Chapter 2

"Ava Reed!"

Mark' s voice was sharp, laced with genuine anger now. He stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the polished floor.

"There' s a limit to how childish you can be! If you keep this up and can't pay, I won' t help you!"

Sarah let out a high-pitched, mocking laugh. "Ten times the original price? Ms. Reed, how long would it take to earn that much working as... a call girl?"

I looked at Mark, my expression calm. I wasn't being childish. I just didn' t want to waste any more words on them. I knew he wouldn' t dare to bid higher. I knew it with absolute certainty.

Over the last five years, the tech startup I had originally founded had faded from public memory in this city, replaced by a revolving door of new, flashy ventures bearing the Sterling name. But my old company, the one he thought was his golden goose, hadn't launched a single new product in all that time. The Sterling family, living off the fumes of old money, was all flash and no substance. Between Mark' s lavish spending and his endless gifts for Sarah, the entire Sterling fortune couldn't scrape together the amount I had just named.

The auctioneer, a nervous man who clearly feared I would back out, ignored Mark' s darkening face. He slammed the gavel down with a sharp crack that echoed through the silent room.

"Sold! To the lady in the back!"

He quickly had an assistant package the car' s title and brought it over to me with a strained, hopeful smile.

I didn't take it. I looked at the auctioneer and said plainly, "I left in a hurry today and didn' t bring cash. You can take my..."

But before I could finish my sentence, before I could mention the locket, the auctioneer' s face transformed. The fawning smile vanished, replaced by a mask of fury. Without a word, he gestured sharply. Two burly bouncers appeared at my side, grabbing my arms in a painful grip.

Then the auctioneer stepped forward and slapped me. Hard. Twice. The sting was sharp, and my head snapped to the side.

"I knew something was off about you the moment you walked in, you disgraced woman!" he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "How dare you cause a scene in my establishment? You think you' re worthy?"

He spat heavily on the floor near my feet, then turned away from me, his demeanor shifting back to fawning and obsequious as he approached Mark and Sarah. He held out the car' s title to Sarah, whispering in Mark' s ear.

"Sir, I got the title back, and I' ve taught her a lesson. Shall we stick to the original price?"

The crowd, which had been watching with bated breath, erupted. They were thrilled to see me humiliated, to have their initial judgments confirmed.

"She has no money, why is she pretending? Does she think she' s still the big shot from back then?"

"Exactly, she doesn' t know her place. Who runs this city now?"

"This faker! No wonder Mark Sterling refused to consummate their marriage."

Mark waved his hand dismissively at the auctioneer, then walked up to me. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. His touch was rough, proprietary.

"See, Ava? Without me, you' re nothing." His eyes searched my face, a cruel amusement in their depths. "You came back to this city because you regret it and want to reconcile, right?"

He leaned closer, his breath warm on my cheek. "Considering you' ve remained untouched all these years, I' ll take you as my concubine. Now, go kowtow to your future mistress!"

Sarah purred, playfully hitting his chest with her fist. "Oh, you! We' re not even married yet, and you' re already calling me mistress. How embarrassing~"

Those around them, eager to curry favor with Mark, chimed in.

"Mr. Sterling is so generous! Hurry up and thank him!"

"But Mr. Sterling should check her first. Who knows how many men she' s been with all these years? If she' s been used up, you shouldn' t marry her!"

My cheeks were swollen and burning from the slaps. The public humiliation was a fire raging inside me. I had been gone from this city for so many years, and in all that time, no one had dared to speak to me this way.

I suppressed my rage, forcing my voice to be cold and level. "Such a big auction house, and such narrow-mindedness?"

I looked past Mark to the auctioneer. "I may not have cash, but I have a locket that can withdraw money. Whether I' m faking it or not, just ask the bank next door with this locket."

A staff member, a young man who looked uncertain, took the locket I held out and left, half-believing, half-skeptical.

Meeting Mark' s gaze, I added, my voice cutting through the noise, "Also, after all these years away, I' ve found someone else. You don' t need to worry about my marriage, Mr. Sterling."