Chapter 224
[I'll add one more dollar to any bid Seraphina Delacroix makes.]
The comment instantly captured the attention of everyone watching the live stream.
(An extra dollar? Hah! Who is this? What a bold move!)
(Definitely one of Seraphina's haters. They're deliberately trying to provoke her!)
Seraphina Delacroix trembled with rage. She tried to identify the user, but the account was just a random string of numbers. No clues at all.
She typed furiously. (Who are you? Are you targeting me on purpose?)
Isabella Montgomery replied: [Targeting you? Sorry, but you're not that important. I simply admire Mr. Ashford's gown design and must have it.]
A viewer commented: (Another wealthy contender! I wonder who will win this bidding war.)
(Probably Seraphina. She's one of the richest models in America. Money is no object for her!)
[No matter how rich this mystery bidder is, can they really outspend Seraphina Delacroix?]
Meanwhile, Frederick Ashford stared intently at his screen. He had used the pseudonym D.K for fifty years. The public only knew him as D.K. How did this person know his real surname was Ashford?
Amid the ongoing bids, he picked up his phone and sent Isabella a private message.
[May I ask who you are?]
Isabella received the message while verifying her bank balance. After a moment's thought, she replied. (Mr. Ashford, you finally made your dream a reality. Sometimes, letting go of an obsession can be a form of liberation. After a lifetime of dedication, it's time to live for yourself.)
Frederick Ashford's white eyebrows furrowed deeply as he read the text. The little girl from ten years ago... It was really her...
He had never told anyone what happened after he lost the fashion week competition a decade ago. How he got drunk in a deserted alley. How he met a strangely dressed little girl by chance. He had felt an immediate connection to her, as if she were his own granddaughter. In his drunken state, he had confessed things he never should have said.
When he sobered up, he realized he didn't know her name or how to find her. He never expected to encounter her again a decade later during his auction!
Meanwhile, Seraphina kept typing comments.
[I don't care if this person bids one or two extra dollars! I'll offer a million more! Mr. D.K, you must sell this gown to me! Whatever the price!]
Her career and company were both struggling. Some random stranger thought they could snatch the gown she desired? Absolutely not!
The audience eagerly anticipated the showdown. It seemed these two were prepared for a financial battle. Even if one of them won, the final price would likely reach billions!
Did this unknown bidder actually have billions to spend?
Suddenly, D.K addressed the camera. "My apologies, everyone. I've decided to sell the gown to the lady I was just speaking with. For one billion dollars."
What?
He chose to sell it to the unknown user?