Lady Misfortune: Daddy, I'll Be A Righteous Villainess!

Glenn's words had done nothing to comfort Lady.

If anything, she had to fight down the bile that formed in her throat as she walked to the stage. If he ends up winning the date with her, which she hopes he does not, then they will have to sit alone together, and she will constantly have to be subjected to his flirting until the evening is over. She cannot help but grimace just by imagining it.

'I don't like this, but everyone seems to be in it. I'm going to kill their fun if I refuse,' she thought once she was on top of the platform, squinting her eyes from the spotlight's rays to get a clearer view of the crowd. 

Then comes the interview.

She was asked about her age, grade level, and ambition in life. After that, the emcee turned to the audience with an engaging, breezy grin. 

"Alright…" he spoke through the microphone.

"Do I hear a hundred dollars?"

---

Weiss is having a hard time believing all of this. 

He gripped his fork as he saw tons of guys raise their hands. The fastest solution is to win the date himself. But he was still trying to grasp what just happened. He was not at all prepared for this turn of events.

Taking a deep breath, he quietly counted to ten as the amount of the offers went higher and higher.

'I can handle this. No problem.' 

It's only a harmless date that isn't really a date. 

Weiss wouldn't lose her in something like a bidding game. Lady wouldn't fall for the guy who'd happen to win.

But then, much to his astonishment, Glenn suddenly shouted, "Fifteen thousand dollars!"

He felt his stomach sink in dread as he noticed that no one else made a move to counter his bid. On the other hand, there are his friends – 

Lady blinked. Fallon quirked a brow. Hartigan cringed. Belle gaped.

'Fifteen thousand dollars for a date?! With me?! Is he insane or what?!' 

Of course, Lady was flattered – just a tad bit, though, considering other details. And she wished that it wasn't Glenn who made the offer.

She could not quite catch who's making which bid. Everyone was talking at once.

Yet, as soon as that colossal amount was raised, the whole place fell quiet. She bit her bottom lip when she realized that nobody else spoke to give a higher price. 

In fact, the crowd is gaping at Glenn right now, and soon, they begin to erupt in a round of applause. Lady shudders. 

"Fifteen thousand dollars. My, that is quite a donation…" commented the announcer, chuckling. 

"Alright, fifteen thousand, it is! Would anyone like to bid sixteen thousand?"

Weiss couldn't tear his harsh glare off of the obviously smug Glenn. He would've been relatively fine if Hartigan won Lady with his offer of ten thousand dollars – he'd still be a little jealous, though. 

'But the boy that had been clinging onto her the whole night winning?'

Now, he's pissed. Downright pissed.

"I see no other offers. Going once."

Lady frowns. Looking down at the floor, she tries to brace herself for the uncomfortable night ahead of her. Fallon must be laughing at her right now. She probably looks pitiful up there at the stage. 

"Going twice."

With a smirk, Glenn stood from his seat and strode to the platform – eyes on his prize. Once he reached Lady's side, he took her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles. 

He never looked away from her as he did so, and she was too stupefied to wrench her hand from his hold.

"Okay, then-"

"Sixteen thousand!"

Popped another bid.

Lady perked up in surprise. Her head then whipped up at the sound of the voice – an all-too-familiar voice. When she saw who it came from, she went still. Everyone else was also stunned at the sight of the normally quiet Saoirse heir standing from his chair with flaming eyes aimed at Glenn.

"Took you long enough," Fallon quietly sighed while shooting an unimpressed look at Weiss. 

Just like him, Belle wasn't too surprised. Hartigan, however, was in quite a shock. He's actually planning to do what Weiss just did but could no longer utter a word upon getting beaten to it. 

Back to the stage, Lady could be seen barely breathing, the joy in her eyes marking a displeased scowl on Glenn's face.

"Seventeen thousand," he growled.

"Eighteen thousand," his rival fired back, now making his way to the stage with everyone's eyes trailing after him. 

Lady can only stand still, jaw dropped. Weiss looks serious. 

'Is he… really going to fight for me? Well, bid fight for me?'

Glenn appears to be positively offended as Weiss steps up to the platform. 

The crowd is at the edge of their seats, watching in anticipation for what will undoubtedly be a good show – probably even the best in the history of all Acquaintance Parties in that academy. They had never witnessed this kind of bidding war in the date auction segment before. 

"Nineteen thousand-"

"Twenty thousand," Weiss declared, taking Lady gently by the arm to get her away from Glenn's hold. 

He let go once she's not in his reach anymore. That whole time, he didn't take his determined gaze off of his rival. She's no longer sure who to look at by this point – her head kept going back and forth between the two boys.

"Twenty-five thousand," Glenn countered. 

Crossing his arms, he flashed him a self-satisfied smirk. There's no way he'll go any higher – not for a mere date with a girl. Besides, his father is right there. He won't allow him to spend that huge amount of money so foolishly.

But then, Weiss isn't showing any sign of backing out. His lips curl up dangerously, causing Glenn to start to rethink his previous thoughts.

"Thirty thousand dollars."

The crowd gasped.

Glenn paled. Lady nearly swayed.

She almost blacked out at that very moment, but the threatening scowl on Belle's face that screamed 'Girl, I swear to God if you faint now,' was enough to resuscitate her. 

'That's a lot of money for a date, you know! What do you want me to do?! I can't let him, or anyone else for that matter, spend that much for me!' 

It was not like she had much of a choice here, though. Just like how she had to go up there against her will, she had to accept the results of the bidding.

'Rich people are scary. I'm never gonna attend a party in this school again,' Lady cried inwardly. 

Weiss showed his rival a smug grin he'd only wear when beating the fiercest of his enemies. He just won, and he knew it. Glenn scowled. 

"Fine. Take her…" he hissed at him before muttering something underneath his breath that he probably thought they did not hear. 

"She's not the one I'm really into, anyway." 

Glenn stomped off the stage then back to his circle of friends.  Lady and Weiss paused to think of his last statement.

"Thirty thousand dollars! Wow! It's a new record…!" the emcee excitedly shouted into the microphone, eliciting one loud applause from the audience. 

"Do I hear thirty-one? Going once, going twice."

No one dared to challenge Weiss. They already knew for a fact that it would just be a lost cause. After all, the Saoirse's are known for their perseverance – they will stop at nothing to win.

"Sold for thirty thousand dollars!"

Lady could hardly believe it. Weiss had won. 

He fought for her, and he ended up winning.

'But why do you have to go that far?' she wondered. 

Weiss held out his hand to her – a sheepish smile on his face, a light blush dusting his cheeks. Lady accepted the invitation with a small blush of her own. 

He then proceeded to lead her off of the platform and back to their table. Later, they would have to go to a private dinner for two that had been prepared aside for the date auction winners.

Lloyd can't control the grin that has gradually made its way to his features. Quietly, he reached into the pocket of his jacket for his checkbook. He's about to ready his pen when he suddenly got a text message. Right after reading the content, he turns to look in Weiss's direction and smirks proudly.

"That's my son."

Apparently, he had just informed Lloyd that he didn't have to sign a check because he'd be paying with his personal allowance. 

---

As Lady settled down at the table, Belle scooted closer.

"Don't worry. I got it all~" she promised and grinned while waving her phone at her friend's face, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Belle," she called out shrilly, though not loud enough for the boys to hear.

"Yes, Lady?"

"He just spent thirty thousand dollars for a date with me! Can you believe it?! What do I say?! What do I do?! He shouldn't have done this in the first place!"

"Feeling guilty?" 

"Why, of course! So should you! How could you do that to me?!"

"Sorry, sorry. It just looks kinda fun, and it helped you, didn't it? Surely, you figured it out by now."

"Figure out what?"

"Any boy that would spend that much money for an evening with you is a dead giveaway for their feelings for you, darling~"

At Belle's remark, Lady stilled.