Chapter 2
Rose woke up early the next morning to find Nathan keeping watch by her bedside.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he couldn't hide his exhaustion. "Rose, there was a bit of an accident yesterday."
Seeing her awake, he crouched down and picked up her shoes. "I'm taking you to an auction today. Anything you fancy, it's yours."
Rose jolted when Nathan's hand closed around her ankle.
She instinctively edged away, turning to avoid his touch. "Do you think I'd like this kind of compensation?"
Nathan's hand came up empty, and he frowned, then let out a weary sigh, as if giving in. "Once Violet's feeling better, I'll send her overseas for treatment, alright?"
Rose suddenly didn't know what to say.
She couldn't figure out why Nathan acted like he was the one cornered, when she was the real victim here.
For a split second, the man in front of her overlapped with the nightmare she'd lived three years ago.
She shut her eyes, refusing to look at him, her lips curling into nothing but a cold, mocking smile.
A short while later, the black Bentley Continental pulled up in front of the auction house.
Nathan led her into a private suite and gestured for the staff to introduce the auction lots.
Rose listened numbly until a familiar name suddenly caught her ear.
She snapped her head up, her gaze locking onto the last item in the auction catalog, a blue necklace. "Nathan, give me an explanation."
She pulled out the photo she'd received last night, her tone cold as ice. "Why did my mother's keepsake end up with Violet, and why is it here at an auction?"
Something uneasy flashed in Nathan's eyes. "Rose, it's not what you think."
The unfamiliar hatred in her eyes sent a jolt of anxiety through him. "Violet's always felt guilty about what happened. After you left, she was diagnosed with severe depression."
He paused, pressing his lips together as he met her icy stare. "For three years, she tried to kill herself again and again. The only thing that ever calmed her was seeing your old things, so I was forced to..."
Rose cut him off with a cold smile, "Forced to? Really?" It was as if she'd heard the most absurd joke.
She added, "So, you had to sacrifice my mother's keepsake. You had to indulge her and let the only thing I had left of my mother end up on the auction block?"
"She didn't mean it. She was messing around."
Rose scoffed inwardly, 'Messing around?' Her lips twitched with a hint of mockery.
"Nathan, that excuse of yours is pathetic." After that, she said nothing more, shutting her eyes and leaning back in her chair, putting up a wall between them.
From Nathan's point of view, Rose wasn't crying or throwing a fit. There wasn't a shred left of the girl she'd been three years ago.
She sat there quietly, but her silence made Nathan's anxiety grow for no reason.
"Rose..." Nathan's voice was rough. "I'll buy that necklace back for you at the auction."
Rose still didn't respond.
The auction kicked off, with antiques, paintings, diamonds, and jewelry put on display for everyone to see.
Anything that looked decent, Nathan would raise his paddle without a second thought, waving the staff over to deliver the item straight to Rose.
All around them, whispers of envy and admiration filled the air, but Rose remained unmoved.
It wasn't until a woman dressed to the nines stepped onto the auction stage, clapping her hands as an auction assistant brought out a small jewelry box.
"Ladies and gentlemen, what we have up for auction next is the star of the night," the woman announced. Her voice, amplified through the microphone, took on a seductive edge. "The Blue Heart."
As soon as she said it, the lights suddenly dimmed. A single cold white spotlight remained, illuminating only the centerpiece on stage.
The Blue Heart blazed under the lights, and as whispers of amazement rippled through the crowd, Rose's cold mask suddenly shattered.
She sprang to her feet, the wine glass falling from her grasp.
The sharp sound echoed, and all eyes swung up to the top suite, finally seeing who was inside.
A tidal wave of gossip swept through the crowd.
"Wait, is that really Nathan? And who's that woman with him? Wasn't he always with Ms. Summers?"
"Isn't that Rose? The one who killed someone in that accident?"
"You hardly ever see a guy like Nathan, loyal to the end, spending a fortune on her like it's nothing."
"Anyone else would be grateful beyond words, but she's acting all high and mighty."
The gossip swelled, with people not only comparing her to Violet but also tossing out vicious slurs and cruel remarks.
Inside the suite, Nathan's frown deepened, his face so dark that it seemed like his anger could drip from the air.
Seeing his expression, those with sense downstairs quickly turned away, falling silent and not daring to utter another word.
There was no doubt about it. Nathan secured the Blue Heart at a jaw-dropping price.
Even when the other bidders tried to drive up the price out of spite, he shut them down with a sky-high bid and claimed the necklace for himself.
With everyone watching, Rose walked onto the stage for the necklace, her expression dark and tense.
Suddenly, the doors slammed open, and Violet burst in, her eyes swollen and red. "Rose. Why did you come back?"
She stared hard at Rose up on the stage, then looked around before finally locking eyes with Nathan off to the side.
She raised her hand and held a knife to her throat. "Nathan, James's gone. If you leave me too, then what's the point of me living?"