The blonde woman immediately countered. "Twenty-five thousand."
"Thirty," Axel said without hesitation.
Evelyn's fingers tightened around his hand under the table. "Stop it. That's too much for a painting."
He didn't look at her. "It's okay. The money is for charity."
"Charity doesn't mean you have to throw so much money."
"I don't mind throwing money, or even burning it, if it means I can make you happily smile."
She blinked, utterly speechless. "Axel, that's not..."
The blonde's voice rang out again. "Forty thousand!"
The crowd gasped, excitement buzzing through the air.
Axel calmly lifted his paddle. "One hundred thousand!"
Jackson blinked.
Joseph gasped.
Evelyn's eyes widened in surprise, "You're not serious?"
He finally looked at her, eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm very serious."
The blonde woman hesitated this time, her lips tightening.
Joseph leaned slightly toward Evelyn and whispered, "That's Natalie Martinez, CEO of M Clubs."
