Saving The Villainous Monster From The Male Lead-Chapter 119 - 118: The Highest Bid

The other couples soon completed their bidding. It was fun unlike how Eleanore had thought it would. However, the fun she was feeling for a long time Vanished when the next gentleman arrived on the stage. It was Caelestis and no one was bidding on him. They all had their eyes on Eleanore as if waiting for her approval.

Eleanore was not interested in bidding on anyone. She was in no mood for a date, especially with him. She crossed her leg and tilted her body on the right arm of the chair. "Lady Daphne." She called her neighbour, in a voice that everyone could hear.

"Yes?" She was surprised that Eleanore called her.

"A few hours ago, you asked if I was going to bid on the grand duke." She began.

"Yes, I did." Daphne gulped.

"My answer is no." Eleanore turns her gaze to the man who had been staring her way from the moment he climbed the stage. "I will not bid on any man." She smiles at him.

Caelestis looks at her blank for a while then smiles back, sending chills down her spine. His blank stare held no desire, no sadness or any other feeling. It was void and that scared her to the core.

Why is this damn man looking at me like that?

"Ten million." The first bet was announced and Eleanore’s eyes scanned for the familiar voice.

The woman was just in the row ahead of the third. Her mint hair helped Eleanore recognise her immediately. Adena? She had been missing for a whole month since the kidnapping event took place. In the opening banquet of the Founding Day celebration too she was not present and yet today she is sitting right in front of her.

As if Adena’s appearance today was not enough. Beside her was sitting, her cyan hair tied up and she was chatting with Adena.

Why Adena of all people Flora? Eleanore slapped her hand on her head.

The bidding for Caelestis soon skyrocketed as the ladies continued to fight for him. Soon, the twenty minutes long bidding concluded at one fifty million and Adena won herself a date.

Caelestis got off the stage and walked to Adena. He knelt down, landed a kiss on the back of her palm and left. However, the thing that bothered her was the relentless support and cheering Flora was doing for her, like they were the best of friends.

Eleanore’s heart felt uncomfortable as she took her eyes off Flora. She turned away and closed her eyes feeling sad. Year long friendship was broken because of her stupid memory loss; nonsense and she hated it.

"Lady Eleanore? Are you alright?" Daphne asked. To which Eleanore replied by simply shaking her head.

The Ladies auction started, Daphne had a date scheduled with Azriel Warner, Lauriel with Laurent Esper, Adena was bade high by Caelestis as a returning gesture. Flora got a date with the Crown Prince and then it was Eleanore’s turn.

She elegantly climbed up the stage and immediately the bidding began. The first one to bid was her grandfather, then her brother joined. While her grandfather tried to increase his granddaughter’s bid to the highest of all noble ladies. Someone unexpected, joined in.

"Two hundred Million." Caelestis added.

That’s when Alastor, the crown prince joined in too. "Two fifty."

"Three hundred." Caelestis started a cutthroat competition with Alastor, wearing a simple mocking smile on his face.

The bidding went on and none of the two gentlemen were ready to give up. Until the queen herself stopped Alastor and Caelestis was about to win her, but Hael stopped it.

"Five hundred." He says and the crowd goes silent.

Eleanore was never bidden for this much in the past years. Hael would simply bid and win her in fifty million. Even that amount was taken by Hael every time, just to make her feel satisfied and happy that at least she was in the top five bidding Ladies.

This time however, there was no stopping her bidding as Hael and Caelestis continued to fight. Their fight ended within minutes when Hael couldn’t bid anymore, reaching his limit. So he stopped and Caelestis won Eleanore at the price of eight hundred million.

This was the highest bid in the history of this Auction event, and everyone was shocked to see the madness in Caelestis to win Eleanore at any cost.

Caelestis could finally take a break as he leaned back in his seat, his eyes still on Eleanore who left the stage and was returning to her table.

The Auction ended by the time evening fell. Eleanore, who had her eyes on Flora, was ready to rush to her and ask what was going on but was interrupted by the Baron. Her grandfather.

"Eleanore dear, do you remember me?" He asks as he laughs effortlessly.

"To be honest, I didn’t." She had her head in embarrassment. "I found it out when my brother called you."

She thought she was easing the tension between them but instead it only intensified. "Do you still forget, dear?" He asks.

Eleanore was speechless, she couldn’t quite understand how to respond to that. She looked around and found her brother approaching them.

Hael quickly took over the conversation, when he saw that bothered face of hers. Eleanore found a way to escape while he continued to talk to their grandfather.

When she turned to where Flora was sitting, she was gone already. As if the universe was restricting her from meeting Flora, another person emerged in front of her. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Lady Eleanore, you didn’t bid on anyone, why so?" Alastor asked as he blocked her way. "I thought you would at least try to win a date with me if not with someone like him." He gestured to Caelestis, who was also coming her way.

"Crown prince, I will talk to you later." She bows and dodges Caelestis by a second.

Soon she spots, the vibrant cyan hair fluttering in the bright corner of the garden. Eleanore walks to her. Just then the lights planted in the royal garden lighten up and Eleanore sees Flora. Laughing with Adena. It looked like her old self was back.

Most of the banquets she appeared in, she always looked dull and sad. How come today, when she is not standing beside her and their friendship is severing, she is happier.

Flora’s eyes fall on Eleanore, who is standing there frozen. Unable to move or say a word. Her smile radiantly flashes in her eyes and it widens. Eleanore realises that she has lost her forever and there was no going back.

She swirled around and sighed, as she decided to return to the mansion. Before leaving she informed Stella, who immediately asked what was wrong but Eleanore said nothing and left the party for good.