As the bidding began, it was exactly what everyone had expected: a bloodbath. The room was charged with aggression as the billionaires competed for the projects they were coveting.

Aliana sat looking stunning in a deep sapphire blue satin gown. The dress featured a structured, blazer-style top with gold buttons, paired with a sleek, flowing skirt that hugged her figure perfectly. She completed the look with metallic heels, a gold clutch, and an elegant updo.

She looked powerful, refined, and commanding as she watched every single bid with a calculating eye.

The Van Empire bid on a project or two as a backup, but their main focus remained on the massive port project that was yet to be announced.

As the auction progressed, Aliana’s gaze drifted toward Gavriel’s table, where he sat in his navy blue bespoke suit as a picture of calm dominance.

She noticed that, much like her own firm, the Archon Group had bid on a few other projects but had not pursued them aggressively. This only confirmed her suspicion that they were also waiting for the port project.

That thought alone made her fingers curl in her lap, knowing a clash was coming from their side, or more precisely, from the chairman himself.

Sensing her gaze, his icy blue eyes lifted to meet hers, a silent challenge flickering within them... one she answered at once by narrowing her eyes at him.

But Gavriel merely teased her with his gaze, letting it drift slowly over her striking attire before returning to her face, noting the faint colour rising to her cheeks.

But their little exchange came to a halt at the announcer’s voice.

"Now, let us begin the bidding for our final project, The Atlas Gateway. It is destined to be one of the world’s biggest ports, serving as a relief for every country crossing the Atlantic Ocean. We will start the bidding at four billion dollars."

On hearing that, both Gavriel and Aliana took hold of their paddles and began.

"Five billion," Aliana said.

"Five billion from the Van Empire! Do I hear five point five?" the announcer asked.

"Five point five billion," Gavriel’s voice echoed.

"Five point five billion from the Archon Group! Anyone else?" the announcer asked excitedly.

"Six billion," Julian Blackwood called out from a table behind them with a grin.

"Six billion from Blackwood Industries!" the announcer repeated.

But there was blood in the water, and bigger sharks were circling. Aliana and Gavriel immediately began raising the stakes, quickly pushing the bid to ten billion to kick Blackwood Industries out of the race.

Soon, the audience and the media witnessed a fierce clash between the Van Empire and the Archon Group until the bidding reached a whopping fifteen billion dollars.

With neither of them willing to back down, the announcer was at a loss for words and had to put the bidding on hold after being summoned by the project organisers.

When he returned after a brief discussion, he cleared his throat and addressed the room. "It seems the project organisers would like to have a word with both the Archon Group and the Van Empire representatives in a private room before we continue."

A wave of surprised whispers broke out among the crowd, as such an interruption rarely happened during a live bid.

However, Aliana and Gavriel’s teams were already prepared for this possibility. They knew the organisers would pull them aside to assess both companies, asking for proof that they were the superior choice for a project of such a massive scale.

Both groups rose from their seats and made their way toward the private hall where the organisers were waiting.

Taking their seats at a long table across from each other, a middle-aged man named Mr. Finn began, "Thank you for heeding my request to meet here. I thought it would be more appropriate to have a conversation with both of you away from prying eyes, so that we can come to a solution that benefits us all. Since it is clear that neither of you is willing to back down in the bidding, my associates and I have come up with an offer that should be appealing to you both."

"What is this about, Mr. Finn?" Cillian asked with interest.

Mr. Finn shifted slightly in his seat before intertwining his fingers on the table. "After close consideration of the presentations provided by both firms, and knowing your reputations, we have acknowledged that it would be an honour to work with either of you."

He paused, his eyes moving across the table to linger on the intimidating Gavriel before shifting toward Aliana, who looked equally commanding. He then added, "However, for a project of this scale, we believe the best course of action would be to involve both of your companies, if you would agree to it."

An absolute silence settled in the room. While the associates from both companies sat with their eyes widened at the suggestion, Gavriel and Aliana maintained perfect poker faces, acting as if the man had not just dropped a bomb on them.

As the silence stretched, Aliana was the one who spoke. "So, what are you saying, Mr. Finn? Are you suggesting that we, the Van Empire, work together with the Archon Group on this project?"

Mr. Finn met her eyes and gave her a nod. "Yes, Miss Vanderbilt. We believe that to make this project truly successful, it would be best to combine the expertise of the Van Empire’s exceptional engineering with the Archon Group’s materials and their massive shipping fleet."

When neither of them spoke, Mr. Finn continued. "Since the profit and revenue of this project would be exponential, I am sure both of you would appreciate the benefits of being attached to a project of this scale. I am certain the stock market would boom at the possibility of the two largest companies in the world collaborating on such a prestigious venture."

While the room considered the absurd possibility of two rival companies working together as one unit, neither side wanted to pass up the opportunity.

Both firms had taken hits since Aliana’s accident, and they were fully aware that if they let this pass, the other would grab it and reap all the benefits alone.

And that was something neither of them was willing to allow.

Even so, Jacob, who had been silently listening to everything, shifted his gaze to Gavriel, who remained completely unfazed.

He watched as Gavriel’s icy blue eyes moved to Aliana, and the moment she met his gaze, it made Jacob uneasy and restless.

Instead of focusing on the opportunity, all he could think about was the fact that if this went through, Aliana and Gavriel would be working closely together, and that was something he could not stand.

His negativity oozed out of him, unaware that there were two people in the room who could clearly sense it.

"Mr Finn," he said, "I’m sure you’re aware of the... competitive spirit our companies have shared for a very long time. Do you really think it would be wise for us to work together? Are you not concerned that we might clash while handling the project?"