Chapter 139:
Millie kept quiet for a moment and then lifted her eyes to Brandon, who still lingered across the room.
The charity auction continued. Many more items were set to go under the hammer, with guests making occasional bids, though none matched the intensity of the earlier showdown.
Millie waited quietly. Her fingers drifted down the auction list until she paused on a certain entry. She tapped it gently, her interest clear.
Moments later, the announcer declared, “Up next, we have a six-carat ruby pendant…”
For the second time that night, Brandon joined the bidding. He ended up securing the ruby pendant for twenty-eight million.
A faint smirk crossed Millie’s lips. Brandon had not changed at all.
She thought back to a month earlier, remembering how he dismissed the meaning behind tanzanite and turquoise birthstones. He had said, “None of that matters. My child deserves the very best—like the pink diamond.”
Millie could almost hear his thoughts now. “Only the finest ruby pendant is good enough for the woman I love. I would never give her a cheap, one-million-dollar tanzanite. That would be beneath me.”
The night continued to drift by, and at last, the final item was introduced.
“This last offering isn’t a typical auction piece,” the announcer explained. “It’s a collection of twenty paintings, all created by children in need. Everyone may bid on one or more, and every dollar raised will go directly to charity.”
Usually, auctions ended with something rare or extravagant. Tonight, the children’s artwork, while not costly, carried a special weight. Millie studied the paintings without lifting her paddle, number 823.
She turned instead to Charles, who sat beside her.
Catching her meaning, Charles leaned closer. “Which one do you have your eye on?”
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Millie smiled softly and pointed to a picture displayed on the tablet. “This one by Ari Combs.”
A single cactus stood beneath the bright sun—simple, childishly innocent, yet it spoke to her.
Charles nodded and raised his paddle to place a bid.
Neither of them wanted to use number 823 again. Still, as both were listed as invited guests, they each had their own paddle. Charles’ paddle, marked with the number 811, blended in easily, making it no problem for the two to sit together and participate. Mixing among the second-floor seats was a common practice, and no one minded if a guest joined from another table.
When the auction finally ended, the gala was nearly finished. Only the performances and a final group photo session remained.
Brandon usually avoided these photo sessions, but Vivian looked at him with such pleading eyes that he reluctantly agreed to join. Everyone tried to place him at the center, but he only frowned and moved to the far end of the back row.
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