The Eternal Project had been nothing more than a myth in the medical industry. Most people had no clue whether or not immortality could really be achieved.
Even though Lucius wasn’t interested in immortality, he was still interested in the project itself. The White family had already opened up countless laboratories of their own, and Lucius would be able to have them research the prototype once he acquired it.
Now that Lucius had outbid the other bidders, he figured victory was at hand.
However, all of a sudden, Valerie pressed her button. The bid was then raised to 23 million
dollars.
Lucius gazed at her questioningly. “So, is this why you tried so hard to attend the auction tonight?”
“The prototype is mine, and only mine,” Valerie declared fiercely.
Lucius smiled. “I didn’t expect you to have such a great ulterior motive in coming on board tonight. I can give you anything you want from tonight’s auction, just not this prototype.”
Though Lucius was lenient to Valerie in many ways, he couldn’t surrender when it came to his
core principles.
But Valerie didn’t seem to want to give up at all. “I’m going to get what I want, no matter what.
“You’re bound to lose if you try outbidding me.‘
Valerie leaned in and said in his ear, “If I don’t have enough money to pay for the item and get blacklisted for it, my husband’s identity just might be revealed, too.”
Lucius wasn’t buying her act. “Are you threatening me?”
He then pressed his button yet again without hesitation.
Valerie wasn’t going to let him win. She quickly pressed her button, too, and said to him, Darling, I’m sure you wouldn’t want your sweet wife to be on the headlines all because she wanted to bid for an item, right?”
“Playing coy won’t work on me,” Lucius said as he pressed his button again, wanting to tease her even as they bid against one another.
“Part of our local culture is to have the husband pay for whatever it is the wife wishes to buy. No matter how much money I bid on this prototype today, it’ll all go to your bill at the end of the day,” Valerie said, still not backing down.
Chapter 13
9/2
Lucius actually looked forward to Valerie using his money for herself. He pressed his button and said, “Why don’t we work together to research the prototype, since it’s clear both of us want it?”
Valerie bid once more and said playfully, “Working together sounds like a good idea. Both of us could benefit from it, and it’d be a win–win situation. But…”
As Lucius waited for her to finish her sentence, he forgot to press his button. Just like that, Valerie won the bid with a total sum of 30 million dollars.
She beamed at him and said, “Working together might be beneficial, but I’m used to working alone. I’m afraid you’ll have to graciously part with the prototype, Mr. White.”
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