Chapter 415 Auction
The next afternoon, at 2:30 PM, Christie's Auction House.
The hall, which could hold three hundred people, was packed. This was a semi-official charity auction, so everyone showed up to support the event.
Mary and Poppy had arrived early and were sitting quietly in a corner, waiting for the Cloud Top Mountain to be auctioned.
Today, twenty-eight items were up for auction, each one incredibly valuable.
After the enthusiastic auctioneer finished his opening remarks, he dramatically announced the start of the auction.
The first item was a sword from the early 20th century.
"Blood Drift!"
This was an exceptionally sharp sword.
Handcrafted by a famous bladesmith, the handle was inlaid with black steel, ivory, amethyst, agate, ancient bronze, and diamonds.
It had once been used by a renowned prince.
The starting price was ten million dollars.
This excited everyone present. With such a strong start, there were bound to be many great items today.
The sword eventually sold for fifty million dollars.
After twenty items had been auctioned, the doors to the hall swung open, and a group of elegantly dressed men and women strolled in.
Leading the group was a long-haired man.
He had handsome features, a high nose, and looked like a celebrity, with a very delicate demeanor.
Beside him was Aurelia, her hair styled up.
She wore a simple white blouse and a black skirt, exuding charm.
Her long legs, encased in black stockings, were like a gift from the heavens—slender and straight.
Every step Aurelia took radiated allure.
But all her gentleness and charm were directed at the long-haired man.
Behind them were seven or eight elegantly dressed men and women.
One elderly man in gray had a scar on his face, a wooden expression, and half-closed eyes, giving off a sinister vibe.
The long-haired man ignored the gazes directed at him and walked straight to the front row, taking a seat and crossing his legs.
Despite his ungraceful posture, no one criticized him; many even greeted him respectfully.
Even the auctioneer paused slightly, bowing instinctively to the long-haired man with a fawning smile.
Poppy whispered, "Ms. Smith, that's Micah. He personally came."
Mary's gaze was cold. "Looks like he's determined to win."
"No matter, we're strong now." Poppy had shaken off yesterday's anxiety. "With Mr. Williams backing us, we won't lose today."
All problems and difficulties were insignificant in the face of a hundred billion dollars.
Poppy, who had previously looked down on James, now admired him deeply.
Poppy asked again, "Ms. Smith, will Mr. Williams be here today?"
Mary's red lips parted slightly, "He should be, but whether he comes or not doesn't affect our plan."
After calling Kaida yesterday, James had gone to Phoenix Manor for dinner and hadn't been heard from since, so Mary didn't know if he would show up.
Poppy nodded gently, refraining from gossiping further. A man who could casually produce a hundred billion dollars was not someone she could easily inquire about.
"Ms. Smith, good afternoon." At this moment, Micah greeted Mary from afar. "Didn't expect you to actually come."
The insincere tone made one's heart race.
Mary sneered, "After all you've done, if I didn't show up, wouldn't today's show be dull?"
Micah chuckled darkly, then lazily leaned back in his chair. "Last chance, Ms. Smith, think it over."
Then, he coldly waved his hand. "Continue."
The undisguised sinister aura made people uneasy.
Aurelia peeled a grape and fed it to Micah with a coquettish smile, showing complete submission.
"The next item, one of the world's most luxurious top-tier gemstones, Chicken Crowing Throughout the World."
The auctioneer glanced enviously at the gem, then shouted excitedly:
"Starting price, one hundred million dollars!"
On the stage, a perfectly transparent gemstone dazzled everyone's eyes.
An emerald, shaped like a rooster, lifelike, crowing to the sky, full of artistic charm.
"Two hundred!" Micah raised his finger and announced a number.
Two hundred million dollars wasn't expensive for this gem; a similar quality gem had sold for five hundred million dollars in Philadelphia.
But no one dared to bid higher.
Micah's opening bid doubled the price, indicating his determination to win the gem.
So, despite their admiration, others wisely kept silent, not wanting to offend The Gonzalez Family over a gemstone.
"Two hundred million dollars, first call."
"Two hundred million dollars, second call."
Everyone watched the auctioneer with disinterest, waiting for the final call.
The auctioneer passionately called out the price, but he too felt bored.
This auction lacked the dramatic ups and downs, the fierce competition.
"Two hundred million dollars, third—"
Just as he was about to call the third time, the elegant wooden doors of the hall swung open.
"Five hundred million dollars." James walked in.
Facing James, the room fell silent.
No one had expected someone to raise the bid at this moment, especially against The Gonzalez Family.
Even more surprising was James's bid of five hundred million dollars, as if money were just paper.
Everyone turned to stare at him, wondering if he was ignorant or arrogant.
The manager, accompanied by security, approached with a hostile look.
He thought James was here to cause trouble. "Sir, I need to verify your credentials."
James casually waved his hand, tossing an invitation to the manager. "This is the invitation you sent to Mr. Rivera yesterday. There's also a receipt for the deposit, so get lost."
The manager took the invitation and scanned it, his mouth twitching; the invitation was genuine.
Then he looked at the receipt, his eyelid twitching uncontrollably.
The deposit was ten billion dollars.
This was incredibly wealthy!
He glanced at Micah with difficulty, then lowered his head and stepped aside.
Though he knew James was here to challenge Micah, he couldn't refuse someone with the credentials and funds to bid.
Otherwise, the auction's reputation would be ruined.
Seeing James had the right to bid, the crowd buzzed again.
No one had expected James to have the funds and strength to challenge Micah.
Aurelia stared at James, her eyes flashing coldly.
Poppy was excited.
Micah, however, didn't even lift an eyelid, as if James wasn't worthy of being his opponent.
"Five hundred million dollars, first call."
The auctioneer hesitated as he called out five hundred million dollars, and Micah raised his paddle.
"Six hundred."
This number caused another stir; six hundred million dollars exceeded the gem's value.
Clearly, this was a fierce battle.
But many doubted James, a man with a foreign accent, could compete with Micah.
Several glamorous women smiled dismissively, thinking James was overestimating himself.
James didn't blink and said casually, "One blillion."
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