She turned to Lilah, her gaze dripping with contempt. “What's the matter, Miss Phillips? Are you here just to spectate? Or did you wisely realize that you're out of your league and decide not to bid from the outset?"

Lilah returned her look with a sneer. "That's correct. We can't rival the Dillon Group's longstanding experience. Surely, you must be quite confident about securing this land, aren't you?"

The Harris Group's absence from this particular bidding noticeably emboldened Marlene.

She gloated, "Of course, I've generously offered you this golden chance to cooperate. If you're not interested, then just watch as Laura and I develop this project!"

Her confidence soared as she continued to increase her bid.

Gladys, puzzled, leaned over to Lilah. "It's odd. This land is currently the most prized. Why isn't the Harris Group bidding?"

Lilah responded thoughtfully, “If a property is overvalued, purchasing it can lead to losses, regardless of its perceived worth."

The bidding intensified as one company consistently countered the Dillon Group's offers.

"360 million!" they declared, incrementing by only 10 million each time.

Marlene's frustration was palpable. "That company is irritating. If they can't afford it, why keep bidding? Just increasing by 10 million each time is like taunting us."

Lance, observing closely, cautioned Marlene when the bid reached 400 million. “Let's stop here. Beyond 400 million, the profit margin shrinks too much. This land is out of our League now."

Marlene, though understanding, couldn't mask her irritation.

Her annoyance peaked when she caught sight of the other party provocatively glancing back at her.

"They're doing this deliberately!" she cursed under her breath.

She couldn't understand why a company, seemingly less influential than theirs, dared to challenge her so blatantly.

Lilah, with a hint of amusement, remarked, "Oh, are you backing down now? It's a shame; I was looking forward to seeing you work with Laura."

Marlene's temper flared. “Who says I'm giving up?"

Without hesitation, she raised her hand, declaring, "410 million!"

Lance's face showed a flicker of disapproval, but Marlene was unfazed, believing it was just a minor increase.

She whispered confidently, “Don't worry, Lance. This small company seems overly confident. If they challenge us further, I will withdraw.

They'll regret overpaying!"

Lance, witnessing his sister's determination, acknowledged her growth.

"You've really matured during your time abroad," he said, a mix of surprise and admiration in his voice.

Marlene lifted her chin, pride evident in her posture.