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Chapter 860:
“The bid stands at two billion dollars to the gentleman in the back p>
Then the proxy agent stood. He smoothed his tie and raised his voice clearly over the noise. “Valkyrie Corporation officially withdraws its bid. Furthermore, under the terms of our pre-signed Joint Bidding Agreement, we unconditionally transfer all bidding rights on this lot to the representative of Apex Bio, Ms. June Erickson p>
The words dropped like a bomb into still water.
The hall exploded. Men in expensive suits leaped to their feet, whispering frantically, craning their necks toward June with a mixture of awe and unease. They were trying to calculate which invisible force had just commanded a two-billion-dollar proxy to bow out and walk away.
June went rigid. Her pupils contracted. She stared at the blank, unreadable face of the proxy agent and felt her heart hammering against her ribs. This was not a fair market auction. This was a demonstration of raw, calculated power — and someone had orchestrated the entire field just for her. She was standing in the center of a hunting ground she hadn’t designed.
“Are there any other bids?” the auctioneer called over the noise.
𝘕𝗼𝘷𝖾𝗅ѕ 𝗂n 𝗍re𝗇𝖽 o𝗻.соm
No one moved. No one dared.
“Five hundred million going once! Five hundred million going twice! Sold p>
The gavel cracked down.
“The Apex Bio patents are sold to Ms. June Erickson for five hundred million dollars p>
Thunderous applause filled the hall — not the polite clapping of celebration, but the frantic, respectful applause of men demonstrating deference to whoever was pulling the strings.
Arthur Pendleton didn’t wait. He grabbed his bodyguard’s arm, hauled himself out of his chair, and practically sprinted up the aisle without a glance in June’s direction.
June remained seated. She didn’t smile. She didn’t cheer. Her face was a mask of cold calculation.
Vera threw her arms around June’s neck, practically vibrating with joy. “We did it! June, we got it back at the base price — it’s a miracle p>
June patted her arm gently, but her eyes had already moved past Vera’s shoulder to the empty chairs in the back row. The proxy agents had already vanished without a trace.
A cold shiver moved down her spine. Crawford’s possessive smile in her office. Cole’s bloodshot eyes in the penthouse. Her stomach turned. She had won the auction, but she felt the weight of an invisible net settling over her from above.
Easton noticed the rigidity in her posture. He leaned in close, his shoulder brushing hers, and wrapped his hand around her cold fingers.
“Whatever game they’re playing in the dark,” he said, his voice low and grounding, “the patents are legally yours now. That’s all that matters p>
June drew a slow breath. She pressed the dread down into her stomach. She squeezed Easton’s hand, borrowing warmth from his grip.
Then she stood, smoothed the front of her Tom Ford suit, let her face settle back into its flawless, untouchable composure, and walked toward the signing table at the front of the room, her heels striking the floor with clean, deliberate precision.