Chapter 1366:


    He steadied himself and spoke in a low, firm tone. “I’m prepared to offer ten billion.”


    The statement struck the room with startling force.


    The crowd reacted with disbelief, and the shock spread quickly.


    A few people had guessed the bid would fall around four billion, five billion, or maybe six billion. They believed the offer would simply double the price of “Angel’s Tear.” Yet none of them imagined ten billion.


    The amount stood so high that it matched the annual GDP of certain small countries.


    A few people immediately picked up on how strange the situation seemed and began questioning it.


    “Is this real? Is someone pulling a prank? How does ten billion even make sense? Is this whole event nned ahead of time?”


    “Think about the rtionship between Maia and Kiley. This has to be staged. If ‘Angel’s Tear’ didn’t need to be delivered, then this painting might follow the same pattern.”


    “Now that you pointed it out, it does look suspicious. Maia hasn’t actually handed over any auction item tonight, and we might never find out if the bidder intends to pay for those items.”


    In a matter of minutes, the online chat filled with the words “ten billion.”


    Right then, as the audience whispered their doubts, Maia narrowed her eyes.


    She knew from the start that the n carried risks. Once the number grew too outrageous, the entire situation would look unbelievable. Still, Zoey would have nned for a moment like this.


    Her attention shifted to Grayson, and she noticed he remainedpletely steady.


    Kiley appearedposed as well, yet her thoughts raced wildly beneath the surface.


    A bid of three billion would have seemed reasonable, and even a slightly higher offer could have passed. However, hearing someone dere ten billion all at once struck her as excessive, and it made the entire moment feel staged.


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    Kiley found herself trapped in a strange fog of doubt, and the uncertainty tightened around her.


    She shifted her gaze toward Maia and noticed how steady she appeared, which only heightened her unease. Mr. M’s attention was clearly fixed on Maia. That made her wonder if Granger might be working with Maia to mislead her.


    Kiley pushed the thought away almost immediately because the idea felt unreasonable. Maia had tried to stop the bidding earlier, and her reaction seemed genuine.


    The possibility shed again, making her question if Maia’sposure had something to do with the threat she had made.


    Kiley believed Maia would never involve herself in such a n for Chris. He had be someone without value after his own family abandoned him.


    While Kiley wrestled with her confusion, Grayson narrowed his eyes and released a coldugh. “It seems it’s true that average people can never imagine the life of the truly wealthy. Still, a sum thisrge is not easy to move in a single transfer, and that often leads to needless assumptions.”


    He turned his attention toward Kiley and said in aposed tone, “To be clear, I cannot bring out that amount in direct cash.”


    His words brought an immediate hush over the room.


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