The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress novel Chapter 527

Citrine shot Kali a sly smile before speaking, her tone unhurried. “If a prototype could fetch eight hundred billion at auction, then starting the bidding for my completed NecroBlitz Tablets at the same price doesn’t seem unreasonable, does it?”

She looked around the room, eyes glinting, and picked someone at random. “Mr. Fuller, what do you think? Am I being unreasonable?”

Mr. Fuller froze, caught off guard. “N-no... not at all.”

He was one of the skeptics who’d doubted Citrine’s NecroBlitz Tablets were genuine. Now, it was painfully clear to him that President Carmichael had singled him out on purpose. Wiping a nervous bead of sweat from his brow, he addressed the crowd. “Even Kali’s incomplete NecroBlitz Tablets went for eight hundred billion. Of course President Carmichael’s fully developed one is worth far more. Besides, everyone here just finished doubting whether her NecroBlitz Tablets were even real. I imagine that was disappointing for President Carmichael. Setting the starting price at eight hundred billion is more than fair, given the circumstances.”

The guests exchanged uneasy glances, suddenly understanding. President Carmichael had set the price high—perhaps as a rebuke for their earlier suspicions, or maybe as a warning against their opportunistic behavior. Either way, the message was clear.

Almost in unison, the crowd rushed to agree.

“NecroBlitz Tablets are already a rare medicine—the only known drug that can destroy AI cells. President Carmichael’s opening bid is entirely reasonable.”

“Exactly. If that defective Vitaflux pill could fetch eight hundred billion, then the real thing deserves at least as much.”

“President Carmichael didn’t have to bring out such a precious medicine for auction. The fact that she did proves her generosity. I support her decision.”

“I agree. President Carmichael has my support.”

Citrine smiled faintly, taking in the chorus of approval. “Good. If there are no objections, let’s begin.”

The auction started in earnest.

Scales was first to speak. “Eight hundred and eighty billion.”

Mr. Shaw from Crestwood Hospital immediately followed. “Nine hundred billion.”

Sebastian raised the stakes. “One trillion.”