At that moment the tension in the hall thickened as the auctioneer's voice echoed, announcing the starting bid.
"The bidding for this extraordinary piece, a symbol of fortune and history, begins at six million dollars!"
immediately a brief silence followed. Then, a hand shot up.
"Six point two!"
someone called.
"Six point five!" another bidder countered.
The crowd murmured with excitement. The stakes were high, but that only made the game more exhilarating.
"Seven million!"
The energy in the room was shifting. More paddles went up as voices overlapped.
"Seven point two!"
"Seven point five!"
Gasps rippled through the audience. The bidding had escalated quickly, and everyone knew that only the wealthiest contenders would dare push beyond this point.
Damien, however, remained silent. He wasn't flustered. He wasn't even remotely interested in the ongoing war between these desperate bidders.
