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50 comments for the next chapter.

Sorry, Amores. This chapter is a little shorter than usual because I didn't have enough time to write because of my busy schedule. Summer is the busiest time of the year at my work that's why I usually struggle in writing longer chapters during this season.

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CHAPTER 47

CHLOE almost jumped when Cross abruptly stood up upon hearing what Vito had announced which caused his chair to make a loud sound. Everyone looked at his direction.

Then, she felt like her body went numb seeing the rage in Cross' face while glaring at Vito who just stood there with a small smirk on his face, silently taunting him.

"Cariño, please calm down." She pleaded and held his hand which was balled into fist. Anger was radiating from his body and Chloe felt scared. Not for herself but for Cross. She didn't want him to commit something that would potentially destroy his reputation.

Vito could be cunning, and she knew for sure that this was part of his plan to achieve his goals that was why she didn't want Cross to fall into his trap.

The altercation that happened between the brothers a while ago was enough.

"We didn't get disappoint. Ms. Chloe Rosenberg is indeed a goddess. No wonder, Mr. Larsen came all the way here to Cupid's Island just for her."

"Of course. Chloe is worth it even if I spend millions just to get to where she is, I will do it in a heartbeat. That's how special she is to me."

"That's it. You're dead." Cross hissed and was about to head towards the stage, to confront Vito, but Chloe managed to stop him by the hand.

"Cariño, no! Control yourself, will you?"

He looked at her. "He's deliberately trying to piss me off by pulling this trick and I know full well that I shouldn't get affected but he's succeeding. I will never allow him to put you in spotlight like this! He's acting as if he has the right to you and that's pissing me off big time."

"You already know that he's doing this on purpose and yet, you're letting him manipulate you into doing something that would surely destroy you in the end. Can't you see? This is going according to his plans and your falling victim into his trap! You're smarter than this, cariño. Don't let your anger cloud your rational thinking." Cross didn't respond for a couple of seconds and Chloe got worried that he might not listen to him.

He closed his eyes as if trying his best to gather himself together before fluttering them open again.

"Fùck! It's confirmed. You're really my weakness and I let him witness that. Not just him but everyone here too. When it comes to you, I turn into a wild animal without the capability to think rationally first because my anger controls me right away." He released a breath and his face softened while gazing at her adoringly.

"You're right, cariño. I'm sorry for acting like that. Thankfully, you're here. Because of you, I managed to calm down, stop and think before doing something really stupid." That made Chloe smile.

"Good that you realized now."

"I will not give him the pleasure of manipulating us like his own puppets."

She stood up and kissed his cheek. "Then, show me what you got, cariño." He smiled at her before looking back at Vito's direction who was confidently standing there as if he knew that he had won.

"Since this is for charity, why don't we hold one last bid then? You're interested on having one whole day with Chloe, right? I'll give you the chance. Show me what you got." Chloe's eyes bulged upon hearing what Cross had suggested.

"Are you out of your mind?!" She snapped with a controlled tone, but he just smiled at her.

"Trust me, cariño." He mouthed and then smiled. Seeing his smile, that calmed her down right away.

"This is going to be exciting! Who would've thought that the crown wouldn't be the most special for tonight's event but a beautiful woman here who's a modern Athena? Since both parties agreed, the bidding starts at 1000 dollars!" The auctioneer began and Vito didn't waste any moment and threw his initial bid. The audience gasped upon hearing the amount.

"100,000 dollars." He was smirking at Cross triumphantly.

"Whoah! Right away?! Will Mr. Dawson manage to surpass that amount?" The auctioneer looked at Cross' direction and so was everyone. Cross didn't react right away, and Chloe bit her lower lip, didn't know exactly how to react with the situation they were in.

She wanted to get mad of this trick that Vito was trying to pull but chose to just wait for the result of all this. How she wanted to slap Vito in the face right now but managed to hold herself back.

VITO could already feel his victory. After everything that he had went through just to get to this point, he could finally see the fruits of his labor.

Even though Cross was a Larsen, he never owned anything in his life that was why he was desperately using Chloe to get his inheritance which until now wasn't in his hands.

Money was the reason of Cross why he agreed to work at Larsen Corp. like a slave even though he was one of the sons of Mikael Larsen.

And because of money, he managed to control him too without him knowing it. He intentionally did everything he did for them to get to this point. Now, Cross was hopeless because he knew that he didn't have any money near that amount.

"Going once, going twice—" The smirk on his face became more visible as the auctioneer was about to close the bid but to his surprise, Cross suddenly spoke.

"200,000 dollars." Vito's eyes widened.

"What?! And where in the hands of God will you find that amount of money?!" He exclaimed in disbelief. Ever since he met Cross, he has always been poor. When he heard that he was here on Cupid's Island with Chloe, he got surprised by it knowing that the invitation costs much, too much for the likes of him.

"I don't have to explain to you. Now, are you still up for it?" Vito gritted his teeth. Cross was obviously daring him. He scoffed.

"Of course. Who do you think you're talking to? I'm going to double that amount. 400,000." He expected Cross to look defeated and desperate at that point, but he looked calm. What's happening?! How come he still looks calm?! No! He's just pretending to be even though his knees are surely shaking.

"Wow! 400,000 just for a whole day with Ms. Rosenberg! Will you be able to match that Mr. Dawson?" The auctioneer asked excitedly. Everyone was so quiet while holding their breathes, impatiently wanting to see Cross' next move.

"800,000." Vito was at a loss for words. How come he was bidding these amounts of money without even blinking an eye? Did Cross win a lottery or something? It would be impossible for their father to give him such huge amount of money without him earning it.

He looked at Chloe. Unlike him, she looked unsurprised as if she knew something that he didn't. His jaw flexed. He couldn't back out now. After everything that he did to reach to this point, he would do everything to get what he came here for.

Besides, he would surely get back every penny that he would spend in this auction the moment he achieved his goals.

He was about to speak to double that amount when he suddenly remembered something. He already spent 2 million dollars for the artifact earlier and if he spends another million, his father will surely get mad at him.

He was already against his hobby of collecting artifacts in the first place, but he managed to persuade him to just support him. But not without conditions and one of them was his spending limitation.

He groaned. He already reached his authorized spending limit.

"Looks like Mr. Larsen is now having second thoughts about throwing another bid! Is this going to be the end of this final round?" Vito was torn between bidding past that amount or just stop. But in the end, his pride won. He couldn't accept Cross defeating him!

"1 million dollars. Final bid."

"Wow! Another million dollars! I can't believe how easy for these gentlemen to throw these huge amounts of money just for Ms. Rosenberg! What a lucky lady! Is it going to be a win for Mr. Larsen or Mr. Dawson will bid past that once again?" Vito was next to 100% sure that Cross wouldn't be able to surpass his bid but when he opened his mouth, he got stunned.

"2 million dollars!" Vito's jaw dropped when Cross spoke without a second thought as he voiced out his final bid.

"Whoah! 2 million dollars, going once, going twice, sold!" People clapped their hands as they looked at Cross. Vito felt like flying into a fit of rage. He couldn't believe of what was happening. Cross just beat him in an auction as if he was wealthier than him!

Cross signaled someone to give him a mic and they did.

"I just want to clarify that Chloe isn't sold to me or anything. She's my precious girlfriend. I only accepted the dare because firstly, I didn't want her to spend a whole day with some other guy whom she doesn't like at all and secondly, it's for the charity. Have a good evening, ladies and gentlemen." And just like that, he and Chloe exited the party venue hand and hand.

His fists tightened.

The auction finished so the party started right away but he didn't feel like partying now after what just happened.

While he was sitting on his seat, he kept on chugging down alcohol like there was no tomorrow. He couldn't accept what just happened! He didn't come here to be a loser!

"So, my suspicion was right. You have the hots for Chloe that's why you asked for my help to obtain an invitation to Cupid's Island. I've been quiet since a while ago but I've been watching all of you." He looked up upon hearing that voice. It was Paige.

"What do you want?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing really. Just want to let you know that your plan was brilliant but was lack of good strategy. Now, your half-brother beat you in front of these many people here just like that as if you're nothing but a speck of dirt in his hand." Vito felt the urge to strangle Paige because of what came out of her mouth. But then, he managed to control himself.

"Hearing that from someone who almost stripped naked in front of Cross and yet, he didn't even throw you a glance as if you're nothing but a worthless b*tch." Paige's face went red in anger and the corner of his lips twitched as he scoffed.

"Fùck you!" He drank the remaining content of his glass in one go.

"We can do that now if you want to. Where do you want to? Here, your place or mine?" Paige couldn't control her anger anymore and threw her drink in his face.

"You're really an a*shole, especially when you're not in a good mood. But sorry, lover boy. You will never get into my pants. You're not my type." Vito wanted to say that he would never dream of getting into her pants because she's not his type either but didn't have the chance to voice it out because she spoke ago. "But if your brother said the same thing to me, I would've accepted it right away."

He felt like something exploded inside of him and everything became blurry because of anger. Paige just made a mistake of robbing his loss to Cross to his face like that because he would never let it pass.

"Let go of me, you jerk!" Vito couldn't care less as he almost dragged Paige out of there while everyone was watching them. He was too angry to think straight. 

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What do you think of this chapter?

Did you expect Cross to spend such mount of money just for Chloe?

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