Chapter 54 

The auditorium was spacious, plush seats littered everywhere in an orderly fashion, and the ceilings, made of glass, showcased the bright night sky with twinkling stars. Julian and Leslie were immediately ushered to the front row, with Alexander and Vanessa sitting a row behind them—an arrangement that caused a scowl to form on Vanessa's face.

The auction started, and the lights dimmed, focusing attention on the center of the stage where a petite woman clad in a jumpsuit walked up to the podium. She cleared her throat.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am the host of this show, Mrs. Claire. I’m sure you’ve all met my son, Johnson," she said, pointing to the young man at the end of the stage. "And without further ado, let's begin with the auction of tonight. Please don’t hold back on anything you like; the money, as always, will go to children suffering from heart diseases and to talented young art students who have no capital to study further."

That earned a round of applause as