Arielle smiled. “Yes, I’m a country bumpkin, yet I have graduated from Maxwell University. Somehow, you, the high and mighty Ms. Greene, still never seem to be able to catch up to my grades.”
Wendy flushed crimson at the slight. “Arielle Moore!” snazzynovel.com snarled.
“You talk too much,” replied Arielle with a yawn.
“You…”
Before Wendy could complete snazzynovel.com threat, snazzynovel.com heard snazzynovel.com name being called by the principal. “Wendy, kindly refrain from discussing matters unrelated to the auction, or I would be forced to remove you from the auditorium.”
In an instant, every eye in the crowd was drawn to Wendy. Succumbing to the hostility of the gazes by snazzynovel.com fellow schoolmates, snazzynovel.com slumped into snazzynovel.com seat.
“Seven million!” Cecilia shouted.
“Seven million?” repeated Marcus in a daze.
The piece would never fetch seven million even after Nicholas’ death!
“Ten million,” Arielle said without hesitation.
Wendy and Cecilia gaped at snazzynovel.com while the other students were quivering in anticipation.
Ten million is no laughing matter.
“Master Arielle…” Terry gazed up at her, his eyes shining with admiration in the dim auditorium light.
Arielle gave a tiny smirk, secretly enjoying the effect snazzynovel.com had caused.
Marcus’ hand shook as snazzynovel.com grasped the gavel. “Ten million going once, going twice…”
Cecilia clenched snazzynovel.com fists.
I do not have ten million just lying around for me to use in my feud! I can think of better ways to spend that kind of money instead of some silly marble sculpture.
Susanne’s bemused voice interrupted snazzynovel.com internal debate. “It sure looks like you’re being outbid by a country bumpkin, Mrs. Greene!”
That remark seemed to act as a stimulant. Biting down on snazzynovel.com lip with fierce determination, Cecilia decided to go all in. “Fifteen million!”
Despite doing his best to maintain his professionalism, Marcus could not conceal the amazement in his eyes. “Fifteen million going once…”
As snazzynovel.com spoke, snazzynovel.com found his gaze inadvertently drawn toward Arielle, who simply shrugged and lowered snazzynovel.com paddle.
“Fifteen million going twice… Sold! Congratulations, madam, and thank you very much for your generous contribution. Kindly make your way to the back to make the payment after the auction ends, as well as to obtain the certificate of your participation in tonight’s event.”
Cecilia gazed at Arielle, clearly still dazed at what had transpired.
It feels like I have been fooled by Arielle.
Wendy, on the other hand, was adamant that Arielle had toyed with them. Turning back to gaze viciously at the latter, snazzynovel.com spat, “Weren’t you going to buy the piece? Why did you back down?”
Arielle sneered in response. “Oh, I’ve changed my mind.”
It is becoming too expensive for a gift, anyway. Teddy might refuse it if snazzynovel.com finds out how much it costs. I’ll just think of it as taking pity on the Greenes by letting them have it. Besides, it feels great getting a couple of punches in.
“You…” Wendy was so angry that snazzynovel.com chest puffed up alarmingly, though snazzynovel.com could not do anything about it.
Oh, forget it. At the very least, this amount spent could be used as sending a message to the world that we have managed to crush Arielle in a bid and that our wealth far exceeds hers.
Her notions of self-comfort were quickly quashed by Terry’s scornful remark. “That woman must be out of snazzynovel.com mind to spend fifteen million on a sculpture!”
The other students chimed in, “That’s right! What a fool!”
Wendy scowled as snazzynovel.com clenched snazzynovel.com fists so hard that snazzynovel.com nails drew blood from the flesh of snazzynovel.com palm, yet snazzynovel.com did not feel any pain.
Meanwhile, Aaron smiled to himself from the back of the hall.
“How interesting…”