Chapter 73 — THE AUCTION.
Amara had been to auction sites before, but this one was even more lavish. She and Ethan were ushered to a table behind and hidden in the shadows. The grand ballroom was a vision of opulence and grandeur, with its towering crystal chandeliers casting a warm, golden glow over the proceedings. The air was thick with anticipation as elegantly dressed guests filled the room, their eyes fixed on the main stage, where the auction of rare and valuable items was about to begin.
At the center of the stage stood a polished wooden podium, adorned with intricate carvings and draped in rich velvet. Behind it, a massive screen displayed high-resolution images of the items up for auction. To the sides of the stage, rows of plush chairs were arranged for those lucky enough to secure a seat.
At the heart of this extravagant affair were the hosts, a pair of charismatic auctioneers in immaculate tuxedos. They exuded confidence and charisma, ready to orchestrate the evening’s bidding with flair.
The first item to grace the stage was a stunning piece of art, a rare painting by a renowned artist. The auctioneers introduced the artwork with eloquent descriptions of its provenance and artistic significance. A hush fell over the crowd as the bidding began.
“Five hundred thousand dollars,” called out a guest seated near the front, raising a sleek paddle adorned with an intricate design.
“Thank you, sir,” acknowledged the auctioneer, nodding towards the bidder.
The room was soon abuzz with competing bids, each offer more extravagant than the last. The hosts skillfully built the excitement, driving up the price of the painting.
“Going once, going twice… sold!” proclaimed one of the auctioneers, bringing down the gavel with a satisfying thud. The room erupted into applause as the winning bidder’s name was announced. No one looked like they wanted the painting anyway, it was like they came for something else. The bidder however started to regret putting such a huge prize, but the painting was now his.
“Looks like no one else wanted the painting, even the man bid a hundred thousand, he still would have gotten it,” Amara said, then she turned to Ethan, “why are we even here? You want to purchase something?” she asked.
“Maybe, maybe not,” Ethan replied.
The auction continued, with a dazzling array of items paraded onto the stage. Rare gemstones, antique furniture, vintage wines, and even a vintage sports car all found their moment in the spotlight. The hosts expertly juggled the pace, ensuring the energy remained high and the bids competitive.
A breathtaking diamond necklace, with stones that seemed to dance in the light, drew gasps of admiration from the audience. The room held its breath as the bidding for this exquisite piece reached a fever pitch.
“One million dollars!” declared a guest, her voice unwavering.
The auctioneers exchanged a knowing glance, recognizing the significance of the bid. The stakes were high, and the atmosphere electric.
“Is there any higher bid?” the auctioneer inquired, scanning the room.
The seconds felt like an eternity, and then, a voice from the back of the room, almost a whisper: “Five million five hundred thousand dollars.”
Everyone immediately turned around to see who this person was. Surprisingly all eyes turned to Ethan. Who was sitting still, his grey eyes fixed on the necklace and his arms around Amara. Everyone began to whisper, almost like Ethan was a new face in the neighborhood. Amara also turned to look at him in shock. She was a cheapskate, so seeing him pay a huge amount for a diamond necklace made her frown.
“Wow, five million, five hundred thousand dollars!!!! Anyone else want to top that?” the auctioneer asked, his face beaming with smiles.
The first lady that placed a bid before rose her mark again, but this time her voice held uncertainty, “Six million dollars-“
“Twenty million dollars,” Ethan cut her off before she could finish. Amara immediately grabbed the sleeves of his suit, shaking her head seriously. This time the murmurs were uncontrollably, people were asking who this incredibly rich individual was.
“Don’t be like this Ethan, you need to save your money, what are you even going to use this diamond necklace for?” Amara asked.
“It is important that I get it,” Ethan replied.
The prize he called shocked everyone and no one else even bothered to top it. The diamond necklace was indeed breathtaking. Its diamonds were of incredible rare pieces and it was quite heavy. It also seemed to dance and sparkle in the light. Almost everyone wanted it, but once Ethan set his bid to five million, five hundred thousand dollars, no one else wanted to compete not to talk about the twenty million dollars he had just put. When no one could top it, the auctioneer announced Ethan to be the winning bidder.
The room erupted into applause once more, the bidding war for the magnificent necklace finally coming to an end. The winning bidder, which was Ethan, received a round of applause and admiring glances from fellow attendees, but Amara gave him an annoyed look. She didn’t like that he had just spent that whole lot of money on a diamond necklace. She was so annoyed that it almost made her mad.
As the evening wore on, the auction site transformed into a whirlwind of excitement. Guests leaned forward in their seats, eagerly awaiting their chance to participate in this rarefied event. The auctioneers’ voices remained strong and captivating, their eyes never leaving the audience as they orchestrated the proceedings.
Each successful bid was met with a triumphant flourish of the gavel, marking another piece of history made that evening. The guests reveled in the thrill of acquiring rare treasures and the prestige of outbidding their fellow collectors.
People continued to spare glances at Ethan and Amara who were still behind the stage. The seat Ethan had picked had shadows casted on it, so his face could not be seen very well. Some took the excuse of going to the bar with was behind the stage and close to where Ethan had settled to get more drink, but Ethan paid no attention to them and his face was still hidden in the light.
After the diamond necklace was packaged and brought to Ethan, he wrote a check and passed it on. Amara eyed the check with annoyance. She couldn’t believe twenty million dollars had just left her boyfriend’s account. She shock her head and turned her attention back to her drink. Ethan noticed this, he smiled.
“Why so quiet?”
“Is this how you always spend money?” Amara asked.
“Depends. I spend money on important things,” Ethan replied.
“Important things?” Amara looked at the package on the table, “just how important is this this thing that you wasted your whole money on?”
“It’s important because I brought it for you,” Ethan answered.