Gasps rippled through the crowd as they turned again. The bidder’s tone was fierce, all-in, like he’d just wagered his entire empire on Rosa’s genius.
“I’ll go two-twenty!” The one-eighty bidder fired back, refusing to blink. His face was flushed, jaw tight-he was clearly at his ceiling.
The room buzzed with whispers, the tension thick. Was that the final blow?
And then, a voice floated from the back-smooth, assured, and devastatingly calm. “One billion.”
Silence slammed down like a hammer. Time seemed to stop. Hearts pounded. One billion. Who was this person? What kind of titan casually dropped a billion like pocket change? No one could compete with that.
Slowly, almost reverently, every head turned to glimpse the man who’d just nuked the bidding war in one sentence
The guy who placed the billion-dollar bid looked nothing like what anyone expected-just a quiet guy in glasses, more like a librarian than a billionaire. He didn’t fit the image at all.
Someone dropping that kind of money should have a larger-than-life vibe. This guy? He looked like he was running an errand for someone powerful. So, who was the real player behind the curtain, chasing Elliana’s Lonely Sunset?
The room was buzzing. Everyone was dying to know.
The man in glasses stayed cool as ice, a slight smirk on his face. He didn’t walk like a tycoon, but the confidence rolling off him spoke for the mystery mogul behind him.
Elliana was stunned. She never imagined someone would throw a billion at her painting. Was it really worth that much? Or was this buyer just so rich that he needed ways to burn his money? It reminded her of the madness during the Endless Love auction.
Back then, the crowd had gone wild. Someone had shouted five hundred million, and everyone thought that was the winning number-until a mystery bidder doubled it. That was game over. A billion? No one could top that.
That bold bid had smashed through the room like a wrecking ball. No one stood a chance in the face of that kind of wealth.
Lately, at Paige’s engagement party, Elliana had found out who the bidder of Endless Love was. It had been Cole. But today’s mystery man? It certainly wasn’t Cole. If anything, he probably hated her right now. He wouldn’t go near her, let alone buy her work. If he ever found out she was Rosa, he’d probably call her a jerk. He had spent a billion on Endless Love, only for it to end up back in her hands. It was like she’d swiped his billion for nothing. She never meant to hurt him. But if he ever called her a snake, she wouldn’t have a solid defense.
As the unease crept in, Elliana pressed her lips together. Her cheeks burned.
Clement, clueless about her thoughts, practically bounced with excitement. “Rosa, you okay selling Lonely Sunset for a billion?”
Okay with it? Elliana was more than okay. In her head, she was screaming yes. If a few brushstrokes could bring in a billion, she’d be crazy to say no. She loved money. Always had. But she couldn’t show it. Out here, she was a respected artist, not a money-chaser.
Elliana gave a calm smile. “Didn’t expect a collector to come in this strong. I’d look petty if I didn’t let it go.”
Right after saying it, she winced inside. That line sounded so fake. Clement beamed, “Exactly! The guy’s clearly obsessed. Must be your number-one fan.”
Elliana just smiled. Words failed her.
Clement took care of the paperwork himself. The man in glasses walked away with Lonely Sunset, and Elliana walked away with a billion-dollar check.
Across town, in the Evans Group CEO’s office, Cole watched everything on the museum’s security feed. When Elliana stepped out of frame, he tossed his phone aside and muttered, “Heartless woman.”
Myles, Aron, and Hugh all raised their brows at once. Cole had just trashed his wife-right after spending a billion to buy her painting. They couldn’t tell if this was love or bitterness.
The room went still until Cole snapped, “Send someone to follow Elliana. I want to know where she goes.”
“Got it.” Myles jumped into action without a second’s pause.
Elliana, totally in the dark about Cole’s moves or his muttering, slipped out of the museum. The museum’s front door was chaos-reporters everywhere, cameras flashing nonstop. Now that her identity as Rosa was out, she would be swarmed. Therefore, she slipped out through the back door.
It was exactly nine. The air was crisp and cool. The street was quiet, lit by flickering neon signs in the distance.
Elliana suddenly remembered Hailee was still inside. She pulled out her phone to send a text. “Hailee, I’m at the back door. You still inside?” Hailee replied in seconds, full of excitement, “Elliana, I thought you’d be big one day-but this? You’re already a legend! Are you sure I’m still cool enough to be your friend?”
Elliana smirked, fingers flying across the screen. But then she froze. A shadow was creeping closer. Her eyes narrowed. A cold edge flashed in them
A figure loomed for only a moment before melting into the darkness, its purpose as unreadable as ever. Elliana didn’t flinch. She tracked it sidelong, her posture easy, her fingers never pausing on her phone. Just as silently as it had emerged, the figure slipped away-vanishing the instant it reached within five meters.
Elliana tilted her head down, flicked away the unease, and resumed her text. “Rosa’s just a name. Don’t let it mess with your head. You and I? Nothing changes.”
Hailee’s response buzzed through almost immediately. “Can I come over now?”
Elliana smiled faintly and typed back. “Absolutely. I’m starving. Let’s grab something to eat.”
Hailee’s bubbly reply came. “Sure! I’m on my way!”
True to her word, Hailee burst in minutes later, slightly winded but glowing with excitement. She waved a bank card like a victory flag. “Elliana! Dinner’s on me tonight!”
Only after Elliana’s encouragement had Hailee submitted her painting, and to her shock, it had snagged a prize. Now, she wanted to celebrate the win with the person who’d pushed her to try. With a grin, Elliana agreed without hesitation. “Deal.”
Hailee linked arms with her. “Alright, your pick then. Where do you want to eat?”
Elliana tilted her head thoughtfully. “Didn’t you say your family runs a diner? Let’s head there.”
Hailee blinked in surprise. “Wait-seriously? Our diner’s in a rough part of town, on Old Willow Lane. It’s in a sketchy neighborhood and, trust me, far from glamorous. I wouldn’t take you there.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.