New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex)

Chapter 37 It's mine

"I know you are making that up,

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led, "Whatever floats your boat, Lisa."

Claire stared at Lisa amused and since she didn't care what Lisa think, Claire chuckled.

Alex, who had been listening quietly, was stunned by Claire's sudden display of knowledge about cars. He knew firsthand that Claire wasn't particularly interested in automobiles, making her expertise in this moment all the more surprising.

A flicker of admiration crossed Alex's features as he watched Claire confidently discuss the features of the car. He couldn't deny that seeing her in this light, knowledgeable and assertive, was undeniably attractive to him.

On the other hand, Lisa stood there unable to believe what she was hearing. Claire, who she had always underestimated in matters outside of fashion and luxury, was proving her wrong once again. It irritated Lisa to no end, and a wave of frustration washed over her, making her want to lash out.

The auction manager, brimming with excitement, approached Claire with a smile.

"Miss, I heard you talking about cars earlier. Are you

you interested in our vintage car up for auction?"

Claire returned the smile, nodding. "Yes, I am. I've always had a passion for classic cars."

Claire's eyes briefly flicked towards Alex, a hint of irritation evident in her gaze, she walked away with Matthe and the manager as he give Claire a tour.

Meanwhile, Lisa, still simmering with frustration after witnessing Claire's confident demeanor, balled her hand into a fist. She couldn't believe her bad luck at encountering Claire once again, especially in such a high-profile setting.

Turning to Alex, Lisa began to vent her distress. "Can you believe it? Of all places, Claire shows up here!"

Alex, however, was lost in his own thoughts. Despite Lisa's rant, his mind kept drifting back to Claire, her presence suddenly striking him as attractive in a way he hadn't noticed before.

Lisa waved her hand in front of Alex, trying to regain his attention. "Alex, are you even listening?"

Startled, Alex snapped out of his reverie. "Sorry, Lisa. I was just... thinking."

Frustrated by Alex's distraction, Lisa crossed her blend in with."

er arms and huffed. "Eine, I'm going to look around. Maybe I'll find someone

I could

With that, Lisa walked away, leaving Alex. He watched her go, but his gaze unconsciously drifted back to Claire, who was engrossed in conversation with the auction manager near the vintage car display.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Alex reminded himself that Claire might simply have memorized details about the car, explaining her knowledge earlier. He tried to focus on the upcoming auction, pushing aside any distractions. The host's voice cut through the chatter as the auction officially began.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight. We have some exquisite items up for bidding, starting with our prized vintage car."

Claire, seated with Matthew by her side, crossed her legs elegantly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. She couldn't wait to participate in the bidding for the vintage car, her excitement palpable in the air.

As the bidding started, the room filled with hushed murmurs and the occasional enthusiastic bidder.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have here a stunning Aston Martin Lagonda, a true gem for any collector," the host declared, his words. met with eager murmurs from the audience. "We'll start the bidding at £48,599. Do I hear any takers?" The first bidder wasted no time, raising their paddle confidently. "£50,000," they called out, setting the tone for the bidding war that

was about to unfold.

The room came alive as bids flew back and forth, each increment raising the stakes. "£55,000," chimed in the second bidder, followed swiftly by another raising it to £60,000.

The host's grin widened as he watched the bids climb. "We have £60,000 on the table. Arly further bids?"

The crowd fell into a momentary hush, the tension palpable as potential buyers weighed their decisions.

"Going once at £60,000," the host announced, scanning the room for any final offers.

No one spoke up, and the host continued, "Going twice at £60,000."

With a swift motion, he brought down the gavel. "Sold to bidder number 54 for £60,000!" he proclaimed, eliciting cheers and applause from the audience.

Claire sat attentively at the charity auction, her eyes sparkling with anticipation as the host announced the bidding for the Porsche 911 Carrera from 1987, a car she had admired earlier in the evening "We'll start the bidding at £40,561,"

The bidding commenced swiftly, with the first bidder raising the stakes.

"£50,000."

"£55,000.

Claire observed the back-and-forth, waiting for the opportune moment to join in.

"£62,000."

"£65.500.

"We have £65,500 on the table. Any further bids?"

Claire sensed it was time to make her move. With a confident gesture, she raised her paddle and called out, "£70,000."

The host acknowledged her bid, announcing, "Going once at £70,000." The tension in the room heightened as everyone waited to see if there would be another bidder.

When no further bids came, the host declared, "Going twice at £70,000, sold to bidder number 32."

T

A wave of applause filled the room as Claire's purchase was finalized. She couldn't contain her smile as she realized she had secured the Porsche 911 Carrera she had set her sights on. Matthew, who was seated beside Claire, leaned in and whispered, "Well done, Claire. That was a great bid."

Claire nodded graciously; her satisfaction evident. "Thank you, Matthew. I've had my eye on that car for a while."

The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as the auction for the Ferrari F40, the gem of the event, began.

The crowd murmured excitedly; their eyes fixed on the sleek red beauty that was rarely seen on the market. Among them, Claire's eyes sparkled with excitement as she whispered to Matthew. "That car is gonna be mine."

On the other side of the room, Alex couldn't hide his own excitement. His gaze was firmly set on the Ferrari F40, a car he had admired for years. He, too, had made up his mind to bid for it.

The auction host took the stage, setting the stage for the final and most anticipated auction item of the evening.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the Ferrari F40, starting at £460,000," he announced, igniting a wave of anticipation among the bidders

The bids started rolling in swiftly. The first bidder raised the stakes to £480,000, then another pushed it to £500,000, and the numbers climbed rapidly until it reached an impressive £769,000. It was clear that this was going to be the highest-priced item of the evening. out,"

Alex raised his paddle confidently, calling out, "£800,000."

Claire frowned slightly, not willing to lose to Alex again after the previous bid for Annalise's painting. She raised her paddle and declared, "Eg00,000.

The crowd gasped at the sudden jump in price, but the bidding war was far from over. Alex countered with a bold move.

£100,000,000

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Not to be outdone, Claire raised her bid.

"£120,000,000.

She was serious about winning th

the Ferrari F40.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it seems that we have a competitive bidder."

"£200,000,000." Alex declared.

Claire was silent, hesitating whether she should continue or let Alex win.

"E200,000,000, going once, going twice..."

£300,000,000."