Paddles rose. Numbers climbed. Applause followed each winning bid like punctuation at the end of a sentence. The energy in the room built steadily, guest by guest, item by item, until the atmosphere buzzed with the particular electricity that only exists when wealthy people compete for things they don't need.Vivian sat rigid beside Brandon, her wine glass abandoned on the table, her attention locked entirely on the stage. She leaned toward him, her voice pitched low enough to avoid being overheard by the surrounding tables."We need to win something tonight." Her fingers pressed into his forearm. "Something significant. Not one of these small items nobody will remember by morning. Something that makes the entire room stop and look at us."Brandon's jaw tightened. He glanced toward Emma's table, where she still sat surrounded by the lingering warmth of her earlier recognition, her certificate resting beside her water glass like a small trophy that refused to stop shining."Whatever it