Aurora's POV

I walked over to my seat and sat down beside Jules. The auctioneer's voice echoed across the room, "Good day, everyone! Today, we're auctioning this beautiful antique painting, starting at 20 million dollars. Who'll give me a start?"

Without missing a beat, Jules raised her hand, shouting, "45 million!"

The auctioneer raised an eyebrow. "45 million dollars, who's willing to give me more?"

A voice from the crowd chimed in, "50 million dollars."

"50 million dollars, going once, going twice..." The auctioneer paused, scanning the room for a bidder.

Jules leaned forward with a sly grin. "150 million dollars."

The crowd gasped. I turned to her, surprised. "Don't you think you're going a bit far? It's just a painting."

Jules flashed me a wink. "Don't worry about me. Just watch."

I rolled my eyes at her boldness as the auctioneer's voice rang out again. "150 million going once..."

Another voice cut in, "200 million."

"200 million, going once, going twice..." The auctioneer was already moving toward closing the bidding, but Jules wasn't done yet.

"350 million," she called out, her voice unwavering.

Before the auctioneer could respond, a deep, cold, and husky voice came from behind us. "900 million."

The entire room fell silent, then gasped in unison. Jules whispered, "Who the hell is this bastard?"

We both turned around to see a man standing tall and confident. He had a strong, chiseled jawline, dark blue eyes that seemed to pierce through the air, and tousled dark hair that only added to his rugged charm. His black suit matched the intensity of his expression.

The auctioneer's voice brought us back to the moment. "900 million, going once, going twice..."

I turned to Jules, expecting her to place another bid, but she sat there, staring at the man with an unreadable look. I shared the same frustration—how could anyone outbid her like that?

"Sold to Mr. Damien Cross!" The auctioneer's words echoed, final and firm.

Jules muttered under her breath, "Let's get out of here. I'm pissed."

I followed her out of the room, my mind buzzing with thoughts. We walked through the hallways in silence until we were outside.

Just then, my phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID. It was 'Mom.' My heart skipped a beat—my mom never called. The last time she had was seven months ago, to ask if I had found a son-in-law for her. I hesitated for a moment before picking up the call.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Aurora, are you doing well, honey?" My mother's voice was warm, but there was something strange in her tone.

"Yes, Mom," I replied, still trying to process the call.

"Come home for dinner tonight. We have a surprise for you. Byeeee!" Before I could respond, she ended the call.

I stood there, staring at my phone in shock. It had been over a year since I'd been to my parents' house. What could possibly be the surprise? My curiosity piqued, but so did a sense of unease. What was my mother planning?

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