Lyria's gaze was as cold as steel as she stared Elias Malavant down.
"Looks like you came prepared, Mr. Malavant. Afraid I might win this bid?"
Elias's smirk widened, though his heart danced with triumph. Afraid? Of course not. This was his plan all along—to crush the Denvair family's ambitions underfoot. Once he secured this land, he'd ensure their plans to rise from the ashes would crumble.
This wasn't just about one plot of land. Elias envisioned a domino effect, one where he would join forces with Port Avallon's two other great families to obliterate the Denvairs entirely. Their land, their assets—everything they had worked for—would become worthless rubble.
To some in the room, however, Elias's gloating seemed like the desperate flailing of a man out of his depth. Those who had witnessed Kael Renforth humiliate the Malavant family not long ago whispered among themselves. Wasn't this just Elias digging his own grave?
"Twenty-two billion, five hundred million!" Lyria called, her voice unwavering as she raised her paddle again.
Elias froze for a moment. Was she insane? Where would the Denvair family find this kind of money?
"You're just making a fool of yourself," Elias sneered. "Your family couldn't pull together this much cash if you pawned every piece of silverware in your estate."
The jab struck a nerve, but Lyria stood firm. She knew she couldn't outlast him in a bidding war—this was her final stand. Kael Renforth's emergency funding had been depleted to its limit. With her company drowning in canceled contracts and mounting debt, there was no safety net left.
But Lyria wasn't backing down.
"I won't let this go," she declared, her voice brimming with resolve.
Elias chuckled, a cruel glint in his eye. "Keep dreaming. All you're doing is driving up the price. It doesn't matter to me—I have the resources to outlast you, and I'll make sure to wring every last coin from the Denvair family for my trouble."
Lyria's fists tightened as frustration and fury surged within her. The Denvair family's downfall had been orchestrated by Elias himself, and now he dared to flaunt his schemes before her. But here, on this battlefield of wealth and influence, there was little she could do but fight with every ounce of her determination.
"Twenty-two billion, five hundred and one million!" Elias declared smugly, raising his paddle again.
What? A mere million over her bid?
"Twenty-three billion!" Lyria countered, her resolve hardening.
"Twenty-three billion and one million!" Elias quipped, his smug grin growing.
The room buzzed with tension as the bids continued, each one climbing higher. The audience was spellbound. This wasn't just a financial battle; it was a war of wills between two irreconcilable forces.
For everyone watching, the match seemed absurd. Twenty-three billion far exceeded the land's value. But to Elias, the price didn't matter. He had only one goal: destroy Lyria and the Denvair family's chances of recovery, once and for all.
"Why keep struggling?" Elias taunted, his tone venomous. "You're just a small-time player trying to take on a giant. Haven't the last few days taught you anything?"
It was blatant provocation. Elias Malavant, a man who reveled in his own malice, was gloating about his misdeeds in front of his victim.
Lyria's patience was wearing thin, but she refused to let Elias see her falter. She raised her paddle high.
"Twenty-four billion!"
The room gasped, astonished by her audacity.
"Twenty-four billion and one million," Elias sneered again, his tone dripping with mockery.
Lyria clenched her fists. The bidding war was draining her, not just financially but emotionally. She had fought hard to rise above the Malavant family's orchestrated ruin, but Elias seemed determined to drag her down.
"You're pathetic," Elias spat, leaning closer. "Even your precious Kael Renforth can't help you now. All he knows is how to swing a sword—he doesn't understand business. And without him, you're helpless."
The insult cut deep, but Lyria refused to show weakness.
"Twenty-five billion," she said through gritted teeth.
It was reckless, even suicidal, but Lyria's resolve burned brighter than ever. She would not let the Malavant family crush her spirit—not today, not ever.