Katelyn felt a hint of unease.

Under normal circumstances, she would be confident in outbidding others for the jewelry set.

But she wasn’t confident at all when facing Vincent. Despite his youth, Vincent dominated much of the economic backbone of Granville. His capabilities were truly astounding.

Vincent noticed Katelyn’s concerned expression and offered a smile.

“I see you’re fond of it. Let me buy it for you as a gift.”

Katelyn quickly shook her head and lifted her bidding paddle.

“No, thank you. I have my own funds. I’ll buy it myself.”

She had saved enough over the years to afford a comfortable life and, certainly, enough to secure this jewelry set.

“Just accept it as a gesture of gratitude for your brilliant design work,” Vincent urged gently, anticipating Katelyn’s reluctance. He then added, “I don’t like being in debt to anyone.”

Katelyn paused, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She was puzzled by his statement. After all, he didn’t owe her anything.

From the moment they signed their contract, Vincent had paid her an upfront deposit. After she submitted the initial designs, he promptly settled the remaining balance.

When she needed to redo all the design drawings, he deposited an additional sum into her account—40 percent of their total agreement—as recognition of her extra effort.

Moreover, he had saved her life and even had his lawyer assist her with her divorce.

In every respect, she was the one indebted to Vincent. Katelyn was about to respond, but Vincent anticipated her words.

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“This is also my great opportunity to get one over on Neil,” Vincent remarked, his words carrying a deeper implication. Katelyn instinctively glanced toward the aisle. Sure enough, on the opposite side of the hall, Neil had just increased his bid by twenty million dollars.

The battle in the business world didn’t end at the negotiation table.

These rivals would face off at every opportunity. Now, the auction house had become their battleground.

It seemed as though everyone else in the room had vanished. Silence descended as Neil and Vincent locked horns. The auction had become just another arena for their ongoing rivalry.

Katelyn now fully understood Vincent’s intentions and chose to remain silent.

She had decided not to accept the gift without reciprocation. Once Vincent won the bid, she planned to reimburse him by transferring the equivalent amount to his personal account.

Meanwhile, Neil was preparing himself for battle. His company had been under constant attack lately, with many tarnishing his reputation while lauding Vincent. He refused to be a stepping stone for Vincent’s success. Attending the auction was also a way for him to uphold his dignity.

Despite the dwindling funds in his company’s account, his pride and determination remained intact.

Lise saw this as the perfect moment to support Neil and reinforce her own image. She encouraged him, saying, “Neil, follow your heart. Whatever you decide, I’ll stand by you and support your choices.”

Neil was moved by her words and held her hand firmly. He thought to himself that he needed a supportive partner like Lise, unlike Katelyn, who always seemed to be withholding something from him.

With a determined look, he reassured Lise, saying, “Lise, even though my company is facing challenges, I will resolve them. I promise you a lavish wedding once we get through this.”

“I believe in you,” Lise responded warmly. Their affectionate display in public drew eye rolls from some of the other attendees, who couldn’t help but scoff at the idea of a cheater flaunting their romance in front of others. “Ugh!”

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