Chapter 38
Monica froze in disbelief, her fingers gripping the edge of a nearby table as the ernicee’s voice rang out over the audience.
“Ladies and gentlemen, our final participant for the evening, plese welcome Isabella Rossi, heiress of the Rossi Group.”
The crowd erupted into murmurs of excitement as Izzy’s name was announced. Monica’s stomach twisted as she watched Izzy step onto the stage, her every movement poised and delibere. She wore an elegantly simple evening gown that hugged her figure in all the right ways, the material shimmering subtly under the stage lights. The elegance wasn’t ostentatious—it was effortless, infuriatingly so. She even changed clothes? What the hell!?
“What is she doing here?” Arianna muttered next to Monica, her voice dripping with irritation. “She wasn’t even supposed to be part of this. Why does she always have to steal the spotlight?”
Monica didn’t respond, her eyes glued to Izzy. Hatred bubbled inside her as the crowd’s whispers turned to applause. The emcee detailed Izzy’s accomplishments–her role in the Rossi Group and her family’s extensive charity work. Each word felt like a dagger twisting deeper into Monica’s pride. Izzy doesn’t have a fucking role inside Rossi Group! What the hell are they talking about!?
“Of course,” Arianna hissed, crossing her arms. “Miss Perfect Rossi, waltzing in at the last second to outshine everyone. I worked for this moment! What does she even care about at a charity auction? She’s probably donating millions anyway.”
“She’s making a mockery of this,” Monica spat, her jaw clenched She’s not here for the cause. She’s here to humiliate me.” On stage, Izzy stood with a calm smile, her gaze sweeping the crowd like she owned the room. Monica could see the subtle tension in Izzy’s posture, which only made her angrier. Even when nervous, Izzy managed to look flawless.
“And now, we’ll start the bidding at five thousand dollars,” the emcee announced, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. “But this time, we’re changing things up to make it more exciting! Unlike previous events where bidding was anonymous, tonight everyone can bid to their heart’s content using the paddles being handed out by our servers. Don’t be shy–raise your
te high and let the fun begin!” He smiled, gesturing to the staff distributing elegant paddles to the attendees. “And let’s get,” he added warmly. “All proceeds from tonight’s auction will go directly to the wonderful charities organized by
mparable Mrs. Weiss. Let’s make this an unforgettable evening of generosity!”
Immediately, a paddle shot up from the middle of the room. “Five thousand,” the emcee confirmed. “Do I have ten?”
“Ten thousand,” came another bid, this one from a man seated near the front. The murmurs grew louder as paddles started going up across the room.
“Fifteen thousand!” the emcee declared, pointing toward a bidder on the left. “Do I hear twenty?”
“Twenty!” called someone from the back.
Monica’s nails dug into her palm as the numbers climbed higher Izzy stood gracefully on stage, her expression unchanged as the auction gained momentum and every new bid sent a fresh wave of frustration surging through Monica.
“This is ridiculous,” Arianna fumed. “Do these people even care about the charity, or are they just bidding because it’s her?”
“Fifty thousand!” a voice called, silencing the murmurs.
The emcee paused, his face lighting up in astonishment. “Fifty thousand dollars, ladies and gentlemen! All proceeds will, of course, go toward supporting orphanages around the globe.”
The room erupted in applause, and Monica’s face burned. She couldn’t tell who had placed the bid, but she could feel the shift in the room’s energy. Everyone was watching Izzy now, their admiration tangible. It was as if the auction had turned into a spectacle just for her.
“She’s just showing off,” Arianna muttered darkly.
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“Of course she is,” Monica replied. “She always does,”
The emcee glanced around the room, his excitement liarely combined. “Fifty thousand going once… twice…”
“Fifty–five thousand,” came another voice, cutting through the buzz.
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Gasps rippled through the crowd, and even Izzy blinked, her calth facade faltering for a split second. Monica’s heart raced, torn between anger and curiosity. Who was driving this absurd bidding war?
The emcee grinned. “Fifty–five thousand! Do I hear sixty?”
A paddle went up almost immediately. “Sixty thousand!”
The tension in the room thickened as people turned to see who was behind the escalating bids. Monica craned her neck, her eyes narrowing as she spotted Calen, seated calmly at his table, his paddle held high. Her breath caught in her throat. Was he seriously bidding on Izzy?
“Sixty–five thousand, another bidder countered, an older gentleman near the front.
The emcee’s excitement reached a fever pitch. “Sixty–five thousand! Ladies and gentlemen, remember, every penny will go to support orphaned children worldwide. Do I hear seventy?”
Calen raised his paddle again without hesitation. “Seventy thousand,” the emcee announced, his voice almost shaking. “Do we have seventy–five?”
Monica’s hands trembled as the realization settled in. Calen wasn’t just bidding, he was determined to win. Every ounce of attention she’d fought for tonight was gone, stolen by Izzy in an instant.
The emcee was moments away from striking the gavel when a commanding voice rang out from the back of the room.
“One hundred thousand.”
collective gasp swept through the crowd. Heads turned as if choreographed, searching for the source of the bid. Izzy’s skipped a beat as her gaze followed theirs, and there, standing with an air of unshakable confidence, was Liam ath.
Wearing an all white suit that almost made him look angelic, Liam stood not too far away from where Izzy was.
Monica’s jaw dropped, her disbelief plastered across her face. “What is he doing here?” she whispered harshly, gripping the edge of the curtain as if it could somehow steady her.
On stage, it took Izzy a moment to process what had just happened. Liam met her eyes briefly, his expression unreadable but firm. Her mind raced. Why was he bidding? She wanted to ask him what he was doing but she knew it was impossible, so she waited. Surely, he was only trying to make her angry, right?
The emcee recovered quickly. “One hundred thousand dollars, ladies and gentlemen! Do I hear one–fifty?”
Before anyone else could react, Calen raised his paddle again. “Two hundred thousand,”
The crowd erupted into whispers, the tension in the room rising to a fever pitch. All eyes darted between Liam and Calen, the two men now locked in a silent battle that electrified the
root.
Monica’s hand shot up to her mouth. “This is insane,” she hissed to Arianna, whose eyes were wide with shock. “Calen’s going to make a fool of himself.”
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“It’s not just him,” Arianna retorted, glancing nervously toward Lam. “This is about her. She’s drawing everyone in like she always does.”
The emcee, nearly breathless, called out, “Two hundred thousand! Do I hear two–fifty?”
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Liam raised his hand without hesitation. “Three hundred thousand.”
The crowd gasped again, their murmurs growing louder. Izzy felt her composure wavering as she looked between Liam and Calen. She wanted to say something, to stop whatever spectacle this had become, but her place on the stage held her captive,
Calen leaned back in his chair, his expression calm but his grip on the paddle tightening. With a flick of his wrist, he raised it again. “Half a million.”
The room froze. Even the emcee seemed momentarily stunned, his mouth open as he struggled to process the dramatic escalation.
“Half a million dollars, Jadies and gentlemen!” he finally announced. “Do I hear more?”
Liam’s response came instantly. “Seven hundred and fifty thousand.”
The whispers in the room turned to outright exclamations. People leaned over to one another, speculating, gossiping. unable to tear their eyes away.
Meanwhile, Monica’s face had gone pale. “What is happening?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Arianna shook her head, her earlier irritation giving way to sheer disbelief. “She’s just standing there, and they’re losing their
minds.”
Then everyone watched as Calen stood. The entire room seemed to hold its breath as he raised his paddle again. “Eight hundred thousand.”
The air in the room was electric. Even the emcee faltered, his voice cracking slightly as he repeated, “Eight hundred thousand dollars from Mr. Calen Weiss. Do I hear more?”
Liam didn’t hesitate. He raised his hand again.“One million.”
This time, the room fell silent.
he emcee blinked, his composure slipping for the first time that evening. “One million?” he repeated, almost in disbelief/ Liam’s lips curled into a faint smile. “One million dollars for Miss Isabella Rossi.”
The emcee hesitated, scanning the room for any further bids. Calen’s jaw tightened, his hand still gripping the paddle, but he didn’t raise it again.
“Going once…” The emcee’s voice echoed through the room. “Going twice…”
The gavel struck. “Sold, for one million dollars to Mr. Liam Horvath!”
The room erupted into applause as Izzy stood frozen on stage, her eyes locked on Liam. He met her gaze with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine. She wasn’t sure what game he was playing, but one thing was certain–he had just made a statement to everyone in the room.
