Chapter 1 Whispering city

Sophia Pov

"Our first item of the night is the whispering city," the auctioneer announced. I stared at the painting from across the room, the dim lighting in the gallery seemed to heighten the painting's quality.

"The bid will start at $1,500," the auctioneer said, and bidding began.

"$2,000."

"$2,500."

I observed as others raised their paddles to bid. It wasn't that I wasn't interested in the painting, in fact, I was only here for the painting. I saw no reason to join the rest in the bidding game, there was no real challenger for me.

"$7,000."

The room went silent. I guessed everyone was done playing. After waiting for a few more seconds, I raised my paddle just as the announcer was about to declare it sold, "$8... $1,000,000."

Everyone turned around in shock.

"Wow! Did I hear that right? $1,000,000 from the gentleman at the back!" the auctioneer announced happily.

I turned to see a man standing at the back, dressed in a black tuxedo. He had long hair tied in a short ponytail and a permanent scowl on his face, but he still managed to look hot.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard the announcer calling for more bids. Everyone began murmuring among themselves. "Who would be crazy enough to bid higher?" someone muttered. I would.

"$2,000,000!"

The room went dead silent. I turned to see that the man now had his eyes on me. His scowl seemed to disappear for a second, but I wasn't sure since I could barely see.

"Wow, the painting is only worth $1,500, but we are already at $2,000,000," the auctioneer exclaimed.

"Any other bidders?" the auctioneer asked. I stared at the stranger with a proud smile, knowing that he wouldn't go higher. To my surprise, he lifted his paddle and, with a low yet authoritative voice, said, "$5,000,000."

My jaw dropped in surprise. Who bids $5 million on a painting? Even the announcer was dumbfounded. "F-f-five m-million?" he stuttered.

I gripped my paddle tightly, I couldn't be defeated like this. I glanced at the man, who was staring back at me with... interest? Curiosity? I couldn't tell.

After a moment of hesitation, I decided to throw caution to the wind and take this hot stranger head-on. "Twenty million dollars!" I yelled. If I thought the room was already dead silent before, then I was wrong. The room became so quiet that I could hear the inhales and exhales of others.

"Sold!" the auctioneer announced, and the room erupted in applause. I had just bought a painting for twenty million dollars!

I turned to look at the person who had successfully made me spend my life savings on a painting and saw him staring back with a grin. It was the first time his lips had curved up since the auction began.

After the auction ended, I made my way to his table and introduced myself. "Hey there, I see you didn't buy anything?" I started with a smile.

"A pretty lady stole the only piece I was interested in," he replied, flashing me a smirk, the same one he had given me from across the room.

"Bummer, but I know another piece of art you could take home," I said, trailing my fingers along his tuxedo. His grin grew wider, hinting that he knew what I was implying, and soon his hands found their way around my waist. Maybe that painting was really worth 20 million dollars.

.

.

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I woke up the next day in the stranger's bed. He was no longer lying next to me, but I could hear the sound of running water coming from the bathroom, meaning he was taking a shower.

I scanned the room, admiring the interior and decorations. There were many paintings hanging on the walls, he must have been an art enthusiast like me.

The sound of water stopped, and the door slid open, revealing the man standing half-naked, with only a towel tied around his waist.

"You're still here?" he asked with a bored expression.

"Where else would I be? I haven't gotten your name after all," I replied with a smile.

"You don't need it," he said, beginning to get dressed.

"Come on, I gave myself to you. Do you think it was for nothing?" I asked with a scoff. He turned to look at me with furrowed brows.

"This was supposed to be a one-time thing," he stated.

"One-time thing my ass! Do you think I'm a slut?" I asked.

He stared at me with an unreadable expression. "So what do you want then?" he asked, making me almost scoff again.

"I WANT YOU!" I snapped. He stared at me with an amused expression.

"You want me? But we just met," he said, leaning against the wall.

"Call it love at first sight," I replied. He burst into humorless laughter. When he stopped, he took slow strides to the bed and leaned over so that our faces were inches apart. "Can you handle being with me?" he asked in a serious tone.

"Why wouldn't I be able to?" I asked. Before he could reply, the door burst open, and two men barged in, dragging a nearly unconscious man with them. They dropped the man in the center of the room and made him sit in a kneeling position.

"Is this the bastard that stole from me?" the hot stranger asked in a chilling voice.

"Yes, boss. We found him trying to sell the drugs," one of the men replied. Drug? Was he a drug lord?

He walked to the almost lifeless man and held his chin in his hands. "Do you know what I do to people like you?" he asked.

"Please forgive me! It won't happen again!" the man cried in a weak voice.

"Trust me, it won't," the stranger replied, and without warning, he brought out a knife from his pocket and slit the man's throat.

Then he turned to me with blood smeared all over his face and asked, "Do you still think you can handle being with me?"