The Graham Heir—I Am Not An Adopted Nobody

Chapter 63: The Private Duel

Anna’s question hung in the air, making the whole room feel heavy with anticipation. "What are the rules?"

Jane didn’t wait a single second to answer. A thin, mean smile spread across her face. "The rules are simple," she said, her voice sounding smooth and confident. "We bid against each other. The person who pays the most wins the item. Just like Edward and Robert did."

A wave of excitement rushed through the hall. People started leaning forward in their velvet chairs, whispering to each other. Anna gave a short, firm nod. "That’s fine with me."

Jane’s smile got even sharper, like she was about to spring a trap. "But there’s one more condition." The room went dead silent again. "Robert stays out of it," Jane said, her voice steady. "He isn't allowed to help you at all. No advice, no hand signals, and no giving you extra money in the middle of a bid."

Every eye in the room swung toward Robert. Anna turned her head slightly to look at her brother. For a tiny moment, the two of them locked eyes. Robert didn't say anything, he just gave her the smallest, calmest nod. It was a silent message that he trusted her.

Anna looked back at Jane. "All right," she said. "No problem."

Now the whispering really started.

"This is going to be good."

"It's finally family against family."

"This is about to get very interesting."

The host stepped to the front of the stage, looking like he was having the time of his life. "Very well! A private duel between Miss Jane and Miss Anna! Let’s get started!"

The First Item was about to be displayed.

The lights on the stage shifted, and a small glass case rose from the floor. Inside was a beautiful oil painting in a frame made of carved ivory. It showed a young princess sitting on a balcony under a purple night sky, with tiny silver stars painted all over the canvas.

“The Moonlit Heiress,” the host announced. “A private royal piece from the 1800s. Starting bid is one point five million dollars.”

Jane’s paddle went up instantly. “Two million.”

A few people in the crowd murmured, impressed by how fast she moved. "She's confident," someone whispered. But before anyone could even react, Anna lifted her paddle with total calm.

“Four million.”

The number cut through the air. Heads turned so fast it was almost funny. Jane’s smile froze on her face, and the host blinked in surprise.

“Four million going once… going twice… sold!” The gavel hit the wood. Anna didn't cheer or even smile. She just lowered her paddle. The first win was hers.

Suddenly, Edward stood up. "One second," he called out. He fixed his jacket and looked at the crowd. "If this is a private duel, we need to make sure everything is fair. Both girls should hand over their payment cards to the staff right now, before we go any further."

A murmur of agreement went through the guests. It seemed fair. Anna and Jane both nodded. Two men in suits walked over to collect the cards. Jane handed hers over first—it was a flashy platinum card with gold designs all over it. It looked expensive just to hold.

Then they turned to Anna. She reached into her small purse and pulled out a plain black card. It was simple, with just a tiny bit of silver in one corner. It wasn't flashy at all, but there was something about it that looked powerful.

The guests started whispering again.

"Where did she get a card like that?"

"I've never even seen that kind before."

The Second Item was about to be displayed.

A larger case rose up, holding a collection of antique jewelry—deep blue sapphires and diamonds set in silver.

“The Azure Crown Collection,” the host said. “Starting bid is fifteen million dollars.”

Jane lifted her paddle, looking smug. “Twenty-five million.” It was a big jump, and she looked over at Anna like she had already won.

Anna tilted her head just a little. “Twenty-five point two million.”

The increase was tiny, but it was a total insult. It was Anna’s way of saying she could outbid Jane by whatever amount she wanted. Jane’s face turned dark. “Thirty million!” she snapped.

“Thirty million going once… twice… sold!” Jane let out a long breath and gave a satisfied smile. The score was one to one.

The Third Item was about to be displayed.

The next piece was a statue of a falcon carved from shiny black stone, sitting on a white marble base. Its eyes were made of bright green emeralds.

“The Imperial Shadow Falcon,” the host declared. “The starting bid is twenty million dollars.”

Anna’s paddle went up immediately. “Forty million.”

The room gasped. She had doubled the price in one second. Jane’s jaw tightened, her pride starting to hurt. She couldn't let Anna win another one. “Sixty million!” she shouted.

The hall broke out in applause. “Sixty million going once… twice… sold!” Jane lowered her paddle slowly. She was winning, but it was costing her a lot of money.

The Fourth Item was about to be displayed.

The final piece of the first round came up—a cluster of diamonds set in a platinum base that looked like frozen ocean waves.

“The Celestial Tide Diamond,” the host said. “The starting bid is seven million dollars.”

Anna spoke first. “Ten million.”

Jane looked frustrated now. She knew her bank account wasn't bottomless, but Edward was sitting right there, and she couldn't stand to look weak. “Thirteen million,” she muttered.

The host struck the gavel. “Sold to Miss Jane.”

The Settlement

The staff returned with the totals.

Jane: 103 million dollars.

Anna: 4 million dollars.

The numbers were read out loud for everyone to hear. Jane stepped forward and put her card in the machine. Processing... Approved. People gave a polite clap.

Then it was Anna’s turn. Some guests leaned forward, whispering, "She can't keep up with Jane's spending." The machine whirred for a second. Then it was approved.

Anna took her card back without a word. Something had changed in the room. People realized that even though Jane had won more items, she had spent over a hundred million dollars to do it, while Anna had only spent four million. Jane was burning through her cash fast.

The host raised his hands. “Ladies and gentlemen… we now begin the Second Round!”

The lights went low again. A new platform started to rise, and this one was much bigger and heavier than the others. Everyone in the room leaned forward at the same time.

Across the hall, for the first time all night, Robert actually looked interested.