Chapter 2

Mocking voices bounced around the private room, one after another.

No one gave a damn about how Nathan or I felt.

I glanced at Nathan, his face as dark as a thundercloud. He clearly couldn't stand these people, either.

But even if he was disgusted, he still agreed to marry Kaylee.

Kaylee caught every bit of Nathan's reaction, looking down on me like I was beneath her. "Natalie, relax. If you treat me right today, I'll put in a good word with Mr. Stone and maybe get you a raise."

I replied coolly, "As far as I know, Mr. Stone isn't the owner of this auction house."

Kaylee let out a mocking laugh.

She said, "Mr. Stone isn't the boss here, but he's a VIP and tight with the owner. Just a few words from him could turn your whole life around in a heartbeat."

Pablo jumped in, eager to kiss up.

He sneered, "She probably hasn't even laid eyes on Mr. Stone. He only hangs out in Room A. Like they'd ever let someone at her level serve him."

Stefan seized the chance to take another cheap shot at me.

He said, "If Kaylee actually gets you a raise, you'd better thank her properly. That's what you owe your benefactor, right?"

Their messed-up morals honestly made me sick.

I really regretted not double-checking with the auction house manager about who was in Room B before I walked in.

I didn't want to waste another second on these people. I just wanted to get away from these scumbags as fast as possible.

But just as I turned to leave, someone kicked me hard behind the knees, and I crashed to the ground, forced onto my knees.

Pablo yanked my hair back, his voice full of malice. "Since you won't do it the easy way, let's see how you handle the hard way. We told you to get on your knees and show your gratitude, and you still think you can just walk away?"

It was just me, surrounded by Kaylee and her gang. I was completely outnumbered and powerless. There was no way I could fight back.

The private room was soundproofed for the guests' privacy, so nobody outside could hear a thing.

If I screamed, Pablo might just kill me right there.

I remembered this and made sure they paid for it. No one had ever forced me to kneel, not once in my life.

Just then, Nathan finally snapped. His voice was laced with anger. "Kaylee, let her go. She's pitiful enough as it is."

Kaylee's expression turned cold, her voice like ice. "You're still defending this bitch? I thought you'd moved on from her already."

Nathan caught himself slipping and quickly put his cold mask back on.

He added, "I just don't want her killing the vibe. She's just a waitress. Nobody here cares about someone like her."

It turned out I was just kidding myself. I really thought Nathan was better than the rest.

Kaylee looked a little more pleased, but she still wasn't letting me off the hook. She spun her ring between her fingers, her voice dripping with malice. "Walk on your knees, and keep your head down. The faster you move, the better I'll feel. Maybe let's see some blood, that'll really make it festive!"

Pablo caught on instantly and slapped the back of my head, rough and mean. "Didn't you hear what Miss Lawson said? Do you want your money or not?"

Stefan whipped out his phone, ready to record the whole humiliating scene.

He smirked, "Whenever Kaylee's in a bad mood, just play this video back. Bet it'll put her in a great mood every time!"

I glared at Kaylee and her sidekicks, my eyes practically radiating killing intent.

I sneered, "You really want to see me walk on my knees today?"

Instead of taking my words seriously, the three of them just doubled over, clutching their stomachs with laughter.

Nathan stood off to the side, fists clenched so hard that the veins popped on his hands. He looked like he was barely holding himself back from stepping in.

Kaylee sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Who do you think you are? Mr. Stone's side piece? Or maybe you own this auction house? Typical. Broke people like you are always daydreaming.

"Bet you didn't know, my brother's got a blind date with the Richardson family's heiress in three days. That's the kind of shot nobody else could ever dream of. If he pulls it off, I'll be the sister-in-law to the Richardson Group's only daughter, and my status will go through the roof."

I thought about it for a second. Yeah, that actually checked out.

But if I remembered right, her brother was the one chasing after a stake in my auction house, not the other way around.

Pablo's eyes lit up, eager to suck up to her, "Kaylee, your family's about to be loaded, huh? When your family's raking it in, don't leave me out, alright?"

Kaylee looked smug, chin held high.

She said proudly, "Sure, I'll talk to my brother when the time comes. After all, my future sister-in-law is Richardson Group's sole heiress. She calls the shots and gets whatever she wants.

"Honestly, this auction house's real owner is my future sister-in-law. Sure, Raymond's the one everyone's chasing right now, but once my brother ties the knot with her, he'll be Vikaton's number one heir."

Kaylee was practically glowing with pride, then gave me a look of pure disdain.

She glanced at me. "Natalie, I bet you hated me back then, right? I snatched your boyfriend, threw cash in your face, and now you're stuck kneeling here, listening to me bragging about my perfect life. Bet you wish you were me.

"I'm just too soft-hearted, you know. If you really don't want to walk on your knees, whatever. I'll even hook you up with a nice marriage. I've got a distant relative, fifty years old and not all there upstairs. If you agree to marry him, you won't have to slave away at work anymore."

Kaylee paused, giving me a pointed look. "That way, nobody will keep thinking about you."

I sneered, "Appreciate the thought, but I've got my own place and my own car. Don't trouble yourself over me."