Page 37 of Keep Your Friends Close and Your… Work Enemy Closer?

Mine was last, of course. They'd want to announce such a big amount as the finale.

What the hell had I been thinking?

"Esteemed animal lovers, what an incredible night this has been," the emcee exclaimed. "We've seen some amazing generosity tonight, and our rescue animals are so grateful. And now, it's time for the final bid of the evening."

Oh, God.

"This bid is not just impressive. It's absolutely astonishing. Drum roll, please!"

Someone obliged with an actual drum roll.

"Our final item is a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork—a giant portrait of Venus La Fleur's adorable Shih Tzu Freddie dressed as Napoleon! And it's been won with a jaw-dropping bid of one million dollars!"

The crowd went wild as I thought about hiding somehow.

"Yes, you heard that right, folks—one million dollars! Let's give a huge round of applause to Max Sterling for his incredible generosity and unwavering support for our noble cause. This monumental contribution will make a world of difference for our rescue animals. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Putting my head down, I tried to crouch in my seat, cursing my height for once. There were bewildered noises and murmurs as people searched the room, presumably looking for Max Sterling.

"I guess he's not here," the emcee finally said. "A generous person who doesn't want the accolades. Well, we appreciate it all the more and can't wait to send off this beautiful artwork to Max. And with that, we'll get on with the evening. All that's left to do is dance." He sashayed away as a live band took the stage to enthusiastic applause.

"So typical," Cordelia muttered under her breath.

"What's so typical?" I asked, daring to look up now that the moment had passed.

"Fucking Max Sterling. Making the night all about him. Showing off his billionaire status. Winning a portrait that Venus for sure bid on ofher own dog.And then dipping."

Shit. Shit. Shit. I'd royally fucked up. I hadn't even noticed what the portrait was or if Venus had put in a bid. And now, notonly had I done exactly what Dee had accused me of, I was stuck with a truly horrendous piece of art. If one could call it that.

"Yeah, that guy sounds like a total ass," I agreed.

Cordelia downed the rest of her drink, her eyes glowing in the flicker of the candlelight. "Let's forget about that motherfucker and remember our mission. Come on. Venus is on the dance floor."

"Well, well, well, look who's on board with the mission now, huh?"

Ignoring my teasing, she grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the dance floor, close to where Venus was holding court, a crowd gathered around her as she half danced, half talked to her many admirers.

The music was loud, everyone letting loose now that the main event had ended, the party vibe contagious. At least for me. Cordelia still seemed all business, which was especially amusing since she'd been so against this idea.

Distracted, what Dee was doing could hardly be considered dancing, swaying her body slightly while she stood close to me, peering around my shoulder to watch Venus.

"You're so sly," I teased.

Her sharp eyes turned to me. "What? I'm just trying to assess the situation and figure out when and how we can approach her."

"Maybe we should just let it happen naturally, you know? Let fate do its thing."

"Fate? You believe in fate?"

"Yeah, I do. You don't?"

"Nope. I think we make our own fate."

"Why am I not surprised," I said.

"What's that supposed to mean? I just believe in hard work. That's all."

"So do I actually. But I believe fate has a major hand in it as well. Not everybody who works hard succeeds."

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