Chapter 363: One Billion Mistake
Emelia stared in disbelief. Summer had just bid eighty million on a landscape painting. Is the Graham Group really this rich and brainless? Just because they had money to burn didn’t mean she did.
She immediately tried to stop Morgan, pressing down on her left hand. “No need to keep going,” she whispered urgently. But Morgan’s right hand was already in the air, paddle held high. “One hundred million!”
The entire room fell silent. People glanced between the painting and each other. Was this thing secretly some national treasure? Did they miss something?
Emelia’s brain blanked. Her whole body felt like it had been turned upside down, blood rushing to her head. Most of her assets were tied up in stocks and real estate. Where was she supposed to cough up that kind of cash? And even if she could—why on earth would she blow it on a painting worth, at best, a tenth of that?
Her pupils dilated in shock. She couldn’t stop herself from snapping at Morgan. “Morgan! That painting is worth maybe ten million, max. Even if the artist drops dead tomorrow, it won’t be worth more than thirty mil! What were you thinking, bidding one hundred million?! Your grandfather won’t see you as filial—he’ll think you’re an idiot!”
Morgan’s face froze, her high-flying emotions instantly yanked back to earth. What the hell just happened? Did I seriously shout a hundred million?
She swallowed, suddenly unsure. “Mom, that bitch Summer was trying to compete with us. I figured if I shouted a billion, she’d have to outbid me. If she did, I’d stop—let her choke on the—”
But as the seconds ticked by, nothing happened. The room was quiet—eerily quiet. The auctioneer called out, “One hundred million once, one hundred million twice…”
Emelia and Morgan listened like they were hearing their own death sentence being read aloud. Each syllable felt like a countdown to bankruptcy.
Morgan’s face went pale. She mustered, “No, something’s wrong. Why isn’t Summer bidding?” She turned her head—and saw Summer, a brash woman chatting and basking in the attention.
Summer looked right at her and smiled. That smile was taunting. Mocking. Morgan’s teeth clenched so hard her jaw ached. Her face turned blotchy with rage. That bitch did this on purpose!
“Sold—for one hundred million!” the emcee announced with glee, slamming down the gavel. “Congratulations to Miss Morgan Wynn of Granthera Bank for winning this treasured landscape painting!”
Emelia could barely breathe. Her chest tightened, and for a second she thought she might pass out. Half her net worth—gone, just like that.
Morgan sat frozen, staring at Summer with murderous eyes. Yvette watched the mother-daughter pair like she was watching a tragic comedy. “Summer, when you shouted eighty million, I nearly had a heart attack. I was terrified that idiot wouldn’t take the bait.”
Summer twirled her paddle between her fingers. “Someone like Morgan—spoiled and arrogant, obsessed with status—was always going to bite. She’d never let me walk all over her without striking back. Getting her to scream a billion? Easy.”
Yvette side-eyed her. “What if she hadn’t? What if she didn’t fall for it?”
Summer shrugged. “Then we’d just donate a little extra to charity. Not the end of the world.”
Yvette blinked, staring at her best friend. She was still the same Summer she’d always known—but something about her was different now. Steadier. Stronger. It hit her. Confidence. Summer had the kind of quiet, unshakable confidence that came from being truly backed—by power, by love, by Fraser.
No wonder they say love is like sunlight to a flower, Yvette thought. Look at her bloom.
The auction portion of the evening came to a close. The emcee stepped up once more, voice bright and excited. “That concludes our charity auction! All proceeds will go to support the disabled. And now, for a special performance from tonight’s highest donor, we invite Miss Morgan Wynn of Granthera Bank to the stage for a cello solo. Let’s welcome her with a warm round of applause!”
Morgan’s performance was the highlight of the night—the one Emelia had banked on to win her daughter praise, admiration, and hopefully, a wealthy fiancé. Once Morgan dazzled the crowd with her talent and charm, Emelia planned to hand a few envelopes to the local gossip blogs and let the PR machines do their work. Her baby girl would shine tonight, no matter what.
But she had no idea that Summer and Yvette were already three steps ahead.