After Maggie left that day, I didn't see her again for quite a while. I only heard that she had been running between banks and loan companies, trying to secure financing.

But it didn't seem to be going well. No one was a fool, after all. Sinise Group was now in decline, so very few people dared to take such a big risk by lending them money.

After I finished handling some contracts, Julian reminded me about an annual charity gala I was supposed to attend that evening.

…

When I arrived, the venue was already packed with guests.

A familiar figure was busily weaving through the crowd.

In my previous life, because Sinise Group had received funding from the Tilman family, Maggie and I hadn't attended this charity gala. Instead, we were busy dealing with company matters.

This time, it seemed like she had run out of options and was planning to seek help at this event.

I'd just taken my seat when several business partners came over to greet me.

Maggie noticed me, too. Her footsteps faltered for a second, but she still walked over.

"Aaron, you look really dashing tonight."

I was wearing a light blue suit, looking confident and enthusiastic. It was the kind of boldness I'd never shown in my previous life, where I'd only been careful and restrained all the time.

"Of course Mr. Tilman is dashing. The money spent on him is more than ordinary people can earn in a lifetime. It really makes people envious," a male voice chimed in.

Scotty had followed behind Maggie.

I naturally caught the jealousy in his tone. I looked at him coldly, not knowing where all his resentment toward me came from.

In the past, I tolerated him out of consideration for our childhood friendship, but now, I went ahead and mocked mercilessly, "I can spend money, but I can make it too. That's better than someone who only knows how to spend but not how to earn."

As I spoke, I took a slow sip of my wine.

"Also, you've already left the Tilman family with Maggie. Don’t pretend you know me so well. You and I have nothing to do with each other anymore."

Scotty was rendered speechless. Unable to argue back, he could only glare at me in resentment.

Maggie frowned slightly, but because of where we were, she didn't say anything.

The charity auction soon began.

At first, the items were just small, ordinary items, and I casually raised my bidding paddle a few times. But every time I placed a bid, Scotty immediately followed with a higher price.

His behavior honestly made me laugh in annoyance.

"It looks like Sinise Group isn't short on funds after all," I said lightly. "You hardly seem bothered by Mr. Pipes bidding so aggressively."

Maggie didn't even look at me. She just continued to gaze indulgently at Scotty as she remarked, "We're all here for charity, Aaron. Don't be so petty."

I scoffed coldly and didn't say anything else.

It wasn't until the final item appeared that she finally looked up. It was a simple dress, likely from the early 1900s.

The auctioneer had barely finished introducing the item when Maggie impatiently made a high bid, clearly determined to win it.

That was when I figured out why she had done everything she could to attend this auction.

The dress was a personal item left behind by the matriarch of the Ramsey family—one of the country's most prestigious families.

In my previous life, the person who had won this dress later built connections with the Ramseys and made a fortune.

It seemed like this time, Maggie wanted to use this dress to get in with the Ramseys. Too bad for her, I wanted it as well.

Without hesitation, I made a higher bid.

Maggie looked at me in disbelief. "Aaron, you're going to compete with me for this dress?"

I smirked and returned her earlier words to her, word for word.

"We're all here for charity. Don't be so petty."

Scotty, sitting next to her, immediately exploded and cursed at me nonstop. But no matter how much Maggie raised the bid, I steadily outbid her.

In the end, when she could no longer keep up, she lost it and roared, "Aaron Tilman! This dress is useless to you! Only I know its true value!"