Everleigh's face instantly soured when she saw me daring to challenge her boss.
"Don't say I didn't warn you; if you can't pay, you'll be heading straight to jail!"
I lifted my chin slightly, a faint smile tugging at my lips.
"Secretary Everleigh, whether I have the money or not is none of your business. You'd be better off worrying about your boss."
"There's no turning back once a sky lantern is lit."
Clyde's face twisted with rage as he raised his paddle again.
"Azalea, you dare lecture my people in front of me?"
"You enjoy bidding, don't you? Let's see just how deep your pockets really are!"
With a sharp grin, Clyde shouted, "I'll raise by another ten million, twenty million in total!"
His voice thundered through the room, setting the entire venue ablaze with shock.
After all, this was just a charity auction. The items up for bid were decent but nothing worth tens of millions.
And the painting in question? A child's creation, far from the work of a renowned artist.
"President Mancini is truly generous. On behalf of the children in remote areas, I thank you," I said, clapping as I rose to my feet.
"But since this is a charity event, the more money, the better, right?"
With that, I raised a single finger, my gaze meeting Clyde's as the room fell into stunned silence.
"Twenty million… and one dollar!"
The audacity of my bid hit the crowd like a wave. No one expected me to take on Clyde like this.
A hushed murmur rippled through the room, the eyes of every top-tier business figure fixed on me. Even Clyde had been invited only due to the recent rise of the Mancini Group.
I could see from Clyde's face that he was savoring the drama.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me make one thing clear: although this woman is my wife by name, we actually have nothing to do with each other."
"If she can't pay later, Mancini Group will not be responsible."
His words nearly made me laugh out loud.
"President, I'd advise you not to distance yourself from me so quickly."
"After all, you're the one who lit a sky lantern at a charity auction."
"If you can't pay up later, you might be begging me to bail you out."
Before I could relish the moment, the secretary beside Clyde stood up, her voice dripping with contempt.
"Azalea, are you daydreaming?"
"You're just a housewife, thinking you can compete with Mancini Group? How ridiculous."
I shook my head, my gaze fixed on her with quiet composure.