Thorns Grow After Betrayal (Celeste and Chester) novel Chapter 276

The moment the bid was announced, a collective gasp rippled through the room.

A pen.

Was it made of solid gold?

All eyes turned instinctively toward Bidder #1’s table.

The paddle holder’s expression didn’t waver, but even he couldn’t hide the tremor that ran through him.

Chester had arrived at the auction in person.

He’d intended to win that pen for Celestine, but ten million dollars for a pen? That was madness. With that kind of money, he could buy her something far more meaningful.

His secretary leaned in, voice taut with concern. “Mr. Fordham, should we keep going?”

They’d been prepared to stretch the budget for this pen, but tonight had already blown past every limit. The boss was acting strange—first, cold-shouldering Miss Sinclair, now refusing to back down over a ridiculous pen.

Chester’s expression darkened. “Let’s stop. Find out who’s behind Bidder #1.”

Anyone who could casually drop ten million on a pen in Oceanview City wasn’t just another wealthy dilettante. He was itching to see which fool would pull such a stunt.

Around the room, similar thoughts were brewing. No one in attendance was easily fooled; these were seasoned veterans of the game.

It didn’t take long for whispers to ripple through the crowd, and Celestine caught fragments of conversation drifting her way.

“Word is, Number One’s buying it for his fiancée. Trying to win her over.”

“Tsk, tsk. Who on earth is it? Dropping that much on a pen—what could possibly make it worth ten million?”

“Someone said he’s from the Prescott family…”

As the next auction item appeared, the chatter began to die down, but Celestine was still listening closely.

The Prescott family?

Could it be the head of Prescott Group?

Her thoughts flashed to Gideon. His last name was Prescott too. He’d never spoken in detail about his business, but judging by his demeanor—and by Chester’s reaction—it all started to make a strange sort of sense.

Celestine couldn’t help but picture Gideon’s face and the image of the powerful CEO of Prescott Group, and for a fleeting moment, the two overlapped.

No… surely it couldn’t be that much of a coincidence?

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