At that mont the tension in the hall thickened as the auctioneer’s voice echoed, announcing the starting bid.
"The bidding for this extraordinary piece, a symbol of fortune and history, begins at six million dollars!"
imdiately a brief silence followed. Then, a hand shot up.
"Six point two!"
soone called.
"Six point five!" another bidder countered.
The crowd murmured with excitent. The stakes were high, but that only made the ga more exhilarating.
"Seven million!"
The energy in the room was shifting. More paddles went up as voices overlapped.
"Seven point two!"
"Seven point five!"
Gasps rippled through the audience. The bidding had escalated quickly, and everyone knew that only the wealthiest contenders would dare push beyond this point.
Damien, however, remained silent. He wasn’t flustered. He wasn’t even remotely interested in the ongoing war between these desperate bidders.
He just wanted them to exhaust their strength before the big boy’s would step in, even though he couldn’t easily outbid them but then again he wants everyone to notice him when he do so.
At that mont his gaze flickered toward Valentina, her knuckles tight against her lap, her breath uneven.
He could see it—she wanted that necklace.
Then after so more bidding had went in, he decided to finally step in.
Without hesitation, he lifted his paddle, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade.
"Eight million dollars."
At that mont A collective gasp filled the hall.
Then it followed by Silence.
People turned, their eyes widening in disbelief. The J-12 representatives, who had been watching silently, now exchanged glances. The bidders who had been testing the waters suddenly hesitated.
The auctioneer, montarily stunned, adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.
"Eight million dollars from the gentleman in the back. Do we have any higher bids?"
Still everyone was Silence.
The auctioneer’s voice carried through the hall, brimming with excitent.
"We have Nine million dollars! The gentleman in the back has placed his bid at eight million dollars!"
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. To so of them, eight million was a gamble too dangerous to take. They hesitated, exchanging nervous glances. So bidders lowered their paddles, quietly retreating from the battlefield. But a few still clung to the idea of walking out of here with that necklace.
"Nine point five million!" soone finally called out.
However Damien remained unfazed. He didn’t even glance at the other bidders. With an air of complete authority, he leaned forward, resting his elbow on the armrest, and casually lifted his paddle.
"Ten million."
Imdiately a sharp intake of breath swept through the hall.
The remaining bidders froze. Their faces tensed as they calculated their next move, but the truth was glaringly obvious—none of them had the confidence to challenge Damien at this level.
The auctioneer, ever the professional, waited a beat before speaking again.
"Eleven million dollars from the gentleman in the back. Is there anyone willing to match this bid?"
"Any takers at Eleven point five million?"
Silence.
The weight of Damien’s presence was suffocating. No one wanted to risk going up against him.
The auctioneer hesitated, scanning the room. He tapped his gavel against the podium.
"Going once... Going twice..."
Not a single voice dared to interrupt.
At that mont Damien leaned back in his chair, a victorious smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He had already envisioned the mont when the necklace would be placed in his hands, a symbol of his success in getting closer to Valentina.
The auctioneer was about to finalize the bid when, suddenly—
"Twelve million dollars."
At that mont a murmur of shock swept through the hall. The air grew thick with tension as all eyes turned toward the speaker.
One of the J12 representative had casually raised his paddle, his expression unreadable, his posture relaxed as if ten million was rely pocket change.
A stunned silence followed.
People started exchanging wary glances. It wasn’t just the amount that left them speechless—it was who had made the bid.
The J12 never lost.
Their influence stretched far and wide, and when they wanted sothing, they got it. The room seed to hold its breath, waiting for Damien’s reaction.
For the first ti since the auction started, Damien felt a sharp pang of irritation. His brows furrowed slightly, though he kept his composure.
"Damn it," he thought.
He hadn’t expected competition at this level. His budget was twelve million, but that money was earmarked for sothing else—sothing far more important. He could push forward, but was it worth the gamble?
Then his fingers tightened around the paddle. He was at a crossroads.
Damien exhaled slowly, gripping his paddle tighter as his mind raced.
He had co here with a purpose, and letting J12 take the necklace would an losing a golden opportunity—not just to win Valentina’s attention, but to secure sothing far greater.
His gaze flickered toward her. Valentina.
She sat composed, her eyes fixed on the stage, oblivious to the silent war raging between him and J12. Damien knew she was intelligent—brilliant beyond words. That was the part of her allure that most n Overlooked, and still consud only by her beauty. But Damien? He saw beyond that.
The necklace wasn’t just a sentintal piece to Valentina; it was a key. A key to earning her favor, her trust. And once he had her trust, he had everything.
However Damien wasn’t a fool. Investing in Valentina was a calculated move. If she was on his side, there was no telling what he could achieve.
The potential she carried, her sharp mind—it was worth far more than a re twelve million dollars.
He clenched his jaw. He needed to play this right.
His confidence was unwavering, but deep down, he was betting on one thing—J12 wouldn’t take this too seriously. They had their hands in countless industries, wielding power that could cripple even nations.
Would they truly go all out for a necklace?
His instincts told him no.
anwhile, Valentina finally caught sight of Damien.
Imdiately her brows furrowed slightly as recognition set in. Damien?
She hadn’t expected to see him here, let alone bidding at such a high level.
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