Chapter 8
When only silence answered, he raised his gavel with a theatrical flourish.“450 million going once.450 million going twice…”
The gavel hovered mid–air during that decisive moment before descent when Joshua’s calm voice intervened,‘600 million.”
The hall erupted in an uproar as all heads turned toward Joshua.
Startled, Emelia finally noticed the unfamiliar man now seated beside her.
She slightly turned her head, her gaze falling on Joshua, carefully sizing him up.
She had never seen him before despite her years in Atlanta.
Joshua’s action immediately drew Justin’s attention. Justin turned sharply, his brows furrowed as he scrutinized this unexpected stranger with wary
suspicion.
“Sir, are you certain you wish to raise the bid to 600 million?” The auctioneer eyed Joshua skeptically.
Despite his distinguished bearing, Joshua’s casual attire lacked any designer labels, making it hard to believe he could casually spend such an amount.
The auctioneer privately wondered if this man was simply causing trouble without the means to pay.
“What? Do I look like I’m joking?” Joshua arched an eyebrow, his lips curling in a faintly mocking smile that seemed to ridicule the auctioneer’s judgment based on appearances.
His gaze then drifted to Emelia beside him, eyes glinting with a hint of playfulness and curiosity.“What do you think, miss?”
Emelia frowned. She didn’t know this man, and his presumptuous familiarity irritated her.
Yet when she caught a glimpse of Justin’s increasingly gloomy expression from the corner of her eye, an unexpected satisfaction washed over her.
“Everyone here passed financial verification,” she remarked coolly.
Her words made the auctioneer flush with embarrassment.
Of course, only the wealthy and powerful could enter this auction. How unprofessional to doubt someone’s financial capacity based merely on clothing.
Justin never expected Emelia would take a stranger’s side. Rage surged through him like wildfire, his face darkening to an
alarming shade.
