Chapter 3 Can't Wait to See the Look
1252 Words
The Madox family, Phenara City's most influential clan, was hosting this year's charity auction. They seemed to be in high spirits, throwing an extravagant event and offering several priceless items for bid.
The city's elite turned out in droves.
Rosa, dazzling in a glamorous evening gown, reveled in the attention she commanded.
She'd left her nominal lover, Samuel, at home, choosing instead to bring her assistant, Sebastian Moore.
From her second-floor private box, Rosa flipped through the auction catalog.
A breathtaking emerald necklace caught her eye.
''That could make a lovely birthday gift for Mom,' Rosa thought, mentally noting it for her shopping list.
As she continued flipping through the pages, her finger stopped on the penultimate entry.
There it was - Vintage-style Everly Estate, built a century ago by the family's viscount himself.
This was the crown jewel of her evening's pursuit.
Memories of carefree days spent there before her father's death came flooding back.
She could almost feel the lush green lawns underfoot and see the vibrant red roses blooming in the garden.
In the adjacent Box 9, a man in a tuxedo turned to the final page of the catalog.
The auction house owner hovered nearby, bowing and scraping. "Mr. Madox, as per your instructions, we've replaced the final lot."
"Well done." The man nodded in approval.
Then, the auction house owner backed out of the box, his face beaming with satisfaction.
The bidding for the emerald necklace kicked off at 300 thousand dollars.
Rosa, fixated on securing the Everly Estate, decided to expedite the process. She jumped straight to the estimated value of the emerald necklace, hoping to wrap things up quickly. "500 thousand!"
Her voice had barely faded when someone raised their paddle again.
The auctioneer declared, "One million dollars. Mr. Sterling bids one million."
Rosa thought, smirking to herself, 'Damn Elijah!'
Without hesitation, she doubled the bid. "Two million."
"Two and a half million." Elijah countered swiftly.
"Five million." Rosa shot back without hesitation.
"Five point five million," Elijah immediately responded.
The bids flew back and forth, quickly rocketing well beyond the necklace's estimated value.
Sebastian cautiously interjected, "Ms. Everly... You don't need to do this because of a scumbag..."
Rosa flashed her assistant a reassuring smile. "I know. But if he's holding a grudge, I don't mind giving him another reason to hate me."
The auctioneer's gavel crashed down with a thunderous boom. "Sold! To Mr. Sterling for this exquisite emerald necklace!"
Far from crestfallen, Rosa wore a sly smirk as she glanced in Elijah's direction.
Her scheme had unfolded flawlessly. The elites of Phenara City had just witnessed Elijah, scion of the Sterling family, tumble headlong into his ex-wife's glaringly obvious snare. He'd paid through the nose - eleven times over - for what amounted to little more than a glittering bauble.
The socialites would be tittering behind their hands about this empty-headed fool for weeks to come.
As the auction marched on, Rosa nonchalantly lifted her paddle for items that caught her fancy, more for appearances than any genuine desire to win.
But when the Everly Estate materialized on the screen, she snapped to attention, her body coiled like a panther ready to pounce.
This wasn't just any property.
Nestled in one of Phenara City's most iconic parks, the historic Everly Estate was a crown jewel being reluctantly relinquished by its struggling caretakers to keep the wolves from the door.
The starting bid flashed up: a cool 88 million.
Without missing a beat, Rosa's voice rang out clear and strong. "200 million." Her paddle shot up, a flag of unwavering determination.
She thought, 'Come hell or high water, I'll reclaim what is rightfully mine!'
A hush fell over the opulent ballroom.
The assembled glitterati held their collective breath, not daring to challenge Rosa, the indomitable head of the Everly Group.
But then, from the shadows, a familiar voice piped up. It was none other than Elijah, the man Rosa had so ruthlessly cast aside and humiliated.
"250 million," Elijah retorted, his tone oozing self-satisfaction.
Rosa rolled her eyes.
Sure, the Sterling family was swimming in cash, and Elijah was their prized heir.
But he was still just a pampered trust-fund kid, barely calling his own shots.
Rosa thought, 'How can his pocket change even compete with me, the head of the Everly family?'
"500 million." Rosa fired back, unfazed.
This was her own money, after all.
"550." Elijah countered smoothly, his gaze unflinching.
Rosa's instincts were on high alert.
Something wasn't right.
She thought, 'The Sterling family isn't exactly known for being reckless with their wealth, especially not with their bumbling heir at the helm. Unless... they are really determined to secure this estate?'
No way was she letting them edge her out.
"560 million," Rosa replied, her voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through her. She was pushing the limits, testing their resolve.
Her ceiling was 843.67 million - every last cent she had at her disposal.
"561 million." Elijah drawled, nudging the bid up by the smallest increment.
Rosa's mind raced. She thought, 'Is the Sterling family stretching their limits too?'
"600 million," Rosa declared, hoping to cut through the tension and bring this nerve-wracking game to an end. Every second spent locked in this twisted bidding war with Elijah made her skin crawl.
"601 million," Elijah said, inching up the bid by the smallest increment possible.
"Go to hell!" Rosa shot back, her patience evaporating.
That jerk was playing her like a fool!
"850 million!" In a last-ditch effort, Rosa threw everything she had into the pot, including some borrowed funds.
She couldn't believe the Sterling family had deeper pockets.
"One billion," Elijah said, his tone icy and composed. He knew he had Rosa on the ropes.
He silently congratulated himself for his family's foresight in investing in tourism.
Elijah was grinning from ear to ear. If he won, Rosa would be left with nothing but embarrassment.
A billion-dollar bid made for a far juicier story than a mere five million.
Rosa fumed internally, thinking, 'Damn it! At one billion, I'll be forced to sell off shares in my own company - my very leverage within the organization.'
She daydreamed of using a baseball bat to smash Elijah's arrogant face.
The auctioneer began his countdown. "Going once, one billion."
This was her only chance to secure the family estate!
If Elijah won, he'd never let it go.
It was do or die.
Rosa clenched her jaw, preparing to say, "One billion and..."
But before she could finish, the auctioneer's voice cut through the tension. "Two billion! The bidder in Box 9 offers two billion."
A hush fell over the room.
Rosa's heart plummeted.
She thought, 'Two billion... There is no way I can scrape together that kind of cash before the auction ends.'
She instinctively glanced over at Box 9.
Rosa wondered, 'Who is this enigmatic new bidder next to me? As long as it isn't Elijah, there is still a sliver of hope.'
"Two billion, going once. Twice. Three times."
The auctioneer's gavel came down with finality. "Sold!"
Then, the staff brought the deed to Box 9.
The man inside accepted it, but instead of sealing the deal immediately, he turned his gaze towards Rosa's box.
He murmured with a smirk, "Rosa Everly, I can't wait to see the look on your face when you find out who I am."
Rosa, meanwhile, was locked onto the neighboring box.
For a brief, charged moment, their eyes locked across the space.
- Writer
