Elite Weddings, Winnings, Wars & Woes

My cheeks burned as though they had been lashed as I walked away.

…

A week later, the Sothisby Auction House held its grand international art and collectibles auction. My father had been preparing for it for a long time. He had invited many of the world's most famous collectors.

Irina arrived with her arm looped through Corbin's, while Jared and Hector stood nearby.

The auctioneer's energetic voice rose above the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, let us begin our day with a true vintage beauty, the 'Dear Ilia' white gold, emerald, and diamond necklace, crafted over three years by the famed 18th-century Florentine jeweler, Alois Fontaine. Opening bid, 26,000 dollars."

My eyes caught the dazzling light reflecting off the necklace, and my heart skipped a beat. My mother had always loved jewelry that combined emeralds and white gold. She used to wear a necklace in a similar style.

I raised my paddle without hesitation. "27,000!"

"29,000!"

I stared. Irina beamed at me with her paddle raised high, her eyes gleaming with provocation.

The room seemed to hold its breath.

"31,000," I called.

Irina bit her lip, hesitating. Corbin lowered his head and whispered in her ear.

She lifted her chin, confidence renewed. "35,000!"

The bidding continued back and forth until the price reached 40,000 dollars. Even the auctioneer was visibly sweating. "40,000. Going once—"

I drew a sharp breath. "41,000!"

Irina's face paled. She turned sharply to Corbin. He paused, then raised his paddle. "45,000."

The crowd gasped.

I let out a scoff. "Goddamn, Mr. Ford. Wherever could you have gotten that much money? I doubt your entire salary adds up to that."

Corbin smiled smugly. "I see you have not been paying attention to the company's progress lately. We recently closed a massive contract in the Aslan-Pacific region, thanks to me. I received a very generous bonus for it."

I froze. So my father had grown this fond of him. He had not even mentioned the bonus to me.

The auctioneer scanned the room, waiting for another outrageous bid, then brought the gavel down. "Sold. Congratulations, Mr. Ford."

Corbin turned to Irina with a smug grin. "Congratulations to you, actually. Consider it an early gift. You know what I mean."

Irina was overjoyed. She squealed and threw her arms around his neck in full view of everyone, as though she had forgotten to keep up her act.

Nearby, Jared and Hector exchanged a knowing glance but said nothing.

I gritted my teeth and rose from my seat. I was ready to leave.

"Where are you going, Miss Sothisby? Leaving already? That is quite the display of a sore loser," Corbin called mockingly. "Not very becoming of an heiress, is it?"

I ignored him and stormed out of the auction hall. Only once I was outside did I take a steady breath.

…

I got into my car and drove away from the auction house, yet my mind seemed to remain behind. I could not move on.

Then a blinding light flashed across my rearview mirror. It came from a black four-wheel-drive vehicle. I did not know when it had begun tailing me, but it was closing in.

I frowned. "What the hell?"

I accelerated, but the car stayed on me. I reached for my phone to call the police when a truck suddenly screeched out from the side of the road and blocked my path.

I slammed on the brakes, and the shriek of metal pierced my ears.

A violent force struck me, and my vision went black.

…

When the darkness receded, a chill spread from my wrists through the rest of my body.

I realized that I was tied to a metal chair. The walls around me were warped and peeling, and the air smelled damp and rotten.

I was in an abandoned warehouse.

But that was not the most terrifying part of waking up. A ticking timer was strapped to my chest. By the time I focused on it, the display had already dropped from 30:00 to 29:58.

"Oh my God, you're finally awake!" a woman said.

I struggled to turn toward the voice.

Irina?! She had the same timer strapped to her chest too!

Tear tracks still streaked her face.