Chapter 143 - 141: Sold
Kael Jennings’s guess was correct. After Cecilia Sterling bid 218,000 Dollars, the Lane Group had only two thousand dollars of bidding room left.
Just enough for one more bid from the Lane Group!
"220,000 dollars!"
In the end, the Lane Group raised the bid to their ceiling, a price that was also nearly the highest the Jennings Group was willing to go.
Walter Lane knew full well that if anyone else kept bidding, the land would slip from his group’s grasp. For the Lane Group to make another offer, they would need to commit an additional four thousand dollars in cash flow. The group was massive, but it couldn’t go all-in on a single project. If any operational issues were to arise, it would trigger a domino effect, potentially even shaking the company to its core.
"220,000, going once!"
"220,000, going twice!"
"220,000..."
Walter Lane was uncharacteristically tense, his heart in his throat as he waited to hear the sound of the gavel sealing the deal.
But—
"222,000 dollars!"
The Jennings Group representative slowly raised his paddle. He sat ramrod straight, looking at the auctioneer on the stage and calling out the bid.
"Bidder number 5 adds two thousand dollars. The current bid is now 222,000 dollars. Do I have any other bids?"
On the other end of the line, Walter Lane heard the bid and slammed his fist on the table. The loud thud made the representative at the auction flinch, but he didn’t dare to even breathe.
He quietly awaited further instructions from the Chairman.
This price already far exceeded every industry player’s valuation of the land.
Even though this was in Lorcain, the Sunstone District was far less developed than the other bustling districts. If not for the ideal location and size of Genesis Fashion Park, the bidding would never have gotten this high.
However, only Cecilia Sterling knew that in the near future, the Sunstone District would be designated as a key development area for the City of Lorcain. At that time, land prices throughout the entire district would skyrocket.
In her previous life, it was the Lane Group that had picked up this heaven-sent opportunity. This time, however, the winds seemed to have shifted, as Cecilia Sterling noticed the Jennings Group appeared more confident of victory than the Lane Group.
But just when everyone thought the Lane Group would be knocked out of the running, their representative raised his paddle once more. "224,000 dollars!"
Walter Lane was going all out. This was a unilateral decision, an exercise of his authority, because the price had already surpassed the ceiling approved by the board.
If this move caused a cash flow crisis for the company, Walter Lane could even risk being impeached from his position as chairman.
But he had always possessed excellent business foresight. Otherwise, in her previous life, he wouldn’t have brought Timothy Rowe’s team into the fold after they were turned away by the Goodman Group.
He had faintly sensed that big things were on the horizon for the Sunstone District, which was why he was fighting so desperately for this land.
To achieve great things, one must possess a boldness ordinary people lack.
A collective gasp went through the room. Everyone knew this plot was the main event of the day, but no one had expected the price to be pushed this high.
Even the Jennings Group’s representative was stunned. ’I thought the Lane Group was out last round!’
Kael Jennings was also shocked. Based on his knowledge of the Lane Group, even if they managed to secure the land with that bid, the company would take a massive hit.
This was no joke!
"That’s enough. We’re out."
Kael Jennings spoke into his phone. After all, the Lane Group’s do-or-die determination, and the price they’d offered, had reached the upper limit of what the Jennings Group was willing to pay.
Not everyone was as crazy as Walter Lane. Kael Jennings followed the resolution passed by the board and would never make such an excessive decision on his own.
After hanging up, he immediately reported Walter Lane’s burn-the-boats move to his uncle, Randall Jennings.
"224,000, going once!"
"224,000, going twice!"
"224,000..."
The auctioneer started the final countdown again. By now, everyone in the room felt the outcome was settled. The land would belong to the Lane Group.
They were all professionals; they knew no corporation would have approved a bidding ceiling higher than this.
Even the auctioneer’s final countdown was a bit faster this time, as he thought there wouldn’t be any more surprises.
Even Walter Lane was no longer nervous. He leaned back in his chair, his phone on speaker, his mind already racing with how he would explain this to the board.
But who would have known that at the very last second, paddle "47" would slowly rise, and Cecilia Sterling’s clear, soft voice would ring out once more: "226,000 Dollars!"
It sent shockwaves through the room. As one, everyone sat up straighter and drew a sharp breath.
’This girl... does she have no limit at all?’
On the other end of the line, Walter Lane’s eyes bulged. He stared fixedly at the speakerphone on his desk. As the words "226,000 Dollars" came through, he could practically envision the triumphant pose of the winner who had victory in their grasp.
’Who is it?’
’Who the hell is it!’
A surge of fiery anger welled up in his chest, making his insides churn with a gut-wrenching pain.
Walter Lane pressed a hand to his stomach, but he didn’t let the rage cloud his judgment. He slowly leaned toward the phone and bit out, "Withdraw!"
"226,000 Dollars, three times... Sold!" With the final fall of the auctioneer’s gavel, he slowly raised a hand toward Cecilia Sterling and announced, "Congratulations to bidder number 47 on winning plot number six, Genesis Fashion Park!"
The room immediately erupted into thunderous applause. Except for the representatives from the other major corporations, everyone clapped with sincere congratulations.
Several representatives near Cecilia Sterling turned to her. "Congratulations!"
"Congratulations!"
Cecilia Sterling only gave a faint smile and a slight nod in response. She looked quite young, but her words and actions possessed a reserved composure far beyond her years.
Even after winning such an expensive plot of land, she showed no overly excited reaction, as if this outcome had long been a certainty for her.
As for her identity, everyone was naturally curious.
The most concerned among them was, of course, the Lane Group. The moment Walter Lane hung up the phone, he started using his connections to investigate the true identity of this "woman."
The auction concluded smoothly, and everyone left the venue in an orderly fashion. During this time, some people naturally approached Cecilia Sterling to make small talk, attempting to learn about her identity and background.
Everyone had their own speculations, but most people still believed that Cecilia Sterling was a professional bidder sent by some major investment tycoon.
No one would have guessed that Cecilia Sterling was just an ordinary college sophomore, and that the land she had just won would be registered under her own name.
Cecilia Sterling didn’t say much. Instead, she was immediately led away from the scene by a staff member, as she had to complete the follow-up procedures after the auction.