Chapter 119

The room buzzed with surprise as the bidding suddenly jumped by five billion. Cloud raised his paddle. "Fifty billion." Oliver chimed in, calm as ever, "Fifty-five billion." "Sixty billion." Oliver didn't pause. "Sixty-five." Cloud shot back, "Eighty billion." Since the three parties were sharing the cost, less than twenty billion each, they weren't feeling much pressure at these numbers. Oliver lifted his paddle again. "One hundred billion." Someone from the Bennette Family glanced at Cloud, signaling. "One hundred twenty billion." Oliver glanced at Landon Haynes, as if checking if they should keep going. Landon casually raised his paddle. "Two hundred billion." She shot a smug look to the left. After a quick huddle, the Bennette, Channing, and Robinson groups fired back: "Two hundred fifty billion." Megan merely shrugged, unfazed. Then Oliver held up his paddle, "Three hundred billion." At that, all three families' faces turned grim. The land was prime, no doubt, but from their persp