Chapter 1503
Chicago shook her head, feeling a bit helpless.
She hugged her parents, Janna, and the others one by one.
"Don't worry about us, go do your thing," Fiona said, giving her shoulder a gentle pat.
"Alright, there's a charity auction tonight, and it might run late. To keep you all from driving up the prices, I'm banning you from attending," Chicago said, hands clasped behind her back, speaking slowly.
Everyone started to complain, especially Darwin and Rhoads. "Can't a dad appreciate his daughter's work? Why the discrimination?" Darwin protested.
"Exactly! I wanted to buy a couple of pieces to give to friends!" Thalassa waved her hands. "This isn't fair!"
"An auction should be fair; highest bidder wins. How can you say we'd drive up the prices?" Janna frowned.
Everyone chimed in with their opinions.
"Enough!" Chicago commanded.
The room fell silent.
"Those are the rules. Just accept it."
"It's all your fault!" Janna turned to Darwin. "I told you last time, don't bid too high, but you didn't listen!"
Chicago watched Darwin get scolded, trying to suppress her laughter.
Just then, a familiar magazine editor arrived.
Chicago immediately went over to greet them.
Not far away, a pair of eyes were fixed on her.
As she chatted with the editor, she glanced in that direction and saw the profile of a tall man.
She paused for a moment, then casually looked away and continued her conversation.
In the end, Chicago didn't let her family into the auction.
Instead, she had Charles, Charlotte, and Fiona take the "troublemakers" to a restaurant to wait for her.
The auction began.
Chicago, dressed in a simple white suit, stood under the spotlight. "It's amazing. My first official art exhibition was held here, and I gave my first speech on this very stage."
Laughter came from the audience.
She smiled warmly.
"Over the years, painting and creating have brought me endless joy and fulfillment. I want to share that joy with more people who need happiness. This is the final stop of my tour, and I will auction off 10 of my cherished works for charity. All proceeds will be donated to the Girls' Rescue Foundation."
The auction commenced.
This time, the pieces Chicago was auctioning had been previewed online.
Compared to previous auctions, this one had a much higher value.
Three of the pieces were from Chicago's childhood, making them extremely rare and valuable.
The first piece was a butterfly, a subject Chicago excelled at. The vibrant butterfly on the canvas looked almost alive.
The starting bid was set at $200,000.
This was well below the usual selling price of her work.
But soon enough, the price soared to $1,000,000.
Most attendees were there for the childhood pieces, and bidding slowed at $1,200,000.
Just as the bidder at $1,200,000 thought they had won, a cool, detached voice called out from the corner.
"$2,000,000."
Chicago looked up, stunned, towards the voice.
A handsome man, holding a bidding paddle, ignored the surprised looks around him, remaining calm.
Chicago glanced at him, then looked away.
The second piece followed the same pattern.
In the end, the same man won it with an exorbitant bid.
The third piece went the same way.
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