Chapter 818

The staff member stood frozen in disbelief. Even Hamilton, usually composed and unflappable, turned in surprise.

A moment ago, the staff member had brushed Daniela aside without a second glance. NNow,he wore a practiced smile, returning her bank card with both hands and a respectful bow.

His voice dropped to a deferential murmur."Please keep your card safe, ma'am. We pride ourselves on discretion-your assets are absolutely confidential here."

The words landed like a thunderclap, leaving everyone reeling.

Curiosity swept through the crowd.

They couldn't help but speculate how wealthy Daniela was. What exactly was on that card that caused a seasoned employee to abruptly change his mind?

Even Hamilton, whose fortune outstripped nearly anyone alive, noticed the awe in the man's face-a look that suggested Daniela's wealth might rival his own.

Whispers rippled through the room.

Nikolas leaned toward Carol, voice barely above a whisper. "Is there that much money in her account?What the hell just happened?"

Carol only shrugged, as if this were all perfectly ordinary. "Daniela always says it's just numbers-meaningless. I hold onto the card most of the time,but l've never checked the balance. It's never mattered."

Nikolas blinked, startled. "Do you know the password?"

With a subtle nod, Carol replied, "Of course. We all do. We use the secondary cards for day-to-day

stuff."

Nikolas asked, "So, Cedric knows it too?"

Carol nodded. "Absolutely. But Cedric's never touched a cent. He insists on making his own way-says he hardly spends and doesn't need it."

Nikolas leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Mind if I see the balance?"

Carol didn't hesitate. "Go ahead."

She pulled out her phone, unlocked it, and brouight up the banking app. Nikolas' eyes widened the moment he caught a glimpse of the number.

Meanwhile, the auction room buzzed as the auctioneer, beaming with practiced poise, turned to address Hamilton. She gestured grandly toward the pair of cufflinks on display.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's begin the bidding for this extraordinary set of cufflinks! The starting price is fifty million!" A hush swept over the crowd, followed by a collective gasp.

The figure was staggering. Fifty million-for a pair of cufflinks? Even for something this exquisite, it was mind-boggling.

Those who had entertained the idea of bidding abandoned hope. No one wanted to challenge such a staggering opening.

Hamilton sat back, unmoved. He preferred to watch others battle it out first, letting the anticipation build before making his move.

The early rounds felt like little more than warm-up sparring. He didn't spare them a thought.

Hesitant paddles flicked up as participants tossed in their half-hearted bids. Nobody truly believed they'd walk away with the prize tonight.

The number crept upward, crawling past the one hundred million mark.

Hamilton showed no flicker of interest, his composure unbroken. He preferred to savor the mounting tension, certain the grand finale would belong to him.

He could already picture it-the hush, the breathless envy in every stare as he claimed the prize with effortless confidence.

These were the moments he lived for, the kind that made all his wealth feel worthwhile.

But Daniela had no patience for theatrics. Annoyed by the slow pace, she shot her hand into the air and announced, "Two hundred million."

The words hung in the air like a thunderclap. The entire auction hall froze.

Even the auctioneer blinked in disbelief, unsure she'd heard correctly. "Ms. Harper, did I hear you correctly? You just bid two hundred million?"

Daniela's gaze didn't waver. "You heard right. Two hundred million."

Her calm confirmation sent a shockwave through the room. For several heartbeats, no one moved, then a low tide of murmurs swept through the crowd.

"Wait, is she actually that rich?"

"Wasn't the last offer a hundred million? She doubled it in a single breath?"

" heard her company's brand new. There's no way she has that kind of cash already, right? Maybe she's just bluffing?"

"No chance. If the bid wasn't real, the staff would have shut her down by now. The auction house checks everyone's assets in advance."

One by one, the crowd began to realize-Daniela was the real deal. There really was over two hundred million in her account.

Mouths hung open. All across the auction hall people could do nothing but stare.