Chapter 180
Calvin’s POV
I watched Evelyn walk away, her confident stride making my blood boil. First Leon, then Logan, and now this mysterious Evelink Biosciences founder, all of them pursuing her. If she was actually involved with the founder, her claim during that viral livestream that “Evelink Biosciences is mine” suddenly made perfect sense.
“What if Evelink Biosciences actually belongs to Evelyn?” Cyra whispered in my mind.
I scoffed at Cyra’s ridiculous suggestion. “She’s only been gone a few years. You think she built an entire pharmaceutical empire in that time? I’ve investigated that company repeatedly and never found the founder’s identity. We’ve been to that lab, and the staff respect her, but they don’t treat her like a boss p>
The researchers at Evelink treated her warmly, like a colleague or partner. If Zeon ever spoke to me so casually or failed to show proper respect, I would have disciplined him immediately.
Cyra fell silent, but doubt lingered in my mind.
I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated. The mysterious buyer driving up the price for Red Cedar Resort land, Eros Pack entering the bidding war… it was clear my main competition would be Logan and Marcia. Evelyn’s little medical company wasn’t even a consideration. Her showing up here was already surprising enough.
The next morning at Red Cedar Resort’s bidding venue, I found my assigned seat in the front row. Not the first position. The slight made me frown, but I took my place anyway. Logan arrived shortly after, sitting in the row behind me. Marcia’s entrance made my jaw clench. Just seeing her smug face ignited my anger all over again after how she’d treated Evelyn.
I scanned the room, watching as the seats gradually filled with potential bidders and corporate representatives. No sign of Evelyn. Perhaps my words had gotten through to her after all. This wasn’t her arena. She was smart to withdraw.
The auctioneer had just stepped up to the podium when a stir rippled through the crowd. Evelyn walked in, dressed in an impeccable suit. Her golden hair was pulled back elegantly, her emerald eyes enhanced by subtle makeup. She moved with confidence. Like she belonged exactly where she was.
To my shock, she headed straight for the front row. To the first seat. The position of honor. She slid gracefully into the chair beside me.
“What a coincidence,” she said with a polite smile.
I opened my mouth to respond, but the auctioneer’s voice cut through the murmurs.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Red Cedar Resort land auction. We will now begin by examining the submitted bid documents p>
One by one, the auctioneer reviewed each submission, eliminating those that didn’t meet requirements. In the end, only three bids qualified.
Marcia had definitely manipulated things behind the scenes. But I’d been eyeing this project for a long time. I’d already taken care of the government officials and connections that needed greasing. Marcia couldn’t compete with me.
I relaxed, waiting for victory.
“Now I will announce the qualifying bidders and their initial offers,” the auctioneer declared. “First bidder: Wolfe Haven International, with an offer of fifty million dollars p>
I straightened in my seat, satisfied.
“Second bidder: Eros Pack Enterprises, with an offer of forty-eight million dollars p>
Logan shifted behind me. I could feel his frustration at being outbid already.
“Third bidder: Evelink Biosciences, with an offer of fifty million dollars p>
My head snapped toward Evelyn. Evelink? Where was the small medical company she had registered? My mind raced. Was she here as a representative for the mysterious founder? Had she convinced them to let her lead the bidding?
She met my gaze with a calm smile that revealed nothing.
The auctioneer continued: “As we have two bidders with identical highest offers, we will proceed to a live auction between Wolfe Haven International and Evelink Biosciences p>
I leaned toward Evelyn. “I won’t be backing down. This land is too important for my company’s expansion p>
“Same,” she replied simply, her focus already on the auctioneer.
The bidding started at fifty million and climbed rapidly. My absolute ceiling was one hundred million. Anything beyond would hurt other projects. I was certain this would be more than enough.
“Seventy million from Wolfe Haven,” the auctioneer announced.
“Eighty million from Evelink,” came the immediate counter.
I raised my paddle. “Ninety million p>
Without hesitation, Evelyn lifted her paddle. “One hundred million p>
I paused, calculating rapidly. This was already at my limit. Going higher would be financially reckless.
“One hundred ten million,” I said, against my better judgment. One property shouldn’t derail my entire business plan, but something in me couldn’t let her win.
Evelyn didn’t even blink. “One hundred twenty million p>
The room fell silent. This was far beyond what anyone had expected.
I felt sweat gathering at my temples. Another bid would be pure ego. Not business sense.
“One hundred twenty million going once… twice p>
I gripped the armrests of my chair, fighting the urge to raise my paddle again.
“Sold to Evelink Biosciences for one hundred twenty million dollars p>
The crowd erupted in applause and whispers. I sat frozen.
The auctioneer beamed. “I now invite the CEO of Evelink Biosciences, Ms. Evelyn Blackwell, to come forward and sign the preliminary contract p>
The room went completely silent before erupting in shocked murmurs and camera flashes. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.
Evelyn stood gracefully, buttoning her jacket as she walked to the stage. Every step was poised, confident. The walk of someone who knew exactly what they were doing.
I turned to see Marcia’s face drain of color. Logan looked equally stunned, though there was something else in his expression. Respect. Perhaps even pride.
My mind raced through every conversation we’d had about Evelink, every dismissive comment I’d made about her little medical practice, every insinuation about her involvement with some mysterious benefactor. It had been her all along. My ex-wife was the mysterious business rival I’d been trying to outmaneuver for months.
No wonder Gary had been so smug when challenging me about winning her back. He hadn’t been bluffing. She truly had built something remarkable on her own.
I watched as she signed the contract with a steady hand, cameras flashing around her. She’d transformed from the subservient Luna who left our pack into a formidable businesswoman who had just outbid me by twenty million dollars without breaking a sweat.
The woman I’d discarded had become a queen in her own right.
Cyra growled in my mind. “I told you so. We underestimated her p>
For once, I couldn’t argue with my wolf. We had indeed underestimated her. In every possible way.
As Evelyn finished signing and shook hands with the property developer, her eyes briefly met mine across the room. There was no triumph in her gaze. No pettiness or revenge. Only calm confidence. And somehow, that cut deeper than any gloating could have.
I realized I hadn’t just lost a piece of land today.