How had she just shouted out a ten million dor bid for such a worthless painting?
The realization hit her a moment toote. She swallowed hard.
"Mom, that snake Isadora is just trying to outbid us. I called out ten million, but don''t worry-she''ll definitely raise the price. If she does, I''ll just stop bidding and let her take the loss."
But as soon as Olivia''s ten million dor bid rang out, the entire room fell silent. The auctioneer, undeterred, was still full of energy on stage.
"Ten million, once! Ten million, twice..."
Andrina and Olivia listened to the auctioneer''s voice echo through the hall, every word like a countdown to doomsday, their hearts suspended in midair.
Olivia''s face went pale. She mumbled, almost to herself, "Wait... why isn''t Isadora trying to outbid me?"
She nced over, only to see Isadora had already set her paddle down and was chatting casually with Nte.
When Isadora noticed Olivia staring, she even shed a mocking smile, the kind that made Olivia''s cheeks flush red then drain white.
Damn it. That witch Isadora did it on purpose!
The auctioneer brought down the little gavel with a flourish.
"Ten million, third and final call-sold! Congrattions to the youngdy of Legacy National Bank, the proud new owner of thisndscape painting!"
As those words sank in, Andrina''s chest tightened so painfully she could barely breathe. She almost fainted right there.
Half her fortune, gone in an instant...
Olivia was ring daggers at Isadora, wishing she could storm across the room and w that smug grin right off her face.
Nte, watching the shell-shocked mother and daughter, felt a rush of satisfaction. Their faces looked as if someone had carved out a piece of their hearts-she couldn''t have enjoyed it more.
"Isadora, when you called out eight million, I almost had a heart attack. I was terrified that idiot Olivia wouldn''t take the bait."
Isadora twirled her paddle between her fingers, nonchnt.
"With a spoiled heiress like her, obsessed with keeping me beneath her heel, it''s
not surprising she''d lose her head and throw out a ten million dor bid."
She said it lightly, but there was always a chance things could''ve gone wrong. If that fool Olivia hadn''t followed along, they would''ve ended up spending eight million dors on a painting that wasn''t worth a fraction of it.
Nte asked, "But what if she''de to her senses in time and stopped bidding?"
Isadora''s lips curled. "Then it wouldn''t have mattered."
...
Nte blinked, studying Isadora''s calm, self-assured demeanor. She was the same close friend she''d known for years, yet there was something different about her now.
Nte thought it over. It was confidence.
The kind of confidence Victor gave her.
Somehow, without even realizing it, Isadora had be a power yer herself.
Loving someone is like tending a garden, Nte mused. Watching Isadora now, she finally understood what that meant.
The charity auction ended.
The auctioneer took the stage again to announce the next event.
"With the auction now concluded, all proceeds will go to support people with disabilities. Tonight''s highest bid came from the Legacy National Bank family, so please join me in weing Olivia, their young heiress, to the stage for a special cello performance dedicated to spreading hope around the world."
After losing ten million dors on andscape painting, Andrina''s heart felt as if it had been carved out with a dull knife. But hearing Olivia''s name called, she managed to pull herself together.
After all, Olivia''s performance was
ет
the highlight of the evening. Once she dazzled the stage, Andrina would slip a little extra money to the PR team, making sure Olivia''s falent and charm were sshed across every feed and headline.
If she could secure her daughter a powerful marriage alliance, they''d earn back
their money—and more-by iming arger share of the Walsh family fortune. The money woulde back. It always did.