Chapter 22 Trying to Negotiate
Gwen looked breathtakingly beautiful that night.
Her silky black hair cascaded down her back, her makeup bold and striking, and the custom couture dress–one that hadn’t even hit the market yet–hugged her figure perfectly, highlighting her grace and allure.
She was captivating, a walking masterpiece, impossible to look away from, radiating a dangerous, irresistible charm.
She walked slowly in Jake’s direction, her every step drawing attention. Jake’s gaze darkened as he watched Gwen approach, his emotions tangled and he couldn’t quite describe it.
She had transformed from the soft–spoken, gentle woman he once knew into someone fierce and stunning- completely unrecognizable from the woman in his memories,
“Mr. Hall, it looks like you won’t stop until you’ve gotten what you want.” Gwen walked up to Jake, her red lips curving into a smirk, her brows full of mockery.
“Where’s your boss?” he demanded, his tone sharp.
Gwen chuckled, her smile filled with disdain. “Did you not see that I came alone? Disappointed?”
First, he had sent those ridiculous messages to Gwen. When that didn’t work, he set his sights on Henry. But now, he realized that he’d still have to go through Gwen before he could meet Henry.
Knowing that she’d seen right through his plan and that he was now being mocked by her, Jake’s anger reached a
simmer.
At that moment, the auction’s host hurried over with a warm smile. “Ms. Lawson, please come this way.”
Without sparing Jake another glance, Gwen strode inside.
Watching her make such a grand entrance, Caitlin leaned over to Jake and whispered, “Jake, I told you–she’s definitely hooked up with some rich guy. How else could she suddenly be this loaded?”
Jake finally snapped. “shut up.”
Sensing his irritation, Caitlin fell silent, trailing behind him as they headed inside.
Sienna, ever soft–spoken, gently suggested, “Let’s go in, Jake.”
30 minutes later, the auction began. A sophisticated, elegant auctioneer introduced the first item.
“This is an emerald bracelet. Bidding starts at 200 thousand.”
Under the lights, the bracelet’s delicate, translucent surface gleamed with a soft, luxurious glow. Gwen immediately thought of Agnes‘ upcoming birthday and raised her paddle.
“300 thousand.”
“300 thousand, going once.”
Sienna, who was seated toward the back, noticed that it was Gwen bidding and quickly raised her paddle too.
“500 thousand.”
10
“Jake, this bracelet would be perfect for Mrs. Hall Sr. It’d make a great birthday gift,” Sienna said sweetly.
Jake nodded in agreement.
Gwen raised her paddle again. “600 thousand.”
She knew the bracelet’s actual value–it wasn’t worth going any higher than this. In fact, it was already overpriced.
“1 million!” Sienna declared confidently, lowering her hand with a smug smile.
There was no way Gwen had that much cash on hand. After all, she’d walked away from the Hall family with nothing.
most, Gwen had maybe a million in total.
As a wealthy heiress, Sienna could easily spare a million for something like this, especially if it helped her win favor with Agnes Caldwell, Jake’s grandmother. It was a small price to pay for such a reward.
There was no way she’d let Gwen win–whether it was the bracelet or Jake.
Upon hearing Sienna’s bid, Gwen glanced over and locked eyes with her, immediately recognizing the challenge in Sienna’s gaze.
Hah. These people were relentless. They thought they could outbid her with money? It was time to see who had the deeper pockets.
“5 million!”
The room fell silent as the guests stared in shock. Everyone in the room was wealthy, but they weren’t accustomed to seeing bids soar so high this quickly.
Even the auctioneer stuttered slightly. It was rare for a jade bracelet to reach such a high price.
After confirming the bid, she nervously repeated, “5 million, going once!”
After a brief moment of hesitation, Sienna raised her paddle again. “10 million!”
Jake, standing beside her, spoke up. “Sienna, this bracelet isn’t worth that much.”
“It’s fine. I can afford it. Making Mrs. Hall Sr. happy is what matters most,” she said with a soft smile.
It was true, ten million wasn’t a fair price, but she could still handle it.
“30 million,” Gwen said, her voice steady and her expression as calm as ever.
The crowd was stunned into silence by their bidding war. Looks like it was true–women really did know how to shop. Sienna, clutching her paddle, was visibly shaken. How could Gwen dare to bid that high? Did she think Sienna’s status as a wealthy heiress was just for show?
Determined to win, Sienna bit her lip and raised her hand again. “31 million!”
“31
31 million, going once!”
31 million, going twice!”
Suddenly, Sienna froze. Why wasn’t Gwen raising her paddle again?
“31 million, going three times! Sold!” The auctioneer slammed the gavel. “Congratulations to our bidder for purchasing the emerald bracelet for 31 million!”
it
was only after the gavel fell that Sienna realized the truth. She had been played.
