Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 296: Chapter 296

"Well said! Every Clusian present today must stand with Zoe. We can't let these foreigners look down on us!" declared a patriotic businessman as he stepped forward.
Profit-driven as they were, these businessmen all knew one thing: without a strong Clusia, their success would be impossible.
Only with a strong Clusia as their backbone can they truly command respect from foreigners, enabling them to walk tall with their heads held high whenever they step onto the world stage.
At the businessman's words, one Clusian bidder said, "I'll pledge 3 million in support!"
Another shouted, "16 million."
A third bidder called out, "I'll put up 10 million!"
As more and more people stood up in support of Zoe, the foreigners' expressions darkened.
They pondered, 'Continuing the bidding would mean huge financial losses for us. What's more, since we hail from different countries, there is simply no way we can ally on such short notice.' They'd already lost the psychological battle.
"Any final bids?" the host called out once more.
The foreigners shot Zoe venomous glares, their eyes burning with resentment. However unwilling they were, they had no choice but to accept reality and grudgingly took their seats.
Those Clusian businessmen were overjoyed to see the foreigners completely deflated.
The Evans family was equally thrilled. Zoe's move didn't just bring glory to Clusia, it also brought honor to the Evans family. The Evans thought, 'From now on, our family is sure to gain countless business opportunities, all thanks to Zoe's actions today.'
Eunice had thought Zoe would embarrass herself. But she didn't expect those notoriously tight-fisted tycoons to back Zoe's boldness. She thought, 'Am I the crazy one here, or have they all lost their minds?'
Eunice glared at Zoe, green with envy. She thought, 'How come Zoe gets all the luck without even trying? Why can't it be me?'
Eunice said pointedly, "Zoe, didn't you just boast about being wealthy? Surely you wouldn't stoop to accepting these gentlemen's charity, would you?"
Eunice was convinced that Zoe was too proud to lose face, so she deliberately said so to cut off Zoe's escape route to accept others' generosity.
"No need," Zoe replied coolly.
Eunice thought, 'Just as I thought.' She continued, "Zoe, since you're such a strong, independent woman, I'm sure you wouldn't touch Shawn's money either, would you?
"After all, you two aren't even married yet. If you suddenly spend that much of his money and things go south, our family would be stuck with the bill."
Eunice's words planted a seed of worry in Bruce's mind. He thought, 'Eunice is right. If Zoe and Shawn's marriage doesn't work out, wouldn't our family have to foot the bill for everything Zoe spent today?'
Thinking of this, Bruce couldn't help but speak up, "Zoe, just be mindful of your limits."
Zoe remained silent, appearing utterly unfazed.
Eunice, however, was secretly pleased. She thought, 'I've hit Zoe's sore spot this time. As long as Zoe can't offer the money today, she's bound to be the laughingstock of the event.
'Once Dad and my brothers distance themselves from Zoe out of embarrassment, I'll find a way to reclaim my rightful place in the family. By that day, I will make sure she is stripped of her status.'
Just then, Sean stepped forward and handed his bank card to Zoe. He said earnestly, "Zoe, this is all I have."
Seeing this, the other brothers quickly followed suit. Each of them pulled out their bank cards and offered them to Zoe, showing their unwavering support.
Eunice feigned concern as she held out her bank card to Zoe. She said, "Zoe, it's not much, but it should cover the breach penalty. Just give up now. It's nothing to be ashamed of.
"But if you use the Ludwig family's money, you're just asking for trouble."
Clara stepped forward and sneered, "How dare you put on airs when you're broke? If you're so capable, pay 160 million yourself without touching a single cent from anyone else. Otherwise, get the hell out of here and stop embarrassing yourself in public!"