Arranged Marriage: Beneath The Rumors

Chapter 14: Doing A Favor For A Friend

Lisa and Didi exchanged a glance and smiled at the stranger. "Not at all," Lisa said. "We're just enjoying the music and the company."

The young man nodded and introduced himself as Alexander.

Kelly looked at Alexander. "He is my brother's friend, Alexander."

"Wow, your brother's friend is very handsome and stunning, like a god," Didi said, admiring Alexander's handsomeness.

"Your brother's friend is very handsome and jovial. I feel like he's not an ordinary person, and I feel like I have heard that name before," Lisa said, trying to remember.

Alexander and Kelly exchanged glances.

"Nice to meet you," Alexander said, narrowing his eyes as he looked at them.

Lisa and Didi murmured a greeting, feeling a bit awkward. They didn't know what to make of Alexander, but they could sense a hint of tension in the air.

"Where's your brother?" Lisa asked Kelly, trying to make small talk.

Kelly hesitated, her expression uncomfortable. "He's not coming," she said quietly.

Lisa and Didi exchanged a curious glance.

Alexander's expression turned serious, his eyes glinting in the light. "Let's just say that her brother is a private person," he said, his voice dripping with understatement.

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of clinking glasses and the emcee's voice announcing the start of the bidding auction. Lisa and Didi watched in awe as the bidding began, and the numbers skyrocketed into the millions.

As the emcee's voice echoed through the grand ballroom, a hush fell over the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the most anticipated bidding event of the season! Our first item up for bid is a rare 19th-century oil painting by the renowned artist, Pierre-Auguste Renoir."

Didi's eyes widened as she gazed at the painting, her heart racing with excitement. Lisa, standing beside her, seemed equally captivated. Meanwhile, Kelly was busy scanning the room, her eyes locked on the bidders.

Alexander, Kelly's brother's friend, sits beside the girls at the edge of the room, his eyes fixed intently on Lisa. He had been looking forward to this night all week, eager to see Lisa.

The bidding began, and Didi was quick to raise her paddle. "Five thousand dollars," she called out, her voice confident.

Lisa's eyes sparkled with excitement as the bidding escalated. Ten thousand, twenty thousand, fifty thousand... The numbers kept climbing, and Didi's determination never wavered.

Meanwhile, Kelly was engaged in a fierce battle with a rival bidder, each trying to outdo the other. Alexander watched, intrigued, as the bidding reached a fever pitch.

As the night wore on, the tension in the room grew. Who would take home the coveted painting?

As the bidding continued, the excitement in the room reached a crescendo. Didi had secured the Renoir painting, and Kelly had outbid her rival for a rare diamond tiara. Lisa, however, had yet to find her treasure.

The emcee announced the final item up for bid: a stunning, 24-karat gold necklace adorned with a delicate filigree design and a sparkling diamond.

Lisa's heart skipped a beat as she gazed at the necklace. She had never seen anything so beautiful. She wished with all her heart that she could own it, but the price was too high. She knew it was impossible. She didn't have enough money on her to bid now.

As the bidding began, someone's eyes locked onto Lisa.

On the first floor of the grand ballroom, a mysterious figure sat in the shadows, watching Lisa with an intensity that made her skin prickle. He noticed her gaze fixed on the necklace, and a hint of a smile played on his lips.