Godly Investor: A Hundred Trillion Dollars For Investment And Donations-Chapter 309 -

At that moment The spokesman took Serenity's hand with a practiced charm, his voice oozing with smooth confidence as he addressed the crowd.

"Now, now, Miss York," he teased, his grin wide enough to make the audience chuckle.

"Why would a beautiful young lady like yourself try to slip away? With a face like yours, you're already a winner. And that's before we even talk about what you're wearing."

Laughter rippled through the room. Some of it was lighthearted. Some of it… wasn't.

However Serenity barely reacted. She knew how this worked—how these rich, spoiled brats functioned. They didn't care about her. They just wanted something to gossip about later. Something to mock.

The spokesman gave her a reassuring smile, as if he were just playing along. "Relax," he said, raising his hands. "I'm just kidding. Let's get to the real numbers, shall we?"

A digital scanner was brought over, and Serenity's outfit was analyzed piece by piece.

The results flashed onto the big screen.

Dress: 100K dollars.

Necklace: 200K dollars.

Watch: 20K dollars.

Total: 320K dollars.

A murmur passed through the crowd.

Some people clapped, but not many.

It wasn't the lowest score of the night. But it was far from the highest.

"Impressive," the spokesman said, nodding. "A respectable number. Not the highest, but certainly not the lowest."

He was being polite. Everyone here knew it.

Somewhere in the audience, someone snickered.

"She's not even in the top three."

"Should've stayed off the stage."

Serenity swallowed the irritation burning in her throat, keeping her face blank. She could already see some of the girls whispering to one another, casting her glances that were half amused, half smug.

It didn't matter.

She wasn't here to impress them.

She turned her head slightly, eyes scanning the room until they locked onto Ethan.

He was still standing where she'd left him, his expression unreadable, hands tucked casually into his pockets.

His gaze wasn't mocking. Wasn't entertained.

Just… watching.

She thought Ethan must have

left already just like she told him.

but then he was still standing there, knowing fully well it would get to his turn and everything would be so interested in it.

Serenity didn't want any of that.

At that moment the spokesman clapped his hands together. "Alright, alright! Let's move on, shall we? Our next contestant—"

Serenity exhaled slowly and stepped down from the stage, ignoring the murmurs that followed her.

She wasn't sure why, but suddenly, she really wanted this night to be over.

The spokesman gave Serenity a polite nod, though his words carried an edge of condescension.

"Not bad, not bad," he mused, his voice smooth. "Of course, you couldn't quite match up to our leading ladies tonight, but that's not a bad thing. After all, our top contenders come from families like Jeremiah, Kingston, and Liam—the real giants of the business world. These are the right-hand allies of Lady Madison herself. Competing with them? Well, that's an entirely different league."

A ripple of murmured agreement spread through the crowd.

Serenity kept her face blank, but inside, something twisted. So that's how it was.

Even here, everything came down to status.

She stepped down from the stage, keeping her posture straight, though she couldn't shake the feeling that she had just been dismissed.

Then—

The next name was called.

The guy who had been trying to woo her earlier.

He strode onto the stage with confidence, flashing a charming smile as the scanner began its work. The numbers came in instantly.

Total worth: 720K dollars.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

He took the microphone straight from the spokesman's hands, as if this was his moment now.

"Serenity," he called, his voice smooth as silk. "You saw that, didn't you?"

At that moment Serenity stopped mid-step, already knowing where this was going.

"I can do better," he continued, smirking as he gestured toward himself. "I can give you better. More than your boyfriend ever could."

The audience stirred.

He let the words linger, watching Serenity, waiting for her reaction.

Ethan still hadn't been called to the stage yet.

And now— everyone was watching.

The atmosphere grew heated as murmurs turned into full-blown discussions.

"He doesn't belong here."

"Ethan? He barely made it on this trip. Lady Madison paid for him!"

"If Serenity has any sense, she should take his hand already."

The voices grew bolder, no longer whispers but outright declarations.

Serenity's temper snapped.

She stormed back onto the stage, her heels clicking against the polished floor, and without hesitation, she snatched the microphone from the guy's hands.

"Shut up."

At that moment the room fell into stunned silence.

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Serenity's chest rose and fell as she gripped the microphone. Her face burned with anger, but her voice was steady, firm.

"You think your material riches mean anything?" she spat, her gaze cutting straight through the guy.

He smirked, tilting his head like he found this entertaining.

Serenity's grip tightened.

"Ethan is worth more than you."

Then a wave of gasps rippled through the crowd.

The guy's smirk faltered, but Serenity wasn't done.

"Ethan's value isn't measured by the clothes he wears or the car he drives," she continued, her voice sharp and unwavering. "And I don't care how much money you have, because compared to him, you're—"

She didn't even get to finish.

The spokesman cut in smoothly, his voice amplified through the speakers.

"Alright, alright!" he interrupted, chuckling as he raised his hands. "We've heard the lady loud and clear!"

Serenity turned sharply, glaring at him.

"But!" The spokesman grinned, his eyes flashing with amusement. "If Ethan is really so much more valuable, then we have to see it for ourselves. Don't we?"

The audience erupted into cheers.

Serenity's heart pounded.

No.

They were twisting her words.

This wasn't about proving Ethan's worth—it was about humiliating him.

At that moment She stormed off the stage, furious, her jaw clenched.

The guy stepped down grinning, pleased with himself.

Serenity gritted her teeth, her fists clenched. She grabbed Ethan's wrist, attempting to pull him toward the exit, but before they could take another step, two security guards stepped in front of them, blocking their way.

"You're not allowed to leave until the party ends," one of them stated firmly.

Serenity snapped. "Move."

The guards remained unmoved, their expressions neutral yet firm.

Ethan placed a gentle hand on Serenity's shoulder. "Let it go," he said calmly.

"But—"

"Trust me," Ethan said, his voice steady. "I have a plan."

Serenity hesitated. His confidence was unsettling.

She exhaled sharply and relented, though the irritation in her eyes remained.

Meanwhile, the event continued.

Another person stepped onto the stage. The atmosphere grew tense as the new contender revealed his worth—900K dollars.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

"He's the highest so far!"

"That's the real definition of wealth!"

But instead of basking in the attention, the man raised a hand, stopping the applause.

"I don't want the praise," he said coolly. "Because I know for sure that Ethan will be worth more than me."

Immediately Laughter exploded from the crowd.

The room shook with amusement as people clapped, some even mocking Ethan outright.

"That's the funniest thing I've heard all night!"

"Maybe Ethan should just leave before he embarrasses himself!"

Still Ethan remained seated, his face unreadable.

At that moment Serenity's jaw tightened.

Just then, the spokesman's voice boomed through the speakers.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome our next participant!"

A hush fell over the crowd.

"Cater Kenny!"

A wave of murmurs followed.

Cater Kenny—the man who had purchased the limited-edition suit at the clothing mall.

Cater Kenny strode onto the stage with effortless confidence, his every step exuding dominance. The way he carried himself—the sharp tilt of his chin, the subtle smirk dancing on his lips—made it clear.

He was the king in the room.

As he took center stage, the spotlight illuminated his ensemble, drawing gasps from the crowd.

"My suit?" He adjusted his cuffs, letting the expensive fabric catch the light. "One million dollars."

The crowd erupted in astonishment.

"My watch?" He flicked his wrist, revealing a sleek timepiece. "Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars."

Immediately Murmurs swept through the audience.

"My necklace?" He ran a hand over the shimmering chain draped around his neck. "Five hundred thousand dollars."

At that moment everyone Gasps.

"And my shoes?" He tapped the polished leather against the stage floor. "Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars."

then everyone was Silence.

Then—

At that moment the room exploded.

Cheers, whistles, claps of admiration—Cater Kenny had annihilated every other contender with an overwhelming lead.

"He's unbeatable!"

"Over two million dollars in a single outfit—who else can top that?"

Even the spokesman struggled to contain his excitement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new leader!" he declared, voice booming over the microphone. "Cater Kenny stands at the very top with an unmatched worth!"

Cater Kenny folded his arms, relishing in the attention. His eyes scanned the room, then landed on Serenity.

Serenity grimaced.

He flashed her a knowing smirk—a silent challenge.

It was over.

No one else stood a chance.

Or so they thought.

The spokesman checked his list, then lifted his head, voice carrying over the crowd.

"And now—Ethan Winston, please step onto the stage!"