Chapter 313
“Della, sit down!” Marcus snapped, but it did no good.
Delilah shouted, “Everyone’s bidding fair. Who does that designer think she is, deciding like that? Does she think we can’t afford it?”
Lester said, “You’re misunderstanding, Ms. Wren. The brooch’s designer says both Mr. Russell and Mr. Wren have bid way more than the piece is really worth. She can’t take that.
“So she wants to give it to the first person who bad on it–Mr. Russell. He noticed it first, so he must really care about it. He’ll surely look after it well.”
Lester’s point was clear. Marcus had joined in later, his bids feeling more like a fight than real interest. Not like Theodore, who’d bid first. His interest seemed genuine.
Delilah fumed. “Who’s the designer? Tell her to come out and talk to me.”
“That’s enough, Della. If we don’t get this, there will be better things,” Marcus said, yanking her back into her seat.
“Marc, you don’t get it.” Delilah couldn’t figure out why she was losing to Eliana even over a stupid brooch.
Hannah, watching it all, said softly, “Mom, look how well Ellie’s doing. That brooch was only worth 300 dollars, but once she liked it, Theodore was ready to pay 300,000 dollars for it.”
Belinda patted her hand. “Don’t mope. Whatever you like later, I’ll bid on it even if I have to empty my savings.”
Soon, item No.3 came up. It was a dazzling Cullinan diamond, said to be from a royal collection. It set off a flurry of bids right away.
Hannah perked up, excited. “Mom, look at that!”
The starting bid was 700,000 dollars. Belinda didn’t have that kind of money. So she said, “Sweetie, let’s keep looking.”
“Okay.” Hannah suddenly felt a heavy disappointment. She thought, ‘What comes so easily to Eliana is way out of my reach.
One by one, the items were sold. But Belinda never made a bid. Hannah sneered inwardly, thinking, ‘Mom’s love for me is nothing special.‘
Just then, the last item was wheeled onto the display. It was just an emerald, nothing special to look at, with a starting bid of 3,000 dollars.
When no one made a bid, Belinda quickly raised her paddle. “I’ll bid 3,000 dollars.”
Hannah froze. “Mom?”
Belinda said, “I can’t get the big ones, but a small one should work, right?”
Hannah couldn’t manage a smile. She thought, ‘What am I supposed to do with this little thing? Even set in jewelry, it wouldn’t stand out.
Hudson was even more direct. “Why bid on something so useless?”
Belinda said, “I’m using my own savings. It’s none of your business.”
“Fine. Just don’t ask me to fix it later,” Hudson said, then turned his head to look elsewhere.
Belinda was almost certain she’d get it when Theodore suddenly raised his paddle. “I’ll bid 30,000 dollars.”
‘Thirty thousand dollars for an emerald?‘ Belinda was stunned.
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Belinda’s throat went tight, but she had to raise the bid. She knew this was the only thing she might be able to get.
Most importantly, she was counting on Hannah to talk Hudson out of wanting a divorce. She couldn’t let Hannah down now.
“I… I’ll bid 40,000 dollars,” Belinda stammered.
As soon as Belinda finished, Theodore said, “I’ll bid 60,000 dollars.”
Belinda shut her eyes, feeling like she was bleeding money, and said, “I’ll bid 70,000 dollars.”
Theodore heard the shaky strain in Belinda’s voice and knew that was enough. He didn’t raise his paddle again.
So Belinda bought that plain emerald for 70,000 dollars. Hudson was so angry that he called her “foolish” right then and there.
Hannah felt a rush of satisfaction. ‘Finally, I managed to beat Ellie at something for once. At least, Mom loves me more than she loves Ellie,
she thought, a little smugly.
Meanwhile, Eliana asked, “Theodore, did you do that on purpose?”
Theodore narrowed his eyes a little. “Do what on purpose?”
Eliana asked, “You deliberately pushed my mom into raising the bid, but you’re not even interested in this emerald, are you?”
Theodore just smiled and said nothing.
Eliana shook her head. “You’re really something.”
Theodore let out a laugh. “She’s happy to be a fool for Hannah. Why are you feeling bad for her?”
Eliana nodded. “You’re right. If Mom didn’t want to, no one could make her do it.”
Just then, with the crowd starting to get restless, Lester held up a hand to quiet them. “Wait, there’s one last item. It’s a gift from Ms. Jenson, the person in charge of tonight’s charity auction.”
The crowd looked surprised. “A gift?”
Lester nodded. “Yes. Now, let’s welcome Ms. Jenson.”
Everyone turned to look. A middle–aged woman in a long evening dress, with a graceful manner, walked out from backstage.
Behind her was a staff member carrying a gift box–no doubt the thing to be given away.
When she reached the microphone, Beverly spoke in a warm, poised way. “Good evening, everyone. Thank you all for being so generous. Every bit of money raised tonight will go to poor areas. We’ll list all the details on our official channel so everyone can keep an eye on it.”
After a short pause, she went on, “But I have a little personal wish tonight. I want to give this gift to my goddaughter.”
The crowd started whispering.
“Ms. Jenson looks kind of familiar,” someone said.
“You can tell by how she talks. She’s not just anyone,” another person said.
“I remember. I saw her somewhere three years ago!” someone else said.
“Where?” another asked.
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“At the mayor’s place,” the person replied.
Just then, Beverly’s gentle gaze fell on Eliana. “Ellie, could you come up here a minute?”
Eliana’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected Beverly to mention her.
Theodore prompted her. “Eliana, if you don’t go up, Ms. Jenson will be embarrassed.”
Eliana had no choice but to force herself to go up.
Watching this, Delilah nearly bit through her lip. “Marc, this can’t be. How could the mayor’s wife make her a goddaughter?“.
Marcus thought for a moment. “Mr. Jean’s always thought highly of Theodore and Russell Group. It’s not surprising he’d agree to this.”
Delilah’s face looked terrible. “But Eliana’s from a small family. Doesn’t the mayor’s wife think that’s demeaning?”
Marcus frowned. “That’s why she’s the mayor’s wife. Her demeanor and foresight–someone like you, a young girl, could never see that
Meanwhile, Belinda, who’d just heard Beverly was the mayor’s wife, slumped dazed in her seat. She found Beverly’s voice familiar.
Hannah asked, “Mom, why are you shaking?”
After a long while, Belinda managed to choke out, panicked, “That woman on the phone… was her?”
“Who?” Hannah wondered, confused.
“I have to leave right now.” Belinda couldn’t bear to watch Eliana’s “coronation.” She stood up, trying to go.
But a staff member blocked her path. “Mrs. Burke, Ms. Jenson said she wanted to talk to you later. Please go back to your seat.”
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