Chapter 2

So it was all just an act, again.

I let out a hollow laugh and set his phone back where I found it.

Charles woke up shortly after and exhaled with relief when he saw I was okay. He said quietly, "I'm sorry, Susan. I shouldn't have pushed you to eat that cake."

I didn't say a word and just stared at him.

He shifted uncomfortably under my gaze and grabbed his jacket.

He said, "Something came up at the office, so I need to go handle it. I'll come back to see you later."

The moment the door clicked shut, I closed my eyes and the tears finally fell.

Charles. Six more days.

I didn't wait for Charles to come back and checked myself out of the hospital.

I brought our marriage license to the Courthouse to file for divorce.

The clerk took one look at the license and frowned. She said, "Ma'am, this marriage license is a forgery. It has no legal standing, so we can't process a divorce filing."

I stood there, stunned, and suddenly remembered the day we remarried. Charles had said the City Hall was packed and that he'd have a friend handle the paperwork, so I could just wait at home.

I had been touched by his thoughtfulness back then, but now I understood the truth. The entire reconciliation had been a lie from the start.

I gripped the fake license until my knuckles went white, and then I laughed.

Fine by me. It saved me the trouble of filing.

When I got home, Charles was already sitting on the couch waiting for me. He asked, "Susan, why did you check yourself out without waiting for me?"

He added, "Are you still upset about the cake? Come on, forgive me. How about I take you to an auction and get you something nice to make it up to you?"

I didn't want to go, but Charles didn't give me a chance to argue and pulled me out the door.

The moment we arrived, I spotted Vivian across the crowd. She was wearing a striking red dress, and the Ford family bracelet on her wrist caught the light.

When Charles caught me staring at Vivian, he rushed to explain.

"Susan, I have no idea how she ended up here," he said. "I haven't been in contact with her in a long time. If you're upset about it, I'll have her removed right now."

I gave him a thin smile and didn't bother calling out his lie. "That won't be necessary."

It was all just a performance for my benefit anyway.

The auction started shortly after, and I sat through the whole thing with little interest.

Charles, however, acted as if he were genuinely trying to make it up to me.

Every time my eyes lingered on a piece for more than a second, he raised his paddle without hesitation, and by the time an hour had passed, we had collected quite a haul.

The people around us kept shooting envious glances our way, but something in my gut told me this wasn't going to end well.

And I was right.

When the night's final lot came up, a ruby necklace that gleamed under the spotlight, Vivian was the first to raise her paddle.

"Three million dollars," she called out.

I assumed Charles wouldn't dare bid against her, but he raised his paddle without a second's hesitation. "Five million dollars."

He caught my surprised look and gave me that warm, indulgent smile he reserved for moments like this.

"You didn't seem that into any of the earlier pieces," he said, "but you'll love this one. I can tell."

I was about to shake my head, but he had already turned back to the auctioneer and started going back and forth with Vivian.

The bidding got fierce fast, and then Charles did something that made the entire room go still. He raised his hand and signaled a blank-check bid.

The room erupted.

And the looks people were giving me had gone well past envy.

I sat there on edge, and when I turned my head, I caught Vivian watching me with that half-smile of hers. My stomach dropped.

Charles had won the ruby necklace at the final bid.

But when the auction ended, and the staff came to collect payment, he was gone.

I stared at the total on the invoice and felt the color drain from my face.

I called him, but the line went straight to voicemail.

The staff member's expression shifted. The looks around me shifted too, from envy to something sharper.

"Can Mr. Ford's wife even afford to pay for this?" someone murmured.

"I thought Mr. Ford spoiled her," another voice said. "Guess that was all for show."

"She probably dragged him here just to show off," a third person added. "Bid on jewelry she can't afford and he just let her embarrass herself. Serves her right."

Each word hit me like a slap across the face, and my legs nearly gave out beneath me.

The staff member had lost all patience. She looked at me with a cold smile and said, "Mrs. Ford, can you pay or not? Because if you can't, you'll be charged a penalty fee."

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out except a hoarse whisper. "Fine," I finally said. "I'll pay the penalty."

I hadn't brought my wallet, so I unclasped my necklace and my bracelet, then stepped out of my gown and handed them over as payment.

The story spread online within hours. [Susan Stiffs Auction House] trended by nightfall, and the comments were nothing but mockery and cruelty.

I read every word and pressed my nails into my palm, but I couldn't cry. Not even close.

So this was why Charles had brought me here.

He wanted to make a joke about me in front of everyone.

I went home and stood in front of the calendar. The countdown was still there.

Five days left.