"One... One... One trillion?!!" James's voice cracked with disbelief, the sound echoing through the suddenly hushed auction hall.
"One trillion going once!!" Britney's sharp call sliced through the silence. An immediate tension gripped the room, every eye fixed on the unfolding drama.
"You!" Alex spat the word, his gaze a venomous glare.
'I will have to use my treasury!' The thought was a desperate surge within him. Aloud, he roared, "1.5 trillion!!"
A ripple of murmurs spread through the attendees.
"Wow... Master Alex isn't backing down."
"Yes... It seems he truly covets this orb."
"Christopher is going toe-to-toe with him, isn't he afraid of Master Alex's power?"
"This is both surprising and utterly captivating."
"But, what if Christopher wins this item only to be ambushed later?"
"Indeed! That's a valid concern."
Christopher, a faint, predatory smile playing on his lips, savored the rising tension. 'Hehehe... This unfolding drama will serve my purposes well.'
