Veronica felt her stomach drop as the reality of her financial limitations hit her. The budget she had carefully planned for tonight's auction was thirty million at most. The Murray family business was barely staying afloat, and throwing money around at charity auctions was a luxury they couldn't really afford.
But she couldn't give up now. Maverick's voice cut through her thoughts as he raised his paddle. "Twenty-eight million."
Veronica lifted her own paddle without hesitation. "Thirty million."
Her voice carried clearly across the auction hall, soft but determined. The gentle tone masked the desperation building inside her chest.
Maverick turned in his seat when he heard her bid. His eyes found hers across the room, and something flickered in his expression before he smiled with obvious interest.
Veronica caught his attention and offered a polite nod in return, maintaining her composure despite the chaos in her mind.
Then Niall's paddle shot up again. "Forty million."
The number hit Veronica like a physical blow. Her hands curled into tight fists in her lap as she watched the woman who had everything continue to take more.
Maverick wasn't backing down either. "Forty-three million."
"Forty-five million," Veronica called out immediately, her voice steady even as her heart hammered against her ribs.
Niall's response was swift and brutal. "Fifty million."
The auction hall seemed to spin around Veronica. Fifty million had been her absolute ceiling, the number she had frantically calculated in her head when she realized this wasn't going to be a simple purchase. She could push higher if she had to. The villa Cullen had given her was worth several hundred million, sitting there like a golden ticket she had never asked for. She could sell it tomorrow and have more money than she knew what to do with.
But throwing away fifty million on an embroidery piece that wasn't actually worth that much would be financial suicide. The villa money could change her entire future if she used it wisely. Spending it to win a bidding war against Cullen's girlfriend would be nothing short of insanity.
Her paddle stayed in her lap as the realization settled over her like a heavy blanket.
"Why don't you call Cullen?" Whitney whispered urgently beside her.
The suggestion had already crossed Veronica's mind multiple times. But what would she say? Would Cullen really choose her feelings over Niall's desires? The answer was painfully obvious.
Still, some desperate part of her needed to try. She pulled out her phone with trembling fingers and found his number.
Across the auction hall, Cullen felt his phone buzz against his leg. He slipped it out casually and glanced at the screen.
Niall leaned over to peek at the display. "Unknown number?"
"Spam call," Cullen said with a slight laugh, and rejected the call without a second thought.
The instant rejection felt like a slap across Veronica's face. The tiny flame of hope she had been nursing died completely, leaving her hollow and cold.
"Are you serious right now?" Whitney hissed under her breath. "He actually declined your call?"
Veronica said nothing. She slipped the phone back into her purse and tried to focus on breathing normally.
The bidding had escalated to ninety-five million while she sat there in stunned silence.
Maverick ran a hand through his hair and turned toward Cullen's section. "Mr. Dennis, perhaps you could let me have this one?"
Cullen's smile was polite but unyielding. "Maybe next time."
Maverick's jaw tightened slightly. He raised his paddle with visible reluctance. "One hundred twenty million."
Niall didn't even pause. "One hundred fifty million."
Maverick's paddle stayed down this time.
"I've never seen Maverick back down before," Whitney muttered in Veronica's ear, her voice filled with disbelief.
The Harris family commanded the same level of respect and power as the Dennis. Both families sat at the very top of the social hierarchy, with wealth and influence that most people could only dream of.
But tonight, Maverick looked almost weak compared to Cullen's relentless spending. It wasn't because he lacked the money. Maverick was simply being practical, refusing to waste millions on an overpriced piece of art.
Cullen, on the other hand, seemed willing to spend whatever it took to make Niall happy. Money was clearly no object when it came to pleasing the woman beside him.
The auctioneer's gavel fell with finality. The embroidered artwork belonged to Niall.
Cullen turned toward Maverick with that same pleasant smile. "Thank you for your gracious cooperation, Mr. Harris."
Maverick forced his own smile in return, though the strain showed around his eyes. "Of course, Mr. Dennis. Congratulations."