Victoria then announced, "Before we begin the charity auction, I've arranged a special social activity for everyone."

Her words instantly captured the room's attention. All eyes were fixed on her as she continued, "We'll randomly select ladies from the audience and auction their first dance of the evening. Like all other proceeds tonight, the funds raised from these dance auctions will be donated to the charity organization supported by Stuart Group."

A murmur of excitement spread through the ballroom—this was the first time anyone had heard of auctioning dances!

But considering this was a charity event, everyone understood that maximizing proceeds was the priority. How the funds were raised became secondary in importance.

Besides, most attendees weren't here for the auction items—they were making donations to enhance their social standing and business reputations.

"Would any lady like to volunteer?" Victoria asked from the stage.

The women below whispered among themselves. Some were eager to participate, but propriety held them back from stepping forward too eagerly.

Meanwhile, Patrick leaned close to Elise's ear and whispered, "Are you going up? I'll bid whatever it takes."

"You're insane," Elise retorted, rolling her eyes. He simply shrugged in response.

Two minutes passed without any volunteers, each woman waiting for someone else to make the first move.

"Since we have no volunteers, I'll select participants randomly," Victoria declared, not letting the momentum fade. "I'll choose two ladies so no one feels singled out. Everyone here has an auction number for tonight, so I'll call out two numbers at random. If your number is called, please come forward. Your first dance will be auctioned."

"Excellent idea!" someone shouted from the crowd, and most guests voiced their approval.

Victoria then announced, "Let's start with... Number 36?"

Every woman in the ballroom immediately checked their numbers. Soon, a soft voice responded, "That's me."

All attention, along with the spotlight, shifted toward Sophia, who stood looking demure.

However, her revealing gown showed more skin than appropriate, creating a stark contrast with her supposedly innocent demeanor.

"Oh, it's Sophia!" Victoria exclaimed cheerfully, beckoning her forward. "She's traveled all the way from Crestwood today. Let's give her a warm round of applause to welcome her!"

Blushing, Sophia ascended the stage and stood beside Victoria.

Truthfully, Sophia had been eager to participate from the moment Victoria announced the dance auction. She knew this was her chance to make an impression after being largely ignored throughout the evening.

But she worried about appearing too forward, concerned it might diminish her value. So she had restrained herself.

Being chosen felt like fate smiling upon her. She worked hard to contain her excitement, maintaining a bashful appearance.

The reality was that nobody had noticed her until she stepped onto the stage. Some guests had heard rumors about her, while others knew nothing at all.

Yet her shy, alluring presence did attract the attention of several men in the audience.

Sophia noticed their gazes. She understood that even if she wasn't conventionally stunning, her maidenly charm could still captivate male attention.

Internally, she felt triumphant, convinced she had captured the interest of several wealthy men. Her plan was to seduce one of them tonight—any would suffice, since they were all powerful and wealthy.

Beside her, Victoria announced the second number. "Number 62!"

Elise's fingers tightened around her auction paddle.