The host''s excitement was palpable as he posed his question. All eyes in the room were drawn to the VIC Group, the only entity that could feasibly rival the James Group. The Clemens family was their onlypetition.Chloe managed to tear her gaze away from the girl who had stunned the room. She leaned towards Mr. Wood, her voice barely above a whisper, "Mr. Clemens had stated that the highest bid shouldn''t exceed 26 billion dors. Should we consult him?""Contact Mr. Clemens," Mr. Wood instructed quietly."Understood." Without missing a beat, Chloe moved to the side to make the call to Micah. The room was filled with anticipation as they waited for the Clemens Group''s response. Meanwhile, the girl in question rubbed her forehead, her voiceced with authority, "What? Are we expected to wait for them to hold a meeting?"The host nced nervously at the auction director, who was quick to interject, "That''s not..." His words were cut short by the girl''s icy stare. He hastily added, "ording to the proper procedure, we can only wait for a maximum of sixty seconds."The girl merely shrugged, seemingly indifferent to the proceedings. "The countdown begins," the director announced. Therge screen in the room began a sixty-second countdown. Simultaneously, the host asked, "Does anyone wish to bid higher than the James Group''s thirty billion dors?"There was a murmur of discussion, but no one dared to outbid the James Group. Some businessmen even put their signs down, content to watch the drama unfold. From a few feet away, Mr. Wood studied the girl carefully. Her face bore a striking resemnce to Sadie''s, but her demeanor was entirely different. The cold, domineering gestures were not something the naive and oblivious Sadie would have made. Who was this girl?As the countdown continued, Chloe grew increasingly anxious. She muttered under her breath, "Mr. Clemens, please answer the phone quickly."Meanwhile, the girl sat on the sofa, a picture of confidence. She epted a ss from her attendant and swirled it leisurely, waiting until the countdown reached thirty seconds. A mocking smile yed on her lips, "Since the VIC Group, Mr. Clemens, doesn''t value this sea area, why waste time?""Little girl, our Mr. Clemens has not attended any public events for the past two years; it''s not that he doesn''t value it," Mr. Wood''s voice was gentle, yet firm, "Business auctions are about fairpetition. We will all abide by the rules, there''s no need to rush!""I''m not in a hurry." The girl raised her eyebrows, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "Even if Mr. Clemens is here, he can''t afford 30 billion dors!"Her words hung in the air, creating a palpable tension. The Clemens family had been a dominant force in the business world for decades, and everyone showed them the utmost respect. But this girl was audacious! It wasn''t surprising, considering she was from the James Group. The James Group and the Clemens Group were archenemies, their financial status and positions evenly matched. Neither acknowledged the other, and neither feared the other. For the past twenty years, they had maintained a peaceful coexistence. Was that about to change?"You shouldn''t speak like that, youngdy," Mr. Wood admonished, his brow furrowed, "Let''s keep it professional, we are the Clemens Group-""Enough!" The girl''s brow furrowed in annoyance, "Is it time yet?""Miss James, ten seconds remaining," her female bodyguard whispered. To ease the tension, the emcee asked again, "The James Group has made a bid of 30 billion dors. Does anyone wish to raise the price?"The audience remained silent; no one dared to respond. "If there are no further bids, then we can only wait for a response from the VIC Group," the emcee turned to Mr. Wood. Mr. Wood''s brow furrowed as he looked at Chloe. She gestured to her phone, her expression fraught with anxiety. No one was answering; Mr. Clemens should be at thepany at this time; why wasn''t he picking up?"There are just three seconds left," the emcee reminded."Can we wait a little longer?" Chloe''s plea was interrupted by the sound of the call connecting.