und me from behind, just as he always did

sary. I cleared my entire schedule

as as gentl

sion, I eased him away fro

a lawyer to draft

er spent together. I might as well treat

didn't want any unnec

the auction hall with my a

ace, and a dark dress that didn't fit properly. Standing beside Adrian, polished a

socialites around us were o

and tightly and murmured, "Don

hat would have move

did was ma

oving performa

as it meant to keep me docile, so I would stay obediently b

auction catalog until my eyes landed on a blu

a shipwreck. It was meant to symbolize a

hat one,"

id was 20 mil

t hesitation, Adrian

mill

mill

e kept c

aned toward one another, whisp

really knows

ill being spoiled this mu

everyone's objections. T

, and no one else in the room followed. The auct

ale voice rang o

mill

re room

the woman in the white dress. She wore no visible make

her face, my whol

s Viv

she doi

idden away, never lettin

tlight now, did that mean even my las

rose all

tually daring to bid a

er before. Which f

famous for protecting his own. If s

n to lose his temper and crush

At least on the surface,

lmly set his

is brooch is too elaborate. It doesn't really suit you. There's a r

auction catalog, a bitter w

appeared, I already knew that

hat I had still

h open satisfaction. She lifted a familiar black card i

ell over the room, quiet

ressions said it plainly enough. Even Adri

s, and bile rose in my throat. He really had gon

aze shifting between

e than a dozen rows apart,

back. The other wore the spoiled con

on came t

approached us directly, a gl

hand a little shake, her voice sweet and delicate. "But my husband adores me. He says if I like so

Adrian would finally lose his temper. After

to see Adrian throw th

frowned and warned h

ound me, as if intend

ch. He couldn't even bring himsel

ntion of letting

Vivian's smug gaze. "It is bea

the box from her hands and too

rew off blinding flashes b

I let

truck the marble floor, split cleanly dow

rippled thro

s face. "The quality's not all that impressive, is it? Eighty million dollars for something this fragile? What a waste. Bu

embled wi

er his breath, "Serena, stop this. If you da

s primary card to cover a purch

m and turned

ling to let it go, Vivian chased after

Do you even know who I am?" she sh

stress, isn't that

know about me and Adrian? And you still dare act up in

words drove straig

smug. "You think Adrian actually loves you? Dream on.

finally set off all the r

and-in or not, I've still been publicly acknowledged as Mrs. Blackwood for three

you sla

hen she finally came to herself,

s noticed the black sedan out of control in

ice shouted from behind

nly to find the car

swallowed me who

econd, I saw Adrian

himself toward Vivian, wrapped his body a

the car and thrown onto

through my leg, bu

rantically checking Vivian over, asking again and a

turned around

ver pathetic hope I had still been clinging to,