Chapter 60

The auction hall was already buzzing with people. Lilah and Clara first went to get their bidding paddle, then purposefully avoided taking a seat near Ethan, who was in the front row. Instead, they slipped into seats near the back, second to last row, in a corner. Just as Lilah sat down, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and instantly widened her eyes. Her bank app had just notified her—a fifty million deposit had landed in her account. Still processing, another message came in from Gabriel: "If you see something you like at the auction, go ahead and get it. If it's not enough, bill the company. I'll cover it." Lilah blinked. Seriously? He wired fifty million and still thinks that might not be enough? Guess Gabriel's used to those ultra-high-end auctions and forgot this one's pretty standard. She quickly typed back: "I'm just here with Clara. Nothing really caught my eye today." With that, she put her phone away. The hall was now almost full. Clara's eyes couldn't help but dr