New beginning: Billionaire love story

Chapter 31 Bidding

As Claire making her way to the other corridor, Alex trailed behind her, his steps careful as he tried to confirm whether the woman in the striking red dress was indeed his ex-wife. His heart pounded with uncertainty, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him amidst

the crowded venue.

He lost track of Claire due to the amount of crowd at the exhibition.

Spotting Claire engaged in conversation with another guest, Alex quickened his pare. He reached out and gently tapped her shoulder. his voice tinged with hesitation. "Claire?"

Claire turned, her eyes meeting Alex's with a mix of surprise and curiosity, "Yes? Can I help you?" she replied politely, though a flicker of confusion crossed her features.

Realization dawned on Alex as he looked into the unfamiliar eyes of the woman before him. He quickly retracted his hand, embarrassment coloring his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I must have mistaken you for someone else," he apologized, his tone apologetic,

The woman in the red dress, a stranger to Alex, nodded understandingly. "No worries," she replied with a polite smile before returning to her conversation.

Alex took a step back, his mind racing with thoughts. "I could have sworn it was her," he muttered to himself, his brow furrowing in frustration. He glanced around, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

As he walked away, Alex couldn't shake off the feeling of confusion.

"Maybe I'm just imagining things," he reasoned with himself.

His recent encounter with Claire a few days ago flashed in his memory, reminding him of her bold behavior.

Regaining his composure, Alex took a deep breath and decided to focus on enjoying the exhibition:

"Why am I thinking of her? I'm here with Lisa. The most beautiful woman."

Alex head back to the main hall to find Lisa

The backstage area buzzed with activity as Claire met with Liz, the designated host for the charity revent.

Liz, in her role as the event's host, radiated excitement mixed with a hint of nervousness.

hawarm

"Are you ready for tonight?" Claire asked with a warm smile, her voice carrying a reassuring tone.

Liz nodded eagerly, though a touch of apprehension lingered in her eyes. "I think so. I've rehearsed my lines. I just hope everything goes smoothly."

Claire placed a comforting hand on Liz's shoulder. "You'll do great, Liz, I know you do. 1 have faith in you just like my mum did."

Liz smiled gratefully at Claire's words "Thank you, Claire. Your mum would be so proud of you. And thank you for organizing this wonderful charity event. It means a lot to the children."

Claire's smile softened as she shook her head modestly. "I didn't do anything, it's all my mother. If it wasn't for her letter, I wouldn't have known about it. This event is a tribute to my mother's legacy." Liz nodded understandingly. "You have your mother's eyes. You know that."

Claire chuckled lightly. "Thank you, that is the biggest compliment people gave me.

With a final wish of good luck, Claire headed to her table. She spotted Matthew eating a plate of hors d'oeuvres.

"You and food, Matt." Claire took a seat next to him with an amuse smile etched on her lips.

"The food is amazing. You should try

try it. TM

"Maybe later. Anyway, thanks for helping me organizing the event. I couldn't thank you enough."

"Stop saying thank you, Claire. You have said it a lot of times. I'm just doing what my boss tell me." Matthew winked at Claire playfully.

A minutes later, Liz took the stage with confidence.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for joining us tonight," Liz began with a warm smile, her voice carrying across the room. "We have a wonderful lineup of artworks up for auction."

She paused for a moment, glancing around the room before continuing. "I'd like to extend a special thanks to a dear friend who preters

to remain anonymous but played a crucial role in making tonight's charity event possible. Let's give her a round of silent applause.

Claire, seated among the guests, nodded appreciatively at Liz's discreet mention. She had chosen to stay behind the scenes, preferring to contribute without seeking recognition. After all. It's all about the children not Claire Peterson.

As Liz finished her introduction, the first artwork, an abstract painting by a talented 12-year-old, was unveiled. The bidding started at £160, quickly escalating as the audience recognized the captivating beauty of the piece. The bids climbed steadily, reaching £150 before finally coming to a halt, sold to an enthusiastic bidder at £350.

The second painting, a striking artistic portrayal of a silhouette, garnered even more attention. Bidding started at £200 and climbed rapidly, reaching an impressive £1000 as the audience gasped in astonishment. The winning bid went to number 39 amidst applause and admiration for the artwork.

The bidding process continued seamlessly, with each artwork receiving its fair share of appreciation and competitive bidding However, it was the final painting that truly captivated the audience

It was the final piece by Annalise, a 15-year-old artist who had passed away from leukemia, that captured everyone's attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this painting holds a special story," Lizbegan, her voice tinged with emotion.

"Annalise poured her heart and soul into this masterpiece, and it is the last artwork she created before she left us. Let's honor her memory with our bids." "£1000,"

The bidding for Annalise's painting started strong

H

"62000.

"£5000.

Claire, who had been admiring the painting, felt a tug at her heartstrings hearing Annalise's backstory. Without hesitation, she raised her bidding card and confidently declared, "£50,000"

A collective gasp filled the room, even surprising Liz for a moment before she composed herself with a smile. The bid paused momentarily until suddenly, from another part of the room, a bold voice rang out, "£75,000."

Claire's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She hadn't expected such a high counterbid. Determination flickered in her eyes as she raised her bid once more, "£80,000.

The room fell into a hushed murmur as the bidding war escalated. Claire's competitive spirit was evident, but Alex seemed to be equally determined. "£100,000." he declared.

Whispers of amazement filled the room at the staggering amount. Claire scoffed inwardly

She looked around, wondering who had outbid her. With a graceful gesture, she conceded defeat, her expression a mix of admiration and acceptance.

Liz, with a smile of appreciation for the spirited bidding, announced, "Going once, going twice... sold to bidder number 78 for £

100,000.

The room erupted into applause as the painting found its new home.

Alex smiled in satisfaction as he won tonight auction. It was a beautiful piece just like what he imagined. Lisa clapped her hand excitedly to see her boyfriend won the bidding. She can't help but wonder if this is how wealthy and rich people do for fun.

As the painting auction at the charity event neared its end, Liz, decided to add a surprise twist to the evening.

"Before we conclude tonight's auction, I have a special treat for all of you. I'd like to showcase a stunning art piece that, surprisingly, is not up for sale tonight."

A ripple of amusement spread through the audience.

"It's a masterpiece painted by none other than my dear friend, Mary Peterson."

Chapter 32 They're friends

As Liz pulled away the cover, revealing the painting beneath, a collective gasp of admiration swept through the room.

The artwork was indeed breathtaking, capturing the essence of beauty and emotion in its strokes and colors. Applause filled the air. mingled with whispers of praise for Mary's talent. Among the guests, Claire couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and joy. She had seen this very painting just two days ago at the art club

when Liz gave her a tour.

Witnessing the guests' genuine appreciation and the murmur of compliments brought a soft smile to Claire's lips.

People around her complimented Mary's painting. She is grateful that Liz decided to showcase her mum's beautiful artwork.

Deep down, Claire can't help but feel a little sad. She wish her mum's with her to witness this moment. She knows her mum would have love it especially heating all the compliments.

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears of happiness, but she quickly blinked them away, not wanting to draw attention to her emotions.

Matthew, who had been observing Claire's reaction, noticed her teary eyes. He place aa reassuring hand on her shoulder. With a warm smile, he whispered, "Your mother's painting is very beautiful. I know she is proud of you, Claire" Claire nodded, grateful for Matthew's understanding gesture. "Thanks, Matt. Her painting is beautiful indeed." she replied softly.

Claire joined in the applause, genuinely admiring the painting, and feeling a sense of pride for her mum.

Once the auction concluded and guests began to mingle, Alex approached Liz to discuss the payment for the auctioned painting. Liz expressed her gratitude to Alex for his generous bid, acknowledging his appreciation for art. "Thank you for supporting our art club." Liz said with a warm smile as she shook hands with Alex, finalizing the deal.

Alex nodded in appreciation. "I have a deep appreciation for art,"

With a firm handshake, the deal was settled to both parties satisfaction. Alex excused himself and made his way to the bustling hall, intending to meet with Lisa, however a certain someone caught his attention. The woman in a red dress stood facing a painting by Mary Peterson.

Alex's gaze lingered on her back. He hesitated, unsure if he should approach her, but curiosity nagged at him, prompting him to take a step closer.

"The painting is captivating, isn't it?"

The woman turned slightly at his words; Alex's breath caught in his throat.

Turns out, Alex eyes didn't play a trick on him. The woman he saw earlier was indeed Claire, but he lost sight of her.

"Claire?" Alex's voice held a mix of surprise and realization. "What are you doing here?"

Claire maintained a composed facade, though inwardly, she was taken aback by the unexpected encounter. "I could ask you the same thing." she replied evenly, her eyes assessing Alex with a hint of curiosity. "Are you following me again? I can't believe this."

"Wait...me following you? You got to be kidding me.'

Their exchange underlying with tension.

"I was here for the auction not you." Alex said his tone was firm.

Realization dawned on Claire as his voice remind her of the man bidding Annalise painting.

"Are you the man who bid on Annalise painting?" Claire asked incredulously.

"And you were the one bidding against me for her painting." He stated, a note of recognition coloring his words.

Claire scoffed in disbelief, "I can't believe I let you win "Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Feeling taken aback, Alex argue. "Excuse me? You let me win? First of all, you did not let me win, second, I have much more money than you

Their gazes shooting icy glares at each other. It was a familiar dance of hatred that seemed to replay every

timen

they crossed paths.

Claire's

's anger simmered as she prepared to launch into a heated argument with Alex, but then she caught hersell. This event was

dedicated to her mother's memory, and she couldn't tarnish it with unnecessary drama.

Taking a deep breath, Claire closed her eyes briefly before opening them with a calm demeanor

"Fine, Allex. Do whatever you want. I don't care," she stated flatly, her voice devoid of the usual edge it carried in their interactions.

Alex was taken aback by Claire's sudden calmness, but before he could respond, she turned and walked away, leaving him with a mix of frustration and bewilderment. Meanwhile, Claire approached Anna White, a famous actress, who was admiring one of the paintings

"Anna, it's so wonderful to see you here," Claire said genuinely, extending a hand.

Anna returned the smile, her eyes sparkling with appreciation. "Claire, thank you for inviting me. This event is beautiful.

They exchanged a hug, and Claire expressed her gratitude for Anna's presence at the charity event. Anna waved off the thanks, acknowledging Claire's role in her career. "It's an honor to be invited by someone like you, Claire Peterson,"

"Oh, it's nothing. Anna. 1 just do what feels right."

As they spoke leisurely, Lisa approached them eagerly, calling out Anna's name.

"Anna White! Oh, my goodness, I'm such a big fan!" Lisa exclaimed; her enthusiasm palpable.

Thank you so much. I appreciate your support."

Lisa's eyes widened in surprise as she recognized Claire standing with Anna. Her initial excitement dimmed slightly, replaced by a forced calmness.

You know, Anna, you should be careful who you associate with. Some people can tarnish your image, especially mean girls like her,"

Lisa gestured towards Claire; her words laced with thinly veiled disdain.

Claire couldn't help but roll her eyes at Lisa's attempt to stir the pot. She remained composed, curious to hear what else Lisa had to

say.

"Oh, really?

"Yes, Anna, you should surround yourself with educated and kind people. Like me for example"

Claire couldn't help but chuckled.

Lisa turned to her frowning as she felt offended by Claire.

""What's so funny?"

"When you say educated and kind, does a homewrecker included?"

Lisa glared at Claire and turned to Anna.

*This is what I mean. A girl like her can only sprouting lies."

Anna who can sees passed Lisa chimed in.

"I'm sorry but what you said earlier contradict with your current behavior. My friend and I really have to go, it's really nice to see you Lisa, have a good night."

Anna and Claire walked away leaving Lisa standing alone looking like a lost puppy.

Her purpose to ask Anna for a photo and autograph went down the rabbit hole. She blamed Claire for causing this. Lisa stormed out of the event, balling her fist up in anger. She can't believe that she lost to Claire again. Alex, who noticed her girlfriend, caught up to her.

"Lisa?"

ed to hi

Lisa turned to him face red with humiliation.

"Are you okay?"

"No! I'm not okay. Claire she is here a-and she ruin my chance with Anna White."

"What did she do?"

"She humillates me again, Alex. Lean't stand this anymore." Lisa started crying which make Alex embrace her to soother her crying

Chapter 32 They're trends.

"Turns out Anna is friend with Claire."

"What? They're friends?"

Lisa nodded as she continue to sobbed.

Alex can't help but remember Liz words.

"Anna White is here because the event organizer is friends with her."