"Go find out quickly. Something must be happening inside!"
There was a screen in the villa showing the real-time situation outside. At this moment, both inside and outside the villa were buzzing with excitement.
Suddenly, someone asked: "Has William ever gone all the way at auctions before?"
"Now that you mention it, he actually has."
"What? How come I've never heard about it? What did he bid on?"
The person recalled, then spoke carefully: "Actually, I'm not very clear either. It was seven years ago."
"Seven years ago?" The questioner was a bit confused. "Wasn't he still young then?"
The responder nodded: "Yes, still young, and the item was very strange too."
The questioner became more curious: "What was it?"
The responder looked conflicted: "A document."
"There are such items for auction?"
"Yes, I'm not clear on the specifics. That auction wasn't public, very few people knew about it. I only found out by chance, and I only know bits and pieces."
...
Second floor.
Isabella watched William standing not far away, her heart pounding.
After understanding what this meant, she could barely sit still.
After the initial excitement, she felt a sense of satisfaction that everything was under her control.
In Shadow City, William's power and status were unmatched. He was the man countless women would do anything to attach themselves to.
Yet this very man could go to such lengths for her!
At this moment, Isabella felt she had won.
With just a little maneuvering, William truly loved her so much.
Truly, deeply loved her.
Amelia, nothing special!
Isabella looked at William. His face remained calm as always, his eyes looking toward Lika's direction, quietly waiting for the other party's response.
So Isabella's lips curved up, also waiting to see Lika meekly bow her head in defeat!
On Amelia's side, Jeffrey was completely angry.
"What is William doing!" Jeffrey stood up directly. If Amelia hadn't pressed his arm, he probably would have rushed over to William.
"It's one thing for him to bring Isabella, one thing to let Isabella use his paddle to bid, even to indulge Isabella competing with you for that tanzanite—I could still say he didn't know what the tanzanite meant, but now what?"
Jeffrey's chest heaved with anger.
"At a public auction with reporters present, where this will be in the news later, to go this far for a mistress—where does that put his wife who isn't even divorced yet!"
Looking at Amelia's still calm face, Jeffrey felt more heartache than anger.
Everyone present knew that although the auction inside the villa was closed and everyone kept the rules, tacitly not spreading much information, once the auction ended and they left the villa, everyone would definitely know.
Whether reporters or Isabella, neither would miss this opportunity.
Then "Amelia" would definitely become a laughingstock nailed to the pillar of shame!
And this was when people didn't know Lika was Amelia.
If they knew...
Jeffrey didn't dare to imagine.
But Amelia just calmly looked at William standing there. Her face was hidden behind the mask, and no one knew what she was thinking.
So it only took seven years.
Seven years for a young man to become unrecognizable.
To let him easily transfer all the favoritism he once gave her to another woman.
A flash before her eyes—seven years ago, at that private auction, the image of the young man standing up with his right hand raised high above his head.
Finally, Amelia's lips curved slightly, sketching a trace of mocking smile on her face, but her eyes were ice cold.
"Lika, should we still bid?" Jeffrey asked worriedly from the side.
But Amelia's lips were full of smiles.
No defeat, oppression, or unwillingness from being crushed by money and power, only smiles.
After the burst of brilliant lights, the auctioneer spoke in an excited voice: "...bidding continues, everyone please bid actively."
But his gaze was looking toward seat 823.
Everyone present was doing the same.
Everyone wanted to see what choice the woman holding paddle 823 would make.
Just then, everyone saw a hand slowly extending from the shadows.
Still that snow-white hand, holding paddle 823.
Then, on the accompanying board, a string of numbers followed.
At the same time, on the auctioneer's platform, the bid number changed.
5 million dollars.
A new number appeared before everyone's eyes.
The auctioneer looked at the bid number in disbelief, then looked at that hand on the second floor, confirming repeatedly.
Finally, the auctioneer announced in a high-pitched voice:
"Bidder 823 continues to bid, offering 5 million dollars!"