Chapter 3
The host rommel “Ms. Calloway, your pre–event asset verification showed $100 43 million. You’ve already made two unlimited hids, and your remaining fundi
A man winked at me: “Degime, and 11 help you out.-]]
Tipssoned them all, Jooking directly at Biske ||
But he showed no intention of helping. Instead, his lips curled in disdain []
Everyone followed my gaze toward him.
After all he was utili legally my husband.
“Why are you all looking at me?” Blake asked Jarily. “Tve already stated that all auction items are available for everyone to bid on.
The inen sighed in relief. Thanks for your generosity, Mr. Reed
Just then, Sophila, who had been sitting beside him, raised her hand
“How about this–I’ll buy this photo for Emma”
Blake looiced at her with momentary surprise before his face softened with undisguised aftertion.
Sophia turned to me: “After all, you unce helped fund my study abroad program. I can’t be ungrateful, can 17
Blake’s eyes softened even more as he gazed at Sophia, his usually cold features finally melting
The crowd began to tease No
to lease: “No wonder Mr. Reed prefers Sophia–who wouldn’t love such an obedient girl?
“Sophia’s such a good girl. I heard the blushes at the slightest dirty joke, unlike certain people… sk. k
Their meaningful glances purred me like swords
A barely perceptible flash of triumph crossed Sophis’s lips before she looked at me sympathetically. “Dont worry, six”
“Hypocrite” I spat.]
Hearing my response, she blanked in confusion “What? ||
So this is how you repay me? By stealing my place and seducing my husband?”
I leaned back in my chair sorry, but I haven’t fallen low enough to need help from a backstaller and a jerk-]]
“Enuna.“ Haake finally addressed me directly. His tone was ice cold and unfamiliar ||
shut hum a trigid glance before turning to the host: “I declared sky’s the limir–1’ll handle it myself “||
The host looked uncomfortable
“If you still want to buy, we’d have to inchade your real estate assets, but given your bankruptcy situation, those properties would barely cover five million. |
“Just drop the pavel.” I said trough clenched teeth ||
“Tak, tik, tak! This woman has lost her mind.” one of the men mattered.
“Throwing away her last roof over her brad for pride? Pathetic, I had my eye on that third photo
“arlar, we’ve barely scratched the surface. Over three hundred photos left–plenty to go around
me, the later ones get downright fishy. Ha
Their gates mawled over in a pitying, most mocking
“Just a wounded animal laching out.“||
Π
the next photo, she’ll have to th
Shell have to sit there while we own her private moments
tit pay double to see her face then. Bet it looks just like when the was under Mr. Reed-||
The snickers wrapped around me like hatred wire. I swallowed the lump in my throat, fingernails biting into my palms as I stared down the host
The fourth photo flashed on screen–me in a hotel robe, half turned toward the camera
Tourth photo, opening bid: $2,000,000r||
“Holy shit This nors my favorite! $15.000.000||||
–$20.000.000
$25.000.000
“Sky’s the limit.” My voice cut through the bidding ||
All eyes immediately turned to me.
The host could barely maintain his professional smile: “Ms. Calloway, please don’t disrupt the proceedings, or we’ll have to escort you out.
1responded coldly: “I’m not disrupting anything. I said I’m bidding “sky’s the limit
-0
“And not just for this photo–I’m buying out the entire auction. All 360 photos and videos.
The host exchanged glances with the crowd, shoulder with amusement.
and a
la ripple o
of laughter spread through the mom. Even Sophia couldn’t hold back a snort, leaning into Blake’s
Blake’s ley demeanor softened slightly, his gaze almost tender as he watched the scene unfold
The insane? 305 photos? That’s 18.25 billion dollars! She couldn’t afford that even before bankruptcyr
“Only Mr. Herd could pull off a move like that, Who else would dare?”
The Lost took several seonds to regain his professional composure:[]
“Mi. Calloway, you’ve already exhausted your assets in the previous rounds–sky’s the limit doesn’t apply to empty pockets.
He cleared his throat. “Now, who was the last bidder at twenty five million? Twenty five million, going once-“]
CRASHI
I grabbed the water glass from the tide and laurled it forward, shattering it at the hosts feet, causing him to jump back in alarm []
Firing him with a cold stare, I said: ||
“I’m calling ‘sky’s the list Are you dearr]
