When Her "Death" Couldn't Break Him

Chapter 1931 Plug The Bottomless Hole

After a pause, she glanced at Magnus and added, "Listen to me. If he raises the bid again, don't follow. I don't believe he actually has that kind of money."

She knew Magnus was a freeloader through and through. He had always survived off Cecilia and the Rainsworth name.

Miranda scoffed inwardly. If Magnus really doesn't have the money, let his sister be the one to clean up the mess. Let Cecilia plug the bottomless hole that is Magnus.

But just then, on the opposite side of the room, Cecilia stood up. She walked straight over to Magnus and stopped him in his tracks. "What exactly do you think you're doing?" she asked coldly.

Startled, Magnus blinked. "Cecilia? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to stop you," she said firmly.

Truth be told, Cecilia had initially decided not to intervene. She had wanted to stay out of Magnus' messes for once.

But then she realized that everyone in the room knew they were siblings. If Magnus couldn't pay after winning the auction, the first person the public would point fingers at wouldn't be him. It would be her.

And if she didn't step in to cover for him, rumors would inevitably spread. Such a scandal could easily damage her standing in Tudela's high society.

She hadn't come to this gala to be dragged into Magnus' chaos; she came to strengthen her ties with the city's elite.

"Cecilia, don't worry about it," Magnus said, desperation edging into his voice. "I've got forty million. Can you just cover the rest for me?"

He couldn't accept losing to Allen-especially someone from the Leighton family. In his mind, they had once been so lowly that even serving the Smiths would've been a privilege.

Cecilia's hand shot out, gripping his wrist with force. "If you keep this up, don't blame me for disowning you."

Magnus was relieved to hear that.

He wasn't afraid of Cecilia. What terrified him was the thought that she might one day truly stop caring. With Cecilia's current status and influence, if she severed ties with him, there would be no one left willing to clean up his messes.

"All right then," he muttered, giving up.

Miranda had originally intended for Magnus to keep bidding, hoping he and Cecilia would end up making fools of themselves. But to her surprise, Magnus actually backed down.

As a result, Allen ended up paying eighty million for a necklace that was originally worth only twenty.noveldrama

His expression was dark, his jaw clenched with visible frustration.

Did he just play me? Maybe Magnus never wanted the necklace to begin with. Maybe he just drove the price up on purpose.

He turned to Miranda, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Funny. Seems like their game plan was completely different from yours."

Miranda's expression soured. Though irritated, she forced a smile. "I didn't think Magnus had it in him to be so sly."

Her gaze drifted toward Magnus, standing beside Cecilia. A flicker of suspicion sparked in her eyes. "It must've been Cecilia. He wouldn't have pulled that off on his own."

Leaning back in his chair with an air of indifference, Allen remarked, "We can't afford to offend her. I told you there was no need to keep bidding, but you wouldn't listen. I didn't even bring that much cash with me tonight. Miranda, mind lending me some?"

Allen had long harbored resentment toward her. She was always intruding at her maternal

grandparents' home, meddling met

matters that had nothing to do with her Worse still, she'd gotten his parents involved, pressuring him to divorce his wife.

And now, thanks to her, he was stuck with an eighty-million-dollar necklace he never even wanted.

"Eighty million?" Miranda blurted, utterly stunned.

She didn't have that kind of money.

"I don't have that much," she said.

"Then why push me to raise the bid?" Allen's voice remained mild, but his eyes locked onto hers with quiet intensity. He didn't scold her outright, but the weight of his gaze made Miranda's chest tighten.

Miranda's lips twitched faintly. "I assumed you had enough."

"I only brought fifty million," Allen, replied flatly. "If you can't lend me the rest, I'll have to call home and ask for it. Not sure how pleased my parents will be, considering still haven't secured Chelsea."