EVERYTHING is set, sent letters to those who pa.s.sed the screening for the bidding event, which will happen tonight. This scheme is so new to Vienna that it created a buzz and speculation was roaming around that this affair will only die down until the bidding ends.The invited guests were only limited and the media were not allowed to cover the event for confidentiality"s sake. Clifford Briggs is creating a huge buzz that all of the people were speaking good about him especially the women, whether married or single, were expressing their thoughts about him.
"If only he"s single and available, I would really jump to him and tie him to my side."
"Pity, Ingrid Howard had the upper hand, but gosh! Clifford Briggs is sure a high maintenance and lot of guarding must be done. Look at him, he"s such a charmer, no one could resist him."
The women stared at the couple who are happily smiling at the camera. All of them sighed looking at them.
"Huff… but look at him, he"s so in love with his wife."
"Lucky her."
"Ladies and gentlemen, the program will about to start, may I ask everyone to please take your designated seats." The emcee announced.
The waiters ushered the guests and served drinks to almost a hundred selected guests. The Briggs couple proceeded to their table together with some of the shareholders. Ingrid looks around and she immediately spotted Vanessa together with Paul. The woman gazed at her with much hostility. Her stare is like daggers shooting at her.
However, Ingrid just smiled at her triumphantly and she mouthed something as if Vanessa could read it,
"YOU. CAN. NEVER. BRING. ME. DOWN."
Then she shifted her gaze to her husband, slipping her hands to his and then looked backed at Vanessa, slowly lifted their clasps hands, grinning at the woman who is about to explode because of anger.
Ingrid whispered something to Clifford that caused him to look where his wife is looking. There was no recognition traced in his eyes, not even a hint of surprise could be seen in his eyes, but he just stared at Vanessa blankly and then uncaringly shifted his gaze to his wife and kissed her forehead.
The emcee held everyone"s attention when he announced that the event is about to commence. After the preliminaries of the program, the emcee then called Clifford and Ingrid to say their speeches.
"Good evening everyone, in behalf of my father, I would like to thank you for coming here tonight and showed much interest in investing in our company. I am looking forward to the great result of this venture, I am sure my husband will be more than willing to work with anyone who will be lucky enough to win the bidding. Hope you will enjoy the night." Ingrid then handed the microphone to her husband.
"Good evening once again, as the new CEO, I am hoping for the success of this venture and thank you for trusting our company for your investment and I am surely you will never regret this. To the one who will win the bid, good luck to you and may we reach our goal."
Few performances were made before the bidding starts just to lighten up the mood of the guests and to prepare the team a.s.signed for the bidding. There are a few interested bidder who were not there but are represented by their executives who will do their bidding over the phone.
"Now, without further much ado, let the bidding commence!" declared the emcee. "The bidding starts at one hundred thousand dollars…"
"One hundred fifty Thousand Dollars!" one investor immediately raised.
"Two hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars!" another yelled.
"Going once, going –"
"Three hundred thousand dollars."
"Four hundred thousand dollars." Still there are few investors who are not yet raising their hands, waiting for the right moment and price.
"Five Hundred thousand dollars."
"Five hundred and Fifty Thousand."
"Eight hundred thousand dollars." Momentarily the crowd went silent and then emcee took over.
"Eight thousand dollars, anyone who would want to beat –"
"One million dollars." All of them immediately shifted their gaze to the person who raised hands.
Vanessa Reiley. Ingrid narrowed her eyes in suspicion while her husband looked bored at the outcome, was not surprise even.
"Love? Why is she – "
"Relax everything is under control. Don"t worry." He smiled at her rea.s.suringly but she feels the opposite, there"s something odd happening here. Suddenly…
"One million and two hundred thousand dollars." A man in black suit suddenly stood up, while talking over to his phone. A representative. Clifford"s eyes narrowed and whispered something to Gary and then Gary immediately left the room.
"One million and two fifty," another man said, but Vanessa doesn"t like defeat so she went higher.
"One point five million dollars." She said haughtily, the man who was on the phone doesn"t want to give in, too.
"Two point five million dollars." Vanessa hissed.
"No. No. No. I won"t lose this chance." She murmured.
"Three million dollars!" she almost screamed. The people then started talking and murmuring among themselves. The man on the phone is still busy talking to the person on the other line.
"Anyone who will beat the offer?" the emcee broken up the tension.
"TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS." All of them gasp when the representative stood up again and they were stunned.
The room went still that you could hear the person next to you, breathing. It went for a few seconds… Before the emcee composed himself.
"Going once, going twice! Sold to the bidder number twenty."
Clifford smirked.
Immediately, Gary went to his side and whispered something, he just nod in response, and the smirk on his lips did not fade. He also took a glimpse of the man who won the bid and base on his judgment, he is only a representative. He then walked to the stage to meet the winner of the bid.
"Congratulations! I am hoping to meet your boss personally one of these days. Mister?" The man was taken aback but immediately composed himself.
"Lyr Marcent, his a.s.sistant, my boss would love that, Mister Briggs. He sends his apology for not being here tonight since he has a prior engagement at the same time." Clifford just smiled as they shook hands and faced the camera for the photo session.
"I cannot wait to meet him, the sooner, the better." he said before he finally released the man"s hand from his tight grip.
"Well, well, you"re still alive? What a b.i.t.c.h." Without warning, Vanessa appeared before Ingrid.
"OH, hi miss Reiley, it"s not so good to see you." she smiled and then Ingrid looks at her from head to toe. "Oh, you still look the same. Attention grabber and desperate. Ooopppsss sorry my bad. Hope you"re not enjoying the party." She grins.
"Why you little –" she could not utter her angry response when she saw that Clifford was already at Ingrid"s side snaking his arms to her waist, kissing the right side of her head.
"Is everything all right, love?"
"Hi, Clifford. it"s been a while." Clifford just nodded at her, throwing a deathly glare at her.
"Everything"s under control, love. You see, Miss Reiley seems lost and needed to collect her wits altogether, we better send her to the hospital, I think she might pa.s.s out anytime." Clifford seems so amused at his wife"s mischief.
"OH really? Well, it"s not our problem anymore. Let"s go. Let"s not waste our precious time here." without permission the couple left the woman, devastated.