It was Ethan!
Whoosh! Everyone's eyes instantly focused on Ethan, filled with astonishment.
He had been silent all along, and everyone thought he wasn't interested in this watch, or that the McLaren had already drained a lot of his resources. Unexpectedly, he suddenly appeared at the last moment — adding up to one million!
Facing everyone's astonished gazes, Ethan curled his lips into a teasing smile and said slowly, "I see you all are arguing fiercely, and the atmosphere is a bit tense. To avoid damaging the relationship, I had no choice but to come out and try to mediate."
His tone was relaxed, but everyone understood the meaning behind the words "persuade to reconcile." He was determined to finalize this watch.
Of course, Ethan wanted this piece too.
"Damn! Ethan, you... You really have no shame!" Kevin was the first to react, slapping his thigh with a wry smile. "Fifteen hundred is already my limit. Alright, I'm quitting! I can't beat you!"
He cursed out loud, but his eyes showed no real anger — in fact, he was somewhat convinced.
Brandon also let out a long sigh of helplessness, spread his hands, and shook his head at Ethan with a bitter smile: "Alright, I'll withdraw too. You kid, you have no bottom! Who told you to be so rich! Congratulations."
He admitted defeat decisively, but was once again shocked by Ethan's financial power.
Preston and Logan were already at their limits, and seeing this, they immediately shook their heads to signal withdrawal.
In just a short time, Ethan had already thrown away nearly four million!
Everyone looked at his calm and unruffled expression, as if he had just spent a few bucks on a bottle of water, and their curiosity was about to overflow: How much "ammo" does this guy actually have in his pocket?
Even several female companions couldn't help but sneak glances at Ethan repeatedly, their envy almost turning tangible — Maddie's luck is just too good. Could Ethan choose her?
Ethan smiled as he took the alloy plate engraved with "002" from the female auctioneer, as if he were just taking a card: "Thanks, I accept it, I'll accept it with a smile."
The following item No. 003 was a landscape painting, which Ethan only glanced at once and then stopped paying attention.
In the end, Kevin bought it for five million, saying it was just right to take it home to cheer up the old man.
The following treasures, whether antique porcelain or rare jewels, were worth a fortune but seemed unable to spark Ethan's interest any further.
Others each gained something, and the atmosphere gradually shifted from intense to relaxed.
Time quietly passed, and the sky outside the window had taken on a faint orange-red hue, while the setting sun shimmered on the river.
Around six in the afternoon, the auction seemed to be coming to an end.
The female auctioneer cleared her throat, her voice carrying a hint of solemnity as the grand finale, instantly easing the somewhat relaxed atmosphere: "Everyone, next up will be the last item of this gathering."
Ethan, who had been leaning lazily on the sofa, suddenly lit up in his eyes.
The grand finale?
Finally, it's here!
By convention, the item that could be placed last was definitely the rarest, most special, or most symbolic item in the entire auction.
Not only him, but Kevin, Brandon, and the others also had eyes full of anticipation and curiosity.
What could it be?
Rare jewels?
Lost ancient texts?
Or something even more unexpected?
The female auctioneer did not display the actual items as before, but instead picked up her tablet and turned the screen toward everyone.
The screen clearly displayed high-definition photos of two license plates:
One had a deep blue background, printed with striking white characters: NY·88888
The other piece also had white text on a blue background: NY·66666
"The last item for auction today is two license plates of great collectible value and symbolic meaning."
The female auctioneer's voice carried a special meaning: "NY·88888 and NY·66666."
She tapped the screen, displaying the license plate details and related registration verification information to prove its authenticity.
"Both license plates start at a single bid, with a starting price of $800,000. Each bid increase must not be less than $30,000."
She looked around at everyone, her tone meaningful: "I believe everyone here understands that a top-tier luxury car can eventually be purchased as long as you have enough financial resources. But a vanity plate with such auspicious, top-tier numbers... Its rarity is far beyond what money can easily measure. It represents status, luck, and above all, a kind of distinction that is rare and hard to come by."
As soon as the female auctioneer finished speaking, a subtle silence fell into the living room.
Yet the corners of Ethan's mouth slowly curled into a determined smile.
That's the real interesting part.
Brandon turned his head, looking at Ethan with a playful smile: "Ethan, are you interested in picking up this 'hard currency' at the end?"
"Of course I am." Ethan answered crisply, openly showing his interest.
Brandon raised an eyebrow and pressed, "Which one did you like? 88888? Or 66666? Both top-tier."
Ethan stroked his chin, his gaze lingering on the pictures of the two license plates for a moment, then said seriously, "Five sixes, that's the one. Five eights... The presence is too strong; it seems more suitable for someone like Brandon, who has experience, or someone like Kevin, who needs to be a bit older. Five sixes, keep it low-key, it matches my temperament."
"Pfft—" Kevin nearly spat out a mouthful of water he had just swallowed. "Damn it, am I old after all?"
Brandon also wore a look that said, "Are you kidding me?"
Tony, Preston, Logan, and the others looked even more strange, exchanging glances. Could this Ethan have some serious misunderstanding of the word "low-key"?
He just spent $2,000,000 on a McLaren, then spent over $885,000 to acquire the Patek Philippe, and now he's saying he wants to choose a low-key license plate?
The contrast is just too strong!
Brandon held back his laughter and shook his head helplessly: "Alright, alright, if you say keep a low profile, then keep it low-key! Since you've set your sights on 66666..."
He turned to Kevin and the others: "Guys, give Ethan some face? This 66666, let's not fight for it. As for 88888..."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Kevin, Preston, and the others. Seeing that none of them showed particular interest, he said straightforwardly, "Then this 88888 is mine. It just happens to be paired with my Cullinan. Both are set at the starting price plus one million, so about $830,000 per piece. Is that okay?"
Kevin shrugged, indicating he didn't mind: "Either is fine, no need to argue. It's all good anyway."
Preston and Logan also nodded in agreement.
For them, license plates were good, but not something they had to fight for. Ethan and Brandon wanted them, so they were happy to go along with it.
Seeing everyone reach a tacit understanding, the female auctioneer showed a relieved and delighted smile. This was much easier to handle than a heated argument: "Alright! Thank you all for your modesty. NY·66666 is sold to Ethan for $830,000, and NY·88888 to Brandon for $830,000."
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