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Bella’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly before she rolled them in annoyance.
Her calm expression was at odds with the intensity in the room as Justin’s face darkened.
He couldn’t hide his irritation when he saw Ryan flirting with his ex-wife.
“Bro, how was my performance just now?” Ryan asked, returning to his seat with a grin, nudging Justin with his elbow.
“Good,” Justin muttered, his tone cold, but his glare was sharp.
“If you do that again, I will chop you to pieces.
”
Ryan, taken aback, raised his hands defensively.
“Bro, what did I do now? You’re more temperamental than all my girlfriends combined!”
The atmosphere shifted as the first auction item was revealed—a landscape painting from the Renaissance.
Despite being intricately crafted, the painting was by an unknown artist, so the base price started at $1 million.
Justin wasn’t particularly interested in historical relics, but his grandfather’s influence had made him familiar with them.
At a glance, he recognized the piece.
It was a replica, exquisitely crafted, of the original painting hanging in his grandfather’s studio.
The original was with Nigel, and Justin knew that replicas, though of high quality, were usually sold for far less than the original.
The bidding began quickly: “$1.
5 million!” “$2 million!” “$3 million!”
As the auctioneer was about to drop the hammer, a crisp, confident voice rang out, “$5 million.
” Bella raised her paddle slowly, sending ripples of surprise through the crowd.
Everyone looked toward her in curiosity, and Justin couldn’t help but study her.
Something felt off.
This painting wasn’t worth $5 million, and Bella, having spent so much time with Nigel, must know that the original was in his collection.
Why would she pay so much for a replica?
Just as he thought the bidding was over, a new voice called out from the back.
“$6 million!” Rosalind raised her paddle, making sure everyone noticed her.
Bella remained unshaken.
“$7 million,” she said calmly, raising her paddle again.
Rosalind responded immediately.
“$8 million!”
Jean, caught up in the spectacle, felt nervous.
She had never been part of such a high-profile auction and was in disbelief at the escalating prices.
A painting for $7 million? It was only the first item!
“Mom, should we bid for it too?” Bethany asked, clearly upset by Rosalind’s bold moves.
Shannon, however, was composed.
“No, they’re our relatives.
Let them handle this,” she said dismissively, aware that the best items would come later in the auction.
Bella wasn’t backing down.
“$9 million,” she said resolutely.
Jean’s anxiety grew, and she could feel her heart racing.
The numbers were climbing too quickly, and this was far beyond her budget for a birthday gift for Nigel.
“$10 million!” Rosalind declared, raising her paddle with a flourish.
The crowd was in an uproar.
Ryan couldn’t help but laugh.
“This is just the first item, and it’s not even that valuable, yet it’s going for this much.
I’m making such a big profit! Justin, do you think I should thank your ex-wife or your future wife?”
Justin, his expression dark and unreadable, remained silent.
His hands were tightly clasped in his lap, and his lips were set in a firm line.
“Rose, stop bidding for it.
$10 million is too much,” Jean urged, her voice strained with nervousness.
Bella, her eyes shining with delight, was about to raise her paddle again, but at the last second, she hesitated and let her hand fall.
“$10 million! Congratulations to Ms.
Gold for winning the painting!” the auctioneer announced.
Rosalind beamed with pride, her face flushed with victory.
She had outbid Bella, thinking she had once again stolen the spotlight.
However, Jean’s expression darkened, her thoughts clouded with a sense of foreboding.
