Chapter 447

Olivia

The Council building was buzzing with lively chatter and the clinking of glasses as the final guests made their way in and took their seats, but my eyes were still fixed on the door, hoping for one last guest to make her entrance.

“Do you think she’ll actually come?” Angela, who had just slipped in after a long shift at the hospital, said as she stood next to me with a glass of champagne in her hand.

I swallowed. “I’d like to say I hope so, but logic is telling me otherwise,” I said, finally tearing my gaze away from the door.

Angela sighed. “It’s okay if she doesn’t. The pieces she donated for the cause are more than enough.”

As she spoke, my eyes drifted over to the star items of the evening; the three pieces that Dianna had graciously given us. They were to be saved for the very end of the auction, but had taken center stage. Even now, I could see guests pointing at the pieces and murmuring.

“Yeah,” I said, managing a small smile. “You’re right.”

The auctioneer, a portly man with a booming voice, finally took his place at the podium at that moment. It was time. I felt my heart pounding in my chest.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to an evening that you will not soon forget,” he began, his voice echoing through the hall. The crowd quieted, their attention turning towards the stage. “Let’s begin.”

The first few items—a collection of vouchers for various experiences around town, such as a day at the spa and a seaplane ride—were met with polite, but reserved, bidding. I exchanged a hopeful glance with Nathan, who was now standing beside me, his hand resting reassuringly on the small of my back.

“Not bad so far,” he whispered as he leaned in, his breath tickling my ear.

I nodded, although his breath made me shiver. “I hope you’ve got those tickets ready for our honeymoon.”

Nathan smirked. His grip tightened around my waist. “Of course. I hope you’ve got a bathing suit picked out.”

The auction carried on for a little while, with the items increasing in value. It shifted from vouchers to exclusive weekend trips, from trips to fine jewelry, from jewelry to collections of rare antiques.

The auctioneer’s eyes gleamed as he introduced each piece, his voice rising with excitement. “And now, a piece of history, a treasure beyond measure!”

A murmur rippled through the crowd as a particularly valuable antique was unveiled: an extremely rare porcelain vase from the local appraiser’s office. I held my breath, hoping for a successful bid.

“This piece is worth a lot,” Nathan murmured.

“Hopefully the bidders realize that,” I whispered in response. My gaze flitted over to the Alphas, who were still sitting stoically in the front row.

I couldn’t read their expressions from where I stood in the back, but I hoped that they were beginning to realize by now that maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t just a silly little project for ‘fun’.

This was real. And we were dead set on achieving the seemingly insurmountable goal that they had set for us.

“Shall we start the bidding at $2,000?” the auctioneer announced. A hand shot up almost immediately, the bidder a well-dressed man in the second row.

“Two thousand,” he confirmed, his voice confident.

“Three thousand!” another voice rang out, this time from a lady wearing an expensive white fur stole with a pair of glimmering diamond earrings dangling from her ears.

The bidding escalated quickly, each bid a sharp retort slicing through the air. “$5,000!” declared the gentleman.

“Seven thousand,” countered the lady, her voice unwavering.

The energy in the room shifted, the crowd leaning forward in their seats, captivated by the unfolding drama as the auctioneer struggled to keep up with the rapid bidding.

“Ten thousand dollars!” the woman’s voice echoed triumphantly after a long battle.

The hall erupted into applause as the gavel came down, sealing the deal. Nathan squeezed my hand, a silent celebration of our small victory.

“Holy shit,” he whispered. “Ten thousand dollars for a vase.”

I grinned, feeling my chest tighten with excitement. “And we’ve barely begun.”

But as the evening wore on, the initial excitement began to wane. Whispers about Dianna Miller’s absence began to circulate, casting a shadow over the event. I could feel the disappointment growing, a tangible presence in the room.

Then, a woman approached us, her expression one of frustration and irritation. “Excuse me,” she said, her tone sharp. “I drove over two hours for this. Where is Dianna Miller?”

I met her gaze, feeling a knot of anxiety in my stomach. “I’m very sorry, but Ms. Miller never confirmed her attendance. We hoped she might come, but it seems she couldn’t make it,” I explained.

The woman’s eyes flashed with irritation. “That’s unacceptable. The main reason I came was to meet her. I expected better from an event like this,” she snapped, her disappointment palpable.

Nathan stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. “We understand your frustration, and we apologize for any misunderstanding. There’s still a lot to enjoy tonight, and we appreciate your support for our cause.”

But the woman was unmoved. “This was a waste of my time,” she declared, hoisting her bag over her shoulder. “I expected to see Dianna Miller. Without her, this is just another auction.”

With that, she turned on her heel and strode out, her departure leaving a cold wake in the warm atmosphere.

I watched her leave, feeling a pang of guilt and helplessness. Nathan turned to me, his eyes searching mine. “What should we do?” he asked. That woman wasn’t the first to walk out. She was one of several, and as the night wore on, the crowd was becoming all the more impatient.

I chewed the inside of my cheek for a moment, my mind whirling with possibilities. Dianna’s paintings were supposed to be instrumental in helping us earn that $100,000, but if her fans were walking out already, then we were doomed.

“Maybe I should go to Dianna’s house,” I whispered, a desperate idea taking root. “I’ll plead her to come. If she shows up here, even for a moment, it might turn things around.”

Nathan looked hesitant. “That’s a gamble, though, Olivia. We don’t even know if she’ll agree, and we can’t leave the auction now.”

I glanced at the Alphas then, my heart sinking as I saw them shifting in their seats. The commanding Alpha from before slowly turned, glancing at me over his shoulder. His eyes were cold, judgmental. He knew that this was going downhill, and quickly.

But the weight of their expectations fell on me. This was my auction, but it wasn’t just my failure.

“I just... I feel like we’re running out of options,” I whispered, already reaching for my bag. “I’ll go quickly. I’ll be back in just a little while, I promise.”

But then, before Nathan could respond, a sudden hush fell over the room. The doors creaked open loudly, drawing every eye to the entrance.

And in that moment, the world seemed to stand still.

There, in the doorway, stood Dianna Miller. Her high heels clicked on the marble floor, each step echoing in the silent room.