Chapter 43

Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Linda was so upset that she was beginning to hyperventilate, gritting out under her breath, “What the hell is she doing here?

How did she..

“She’s obviously here to bother us as usual. She just won’t leave us alone,” Karen said as she held onto an irritated Kris’s arm.

Linda turned to her children and Aunt Cynthia. “Did you tell anyone that our family would be coming to this function?”

Tyler’s face scrunched with disgust as he also said quietly, Tell our friends that we’re going to a charity event? How boring!”

“Then how did she know that I would be here? Because I know this isn’t just a coincidence!” Linda silently fumed some more.

Kris, on the other hand, was scowling for a whole different reason, watching how Thalassa’s hand was so intricately wrapped around Zeke’s arm and how close their bodies were.

The event organizer had his eyes wide, but he soon frowned, not believing that anyone would be willing to pay so much for the painting.

And you are?”

Before Thalassa could respond, some people began murmuring. “Isn’t that Thalassa Thompson? Wow, and she wants to donate so much for the kids.”

Thalassa smiled. “Oh, forgive me. I’m Thalassa Thompson, and this is Zeke Matthews. My secretary registered me as a bidder on my behalf. Sorry for being so late. We had a mix–up about the time.”

With that, she and Zeke walked to take the two empty seats in the front row. Thalassa picked up the placard and raised it.

“I’m offering $5,000,000 for the children. Unless someone else has placed a higher bid?”

“No...no,” the organizer snapped out of his shock. “How superb! The esteemed Thalassa Thompson wants to offer five million dollars for the painting in order to help these poor children. Any higher bidder? $5,000,000 going once, going twice...”

Linda suddenly raised her card. “$6,000,000.”

A gasp echoed across the hall.

Kris stiffened, realizing where this was going. He leaned towards his mother and whispered, “Mum, what are you doing? The painting is not worth that much.”

By this time, the organizer’s eyes were glowing. “Alright, $5,000,000! Are we going to get a higher bid?” He asked, his eyes on Thalassa.

Thalassa raised her placard, a smile on her face as she looked across at Linda. “$10,000,000.”

The gasp was even louder now. Even the organizer was stunned.

“She’s probably getting all that money from Zeke Matthews. Poor man, he doesn’t know the kind of woman he’s dealing with. I can only imagine what she offers him to make him spend so much on her,” Karen deliberately said.

for Kris’s ears.

Pursing his mouth, Kris grabbed her hand and unwrapped from around his arm, wishing she would just shut up.

Chapter 43 +25 BONUS Noticing his mother’s hand shaking, he quickly put his hand on it and warned, “Mum, I hope you’re not thinking about increasing the bid. That would be too much money for just a painting.”

His mother was agitated. “But can’t you see how she’s looking at me? She’s mocking me and trying to show everyone that I can’t spend more than her.”

And instantly, she freed her hand and raised her placard. “$3,000,000.”

Kris gritted his teeth in irritation because his mother wasn’t listening to him.

“$18,000,000,” Thalassa declared.

Everyone in the hall was riveted by the intense bidding between the two women. Linda’s breathing had turned heavy as her dark eyes looked over at Thalassa.

“She’s only trying to provoke you, Mum. She just wants you to get worked up. Don’t give her the satisfaction,” Susan mused.

Everyone’s attention was on Linda now, wondering whether she was going to offer a higher price., “$30,000,000,” she called out loudly.

Kris was upset. Staring at his mother incredulously, he hissed under his breath, “Stop this right now, Mother. The fashion company is losing money every day, and we even need funds to save it. How can you decide to spend so much on that painting?

Linda finally realized the stupidity of what she was about to do. She’d been so determined not to let Thalassa win that she hadn’t even thought about throwing away money from her company, which was already on the edge of bankruptcy.

“Oh God, $30,000,000, how marvelous!” The organizer exclaimed, his excitement shooting through the roof. Do we have a higher bid?”

All eyes turned to Thalassa. Linda’s heart pounded, praying Thalassa would increase her bid. She couldn’t lose all that money to that stupid painting “Miss Thompson, are you willing to go any higher?” the organizer asked, his eyes sparkling in expectation.

Letting a smile curve her lips, Thalassa shook her head. “As much as I love the painting, I don’t think it’s worth spending that much on it.”

“Sold, to the esteemed Linda Miller!” The organizer declared. Thalassa began clapping her hands, causing the others in the ball to break into a round of applause.

Linda panicked as her hateful eyes glared at Thalassa, realizing she’d been tricked. Thalassa had tricked her into throwing $30,000,000 away!

In her seat, Thalassa was feeling immense satisfaction watching the horror on Linda’s face.

“You never intended to buy the painting, did you?” Zeke leaned over and spoke.

“Of course not.”

Zeke was impressed. “When you bid 18 million, what if she pulled out?”

“I knew she wouldn’t.”

“How?” Zeke questioned.

“Because Linda is too proud and arrogant and thinks she’s so much better than me too lose anything to me.”

23 Chapter 43 +25 BONUS Thalassa smirked at the impressed look on his face. “The first rule of this game, Zeke, is to think like the enemy.”

Chapter 44