Theo's expression shifted slightly.
'Buy it?' he asked internally, unsure whether he'd heard it correctly.
''Trust me, Theo,'' Feng said, its voice dead serious. ''It'll be more than worth whatever price you pay for it.''
Theo didn't doubt any further.
As the auctioneer started the bidding, he immediately raised his paddle.
''Five million here at the front!'' she called out brightly.
Both Iris and Jim turned to him, utterly confused once more.
But Theo paid them no mind.
''Fifteen,'' the auctioneer called out, pointing to the back of the room. ''Twenty-five to the old gentleman there!''
Theo's paddle immediately shot up into the air.
''Thirty at the front!'' the auctioneer called out excitedly.
Several people scoffed loudly behind him, each shaking their head.
'Surely,' he thought, clenching his paddle. 'I can get it with this!'
Just then, two more paddles rose into the air in the back of the room.
''Thirty-five… forty million dollars!''
