Chapter 1 · To Please His New Flame, He Offered Me Up

To win over his new flame, Calvert Gildon put me up on the auction block.

Forced into skimpy clothes, I was paraded before a crowd of leering men, all eager to place their bids.

*****

The auctioneer said, "And now, the final item of the night. For three whole days, you get Mr. Gildon's precious wife, pampered for twenty-six years!"

At the auction, I was the last item up for grabs.

Forced into the most revealing outfit imaginable, I stood on the stage, paraded before a crowd of men, all eager to place their bids.

On the big screen, every detail of me was displayed in high definition, scrolling through for everyone to see.

A person said, "Take a look at those legs. She is an absolutely killer."

Another said, "Her face is untouched by cosmetic surgery, pure natural beauty."

Someone else said, "Check out that waist and that chest..."

The auctoneer said, "Alright, let's kick things off. The opening bid is just one dollar."

A person said, "30 dollars."

Another said, "300 dollars."

Someone else said, "3 thousand."

The creeps in the crowd couldn't wait to wave their paddles.

A person said, "Man, any hostess here would cost way more. This is Mr. Gildon's pampered wife we're talking about."

Another said, "Damn, I'd blow all my cash just to get a taste of Mr. Gildon's wife."

Someone else said, "30 thousand."

Gina Herrera sat in the front row, looking absolutely delighted.

"Calvert, Alanna is so popular." Gina said, her voice full of glee.

As the one who put the last "collectible" up for auction, she was clearly thrilled to see everyone fighting over me.

Calvert shifted uncomfortably in his seat, crossing and uncrossing his legs, but didn't say a word.

Suddenly, someone shouted out a jaw-dropping bid. "3 million."

Everyone turned to look to see that the bidder was Norris Snee, the young heir of the Snee family.

Calvert frowned.

Norris raised an eyebrow.

Gina was the girl Norris had his eye on, but Calvert snatched her away first, kicking off the rivalry between them.

At that moment, I'd become the bargaining chip in their fight over Gina.

Calvert finally picked up his paddle. "6 million."

Norris shot back, "9 million."

Calvert didn't miss a beat. "15 million."

Norris flashed a cocky grin. "24 million."

Calvert stood up, raised his right hand, and called for the ultimate bid.

The whole room went dead silent.

"Mrs. Gildon, see? Mr. Gildon just can't bear to let you go..." The host, who'd been pitching me like the hottest item in the room, couldn't help but butter me up once the tide had turned.

I just sat there, numb, watching this circus play out. My heart was already dead.

Calvert stepped onto the stage and gently wrapped a coat around me, shielding everything that had been put on display.

"Hope that's alright. You know how young women are—they just love stirring things up sometimes," Calvert said, his tone almost too casual.

I looked up at him.

His face was so familiar, yet those words sounded so cold that it sent a chill down my spine.

Gina wheeled herself over with a pleading look, giving Calvert her best puppy eyes. "Alanna, are you mad at me?"

Calvert reached out with a fond smile and messed up her hair. "She's just making it up to you," he assured her.

Half a year ago, Gina was just a college student working a temp job at the Gildon Group's annual party.

She accidentally—though with perfect aim—spilled her drink all over my designer gown.

The hotel manager immediately came over and demanded she apologize.

A deep blush spread across Gina's cheeks.

Gina snapped, her voice tight with frustration, "I said I was sorry. Isn't that enough? What do you want me to do?

"Just because you guys are loaded, you think you can push people around?

"How much is this dress? I'll pay for it if that's what you want."

Right at that moment, Calvert strode over.

Back then, I was still his precious treasure.

He put his arm protectively around my waist, fixing Gina with a cold, contemptuous stare. "It's only 2 million dollars. So, what's your plan to pay for that?"

Gina's face was burning red, clearly on the verge of tears.

"I can't afford it," she stammered, her voice trembling.

She stared up at Calvert with those big, watery eyes, like he was a cold-hearted rich snob.

Her innocent, naive look was a silent accusation against the injustice and darkness of this world.

But nobody's wealth just fell out of thin air.

If she didn't have the brains or the skill, all the money in the world would slip right through her fingers.

I wouldn't waste my breath fussing over someone like her.

"Whatever, just drop it..." I muttered, already too tired to care.

"Drop it? No way," Calvert snapped.

He pulled me close, voice gentle yet possessive. "I had that dress made just for you—like hell I'm letting some random girl ruin it.

"If you can't afford it, then you will have to work off the debt."

Chapter 1

To win over his new flame, Calvert Gildon put me up on the auction block.

Forced into skimpy clothes, I was paraded before a crowd of leering men, all eager to place their bids.

*****

The auctioneer said, "And now, the final item of the night. For three whole days, you get Mr. Gildon's precious wife, pampered for twenty-six years!"

At the auction, I was the last item up for grabs.

Forced into the most revealing outfit imaginable, I stood on the stage, paraded before a crowd of men, all eager to place their bids.

On the big screen, every detail of me was displayed in high definition, scrolling through for everyone to see.

A person said, "Take a look at those legs. She is an absolutely killer."

Another said, "Her face is untouched by cosmetic surgery, pure natural beauty."

Someone else said, "Check out that waist and that chest..."

The auctoneer said, "Alright, let's kick things off. The opening bid is just one dollar."

A person said, "30 dollars."

Another said, "300 dollars."

Someone else said, "3 thousand."

The creeps in the crowd couldn't wait to wave their paddles.

A person said, "Man, any hostess here would cost way more. This is Mr. Gildon's pampered wife we're talking about."

Another said, "Damn, I'd blow all my cash just to get a taste of Mr. Gildon's wife."

Someone else said, "30 thousand."

Gina Herrera sat in the front row, looking absolutely delighted.

"Calvert, Alanna is so popular." Gina said, her voice full of glee.

As the one who put the last "collectible" up for auction, she was clearly thrilled to see everyone fighting over me.

Calvert shifted uncomfortably in his seat, crossing and uncrossing his legs, but didn't say a word.

Suddenly, someone shouted out a jaw-dropping bid. "3 million."

Everyone turned to look to see that the bidder was Norris Snee, the young heir of the Snee family.

Calvert frowned.

Norris raised an eyebrow.

Gina was the girl Norris had his eye on, but Calvert snatched her away first, kicking off the rivalry between them.

At that moment, I'd become the bargaining chip in their fight over Gina.

Calvert finally picked up his paddle. "6 million."

Norris shot back, "9 million."

Calvert didn't miss a beat. "15 million."

Norris flashed a cocky grin. "24 million."

Calvert stood up, raised his right hand, and called for the ultimate bid.

The whole room went dead silent.

"Mrs. Gildon, see? Mr. Gildon just can't bear to let you go..." The host, who'd been pitching me like the hottest item in the room, couldn't help but butter me up once the tide had turned.

I just sat there, numb, watching this circus play out. My heart was already dead.

Calvert stepped onto the stage and gently wrapped a coat around me, shielding everything that had been put on display.

"Hope that's alright. You know how young women are—they just love stirring things up sometimes," Calvert said, his tone almost too casual.

I looked up at him.

His face was so familiar, yet those words sounded so cold that it sent a chill down my spine.

Gina wheeled herself over with a pleading look, giving Calvert her best puppy eyes. "Alanna, are you mad at me?"

Calvert reached out with a fond smile and messed up her hair. "She's just making it up to you," he assured her.

Half a year ago, Gina was just a college student working a temp job at the Gildon Group's annual party.

She accidentally—though with perfect aim—spilled her drink all over my designer gown.

The hotel manager immediately came over and demanded she apologize.

A deep blush spread across Gina's cheeks.

Gina snapped, her voice tight with frustration, "I said I was sorry. Isn't that enough? What do you want me to do?

"Just because you guys are loaded, you think you can push people around?

"How much is this dress? I'll pay for it if that's what you want."

Right at that moment, Calvert strode over.

Back then, I was still his precious treasure.

He put his arm protectively around my waist, fixing Gina with a cold, contemptuous stare. "It's only 2 million dollars. So, what's your plan to pay for that?"

Gina's face was burning red, clearly on the verge of tears.

"I can't afford it," she stammered, her voice trembling.

She stared up at Calvert with those big, watery eyes, like he was a cold-hearted rich snob.

Her innocent, naive look was a silent accusation against the injustice and darkness of this world.

But nobody's wealth just fell out of thin air.

If she didn't have the brains or the skill, all the money in the world would slip right through her fingers.

I wouldn't waste my breath fussing over someone like her.

"Whatever, just drop it..." I muttered, already too tired to care.

"Drop it? No way," Calvert snapped.

He pulled me close, voice gentle yet possessive. "I had that dress made just for you—like hell I'm letting some random girl ruin it.

"If you can't afford it, then you will have to work off the debt."