Just then, Stacey stood up, catching his eye. His face froze, shock mingling with recognition as she raised her hand. “Twenty thousand dollars,” she called out, her voice cutting through the silence, steady and resolute. A murmur rippled through the crowd, disbelief at such a low offer.
The auctioneer glanced around, waiting for a higher bid, but the room remained silent. Buyers exchanged uneasy glances, and Mr. Perkly looked as though he’d been struck, unable to comprehend what was unfolding. No one dared challenge her bid, each rumor casting the property in a darker light.