Divorce and Freedom No More Homemaker for Him novel Chapter 314

Chapter 314 Outplayed

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The sudden jump to one million had nothing to do with the artwork itself. Ayla had done it purely because she couldn’t stand Skyla. There was no other reason.

“Ayla, it’s not worth it. After Martin’s birthday party, you won’t have much to do with him anyway. Spending this much on a gift is pointless. You’d be better off buying one of Henry’s paintings. Even his cheapest pieces

go for over a million. They’re wortler to get, and make a much stronger statement as gifts. The

investment value is higher too, Halle

Halle tried to talk her down.

Jumping from 500 thousand to one million wasn’t a small amount.

Everyone around them turned to look at Ayla.

Skyla noticed as well and frowned deeply.

So Ayla really was competing with her behind the scenes. That made it no surprise she would raise the bid.

But adding another 500 thousand in one go was clearly just about saving face–putting on a show she couldn’t really afford.

Skyla could feel Ayla pushing back against her. One million wasn’t worth it, but suddenly, she didn’t want this painting to end up in Ayla’s hands.

Seeing that Skyla didn’t signal him to stop. Howard added another 100 thousand.

“Do you think Ayla will raise again?” Howard asked, a little curious.

Ayla lifted her paddle again. “One point five million.”

Skyla finally couldn’t hold back her sarcasm. “See? She really wants it. She just loves competing with me.”

Howard had already sensed the subtle tension between the two of them earlier. Now that tension was right in front of him.

Interesting.

Seeing that Ayla was determined to act on impulse, Halle stopped trying to persuade her. Still, it hurt to watch the money burn.

That so–called masterpiece was worth, at most, a few hundred thousand. Now it had shot up to one point five million.

At a price like that, Skyla probably wouldn’t keep bidding.

If the auctioneer brought the gavel down now, it would land squarely on Ayla–the ultimate sucker.

Money spent, and still unhappy.

The auctioneer had already asked if there were any further bids. After asking twice, at the very last moment, Howard raised his paddle again and added another hundred thousand.

Chapter 314 Outplayed

Skyla really wanted to win it, but on the surface she said, “If Ayla rises again.

“Okay.” Howard agreed. He was fine paying for Skyla and hoped to secure it. But if Ayla kept bidding irrationally, there was no reason for him to keep being the sucker.

Fimaber

The price hit a new high. People in the room sucked in sharp breaths. The auctioneer lifted his hand, and all eyes turned to Ayla.

The question was clear–was she going to bid again?

Halle desperately wanted to stop her, but after everything so far, it was obvious Ayla had made up her mind. to take this piece.

Halle was already bracing herself for how much money Ayla was about to lose when Ayla suddenly stood up.

Halle’s eyes followed her, confusion written all over her face.

What was she doing?

Was she about to stand up and bid again, making a dramatic statement about how badly she wanted

Halle almost wanted to cover her face. Just imagining that scene felt painfully embarrassing.

“What’s with that look?” Ayla said calmly, her tone no different from usual. “It’s too expensive. I’m not buying it. Let’s go.”

Halle was completely stunned.

She followed Ayla out of the auction hall in a daze, growing more confused with every step. Finally, she stopped her. “Wait.”

Ayla obediently stopped.

Halle looked her up and down, then it finally clicked.

“You were putting on an act?”

“Since Skyla wanted it, I figured I’d give it to her. Letting her have it for free would’ve been a waste,” Ayla said coolly. She’d seen it clearly that Skyla hadn’t even wanted the piece at first. She’d only started bidding after Ayla did. If they wanted to compete, Ayla was happy to make it hurt a little more.

Halle asked, “You weren’t worried Skyla would stop bidding?”

“With Skyla’s personality, she wouldn’t want to lose to me, And with Howard there, she probably wouldn’t feel bad spending his money,” Ayla said.

Halle agreed completely. Skyla looked down on people like them. Arrogant people loved to press others down over small things just to show their supposed superiority.

“You acted way too convincingly just now, even I bought it,” Halle said.

Ayla had raised her paddle calmly, looking absolutely determined to win the artwork. That was probably exactly what had triggered Skyla’s competitive streak.

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Chapter 314 Outplayed

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presence.

Once Skyla was pushed into it, backing down would have meant getting overwhelmed by Ayla’s pres Skyla would never accept that.

Halle looked at Ayla and, feeling emotional, patted her on the shoulder.

“Sometimes it’s people like you–serious, straight–faced types–who are best at acting. That’s what makes it believable. Someone like James, who talks big all the time? No matter what he says, people think he’s joking, she said.

She laughed. “If we ever pretended to be a couple, your whole serious vibe would make it completely convincing.

At the mention of pretending. Ayla suddenly thought of Draven.

He had been on a business trip for a week. Ayla worried he had been too busy, so she hadn’t reached out to him at all.

Seeing how decisively Ayla left, Skyla finally realized Ayla had been putting on an act the whole time, deliberately driving the price up.

Skyla hated it when Ayla played these subtle games behind her back. She had wanted to teach her a lesson.

She wanted Ayla to understand that anything Skyla set her sights on would end with Skyla winning.

What she hadn’t expected was that she had been trapped by Ayla instead.

If Ayla hadn’t acted so convincingly, Skyla never would have followed the bid.

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