As I chatted with Axel, the auction began.
“Ladies and gentlemen, our first item for bidding is the Voyage of Dreams Antique Globe.”
“This antique globe once belonged to a world traveler who dedicated his life to exploring and studying the unknown. His wish was to auction this collection to raise funds to support young explorers and scientific projects.”
“This 18th-century handcrafted globe showcases the understanding of the world at that time, adorned with gold thread and gemstones, making it a valuable historical and collectible piece. Bidding starts at $500. Now, let the bidding begin!”
“Brother, bid on it! This explorer was from Veloria, and your current renewable energy project aims to collaborate with the Veloria government, right? Maybe this globe could serve as a gift.”
Axel raised his paddle. “$1,000.”
A smile of approval spread across Axel's face. “My little princess is finally showing some ambition. I’ll give you this renewable energy company. If you do well, you can come back to Missy City with me to meet my parents. Perhaps my mother will see you in a new light.”
I fell silent.
Three years ago, Axel found me, and I regained my memories, but I was still unwilling to return home. I told Axel, “I suspect my mother is the one who kidnapped me. I think she wants to kill me.”
Axel looked incredulous but respected my choice. “While it’s true that your mother favors Emma, she wouldn’t go so far as to kill you. Is it possible that there’s someone else involved?”
“Sorry, Amelia. I just want you to find more love, but I won’t tell anyone else, not even Lucas. What if he tells your mother?”
To take care of me, he moved to Toya City and started a company there. Now, three years have passed.
I shrugged. “I’m definitely interested in your project. Let’s talk about going home once I’ve achieved something.”
“Going once at a thousand dollars, going twice at a thousand dollars, going three times at a thousand—”
“Two thousand dollars,” came a voice from the back.
Everyone turned in surprise. In a charity auction like this, people usually work together for mutual benefit and to build relationships for future business dealings. Who would be foolish enough to drive up the price like this? Wasn’t that just asking for trouble?
Axel turned and shot a cold glare at Damian. Damian returned the look with a challenging smirk.
“Three thousand dollars,” Axel replied icily.
“Four thousand dollars,” Damian immediately countered.
The standoff between Damian and Axel cooled the once lively atmosphere, leaving everyone holding their breath.
“Five thousand dollars,” Axel said firmly, his tone as cold as ice.
Damian narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of disdain curling his lips. “Ten thousand dollars.” His voice dripped with provocation, clearly trying to rile Axel.
I leaned closer to Axel, whispering, “We don’t need to get into a bidding war. If he really wants the globe, let him have it.”
Axel turned to me, his expression sharp. “Are you worried about my money or his?”
There was a teasing softness in his voice, but his gaze was piercing.
“I’m worried about you,” I replied honestly. Axel had done enough for me; I didn’t want him caught up in a pointless conflict with Damian.
After a moment of silence, Axel’s demeanor shifted slightly, a smile breaking through as he nodded. “Alright, I’ll take your advice.” He lowered his paddle.
Seeing this, the auctioneer quickly announced, “Ten thousand dollars, sold! Congratulations to this gentleman!”
“Congratulations, Mr. Hansen, this collectible is yours!”
Damian stood up, bowing politely to the back of the room, and applause erupted around us.
I glanced at Damian, and his eyes locked onto mine through the crowd. I realized that what he truly wanted wasn’t just a piece of art; he wanted to regain control over me. But I was no longer the Amelia he once held sway over.
Vivian clapped her hands half-heartedly. She had no interest in the old globe; what a fool Damian was to throw away ten thousand dollars in anger right at the start!
To her left, Damian wore a sullen expression, glaring at Axel in front of him. He had noticed how Amelia had been chatting affectionately with Axel, as if they had known each other for over a decade.
How infuriating! Amelia had never been that affectionate with him!
Had she really moved on so quickly? Was that encounter just an excuse to get a divorce? He was determined not to let this pair of lovers succeed!
Next up was the “Song of the Forest Grand Piano,” a grand piano crafted from rare woods, beautifully carved with forest and nature motifs, renowned for its pure sound, and dubbed the “Song of the Forest” by musicians.
Axel's interest piqued. “Amelia, don’t you love playing the piano? What do you think of this one?”
“Come on, brother, we already have several pianos at home. No need to waste money,” I replied.
The piano fell into the hands of a piano dealer.
The third item was the “Dragon’s Breath Enamel Vase.” I wasn’t particularly interested in porcelain, just appreciating it from a distance.
The auction was in full swing.
The next item, the “Heart of the Ocean Necklace,” caught everyone’s attention. It was a diamond necklace sparkling with blue light, symbolizing the depth and mystery of the ocean.
Axel turned to me, his eyes filled with anticipation. “Amelia, what do you think of this necklace?”
“It’s beautiful,” I nodded.
Axel smiled. “Once I buy it, you can replace the Seraph’s Tear with this one.”
The auctioneer began, “Starting bid at five thousand dollars!”
“Six thousand dollars,” Axel raised his paddle without hesitation.
“Seven thousand dollars,” Damian quickly followed.
A murmur of disapproval swept through the crowd; the two CEOs were at it again.
“Eight thousand dollars,” Axel replied coolly, his raised paddle like a sword pointed directly at Damian.
“Nine thousand dollars,” Damian shot back, his voice laced with disdain, as if trying to provoke Axel further.
“Ten thousand dollars,” Axel remained unfazed, his tone still indifferent.
Damian’s brow furrowed slightly. After a brief silence, he slowly declared, “Twenty thousand dollars.”
The crowd gasped; it was clear now that Damian and Axel had some personal animosity.
“Thirty thousand dollars,” Axel mechanically raised his paddle.
Damian's anger flared. This Axel, having an affair with his wife, was so brazen about it that he was momentarily blinded by rage. He no longer cared whether this necklace would be a gift for his mother; he wanted to humiliate Axel with money instead.
Damian shouted, “One hundred thousand dollars!”
The auctioneer’s eyes sparkled with excitement at this. “One hundred thousand dollars once, one hundred thousand dollars twice, one hundred thousand dollars three times, sold!”
Axel turned, a faint smile breaking through his icy demeanor as he mouthed to Damian, “Fool.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle beside him.
The simple words felt like a sharp dagger, twisting in Damian's chest, making his heart feel like it might give out. Damn adulterer!Damian couldn’t bring himself to pay attention to the rest of the auction items. His mind was stuck on the look Axel had thrown at him earlier.He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when Vivian nudged his arm. “My painting, The Face of the Future, is up for auction now,” she said.Damian pulled himself together with difficulty. “Alright.”The girl in the painting bore such a striking resemblance to the two women present that whispers began to ripple through the room. Some people’s gazes shifted back and forth between Vivian and Amelia.“My God, they really do look alike,” someone murmured. “And now this painting resembles both of them. If you ask me, there’s no way this isn’t hiding some sort of secret.” “Look, the seller of this painting is Miss Vivian.” “But I think the girl in the pai
“If I sign this, does that mean you’ll marry Axel? Don’t dream. Farley family won’t choose a woman who’s been married before.”“I suggest you don’t dream either. You’re a cheating man. Unless you’re dead, I’ll never forgive you.”“I’ll say it again—I didn’t cheat on Vivian. I was just comforting her. She’s had a tough time abroad all these years. I once hurt her, and I owe her. You always used to understand that, but what’s changed? Are you going to keep causing trouble? I’ve apologized, and my patience has its limits.”“Save that for Vivian. Tomorrow, I’ll go to Hansen Manor to get the divorce agreement.”I couldn’t be bothered to waste any more breath and turned to walk away.As I strolled through the garden, I let out a deep breath, releasing the frustration building up inside me. Damian’s self-righteous attitude was suffocating.How could I have been so blind before?A waiter holding a tray hurried past me, and I quickly stepped a
“Vivian, you’re finally back! I thought I had lost you forever.”“Damian, I can’t forget how good you once were to me. I think we can start over. We've wasted ten years; we shouldn’t continue to waste our beautiful youth.”The man on top of the woman had golden curly hair. His features were hazy, but his outline was striking.He panted as he pushed her legs apart to fit himself inside.“I love you, Vivian,” Damian roared, losing himself in passionate thrusts.Suddenly, my phone slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. I jolted awake. What just happened? Did I just dream that my husband Damian was cheating on me? I tried to recall the woman from my dream; she looked just like me.“Amelia, you should go back. You look tired; please get some rest,” Damian’s grandmother said seriously, looking at me.“Okay, Grandma. I’ll go check on Damian.”
“She's just a substitute.”“She’s nothing more than a high-end toy that Grandma found for me to replace you.”Damian’s words echoed endlessly in my mind. I had always known that Damian's mother despised me, but I never understood why. It turns out I looked so much like Vivian!Just then, a sleek black Bentley Mulsanne silently pulled up beside me. The window rolled down slowly, revealing a pair of familiar eyes.It was my brother, Axel.“Get in,” Axel said, his voice as cold as ever.He yanked the door open and pushed me inside.Three years ago, Axel had found me after my memory loss, but back then, I was deeply in love with Damian and refused to leave. I married him without a second thought, and now I felt ashamed standing in front of my brother, facing this dismal outcome.Axel started the engine, and the car smoothly pulled away from the street outside Hansen Manor.Axel started the engine, and the car smoothly pulled away from the street outside Hansen Manor.“Why didn’t you come
The sales assistant seemed ready to intervene.“I’m the eldest daughter of the Hansen family,” Emily said haughtily. “Wrap up that dress for me; I’m buying it!”I calmly took out my bank card. “Sales assistant, please process my payment.”Emily stared at me in disbelief. “Didn’t you hear? Take off that dress right now—immediately!”The sales assistant took my card with both hands. “Sure, please hold on a moment.”Emily was getting frantic. “I’m the eldest daughter of the Hansen family! I order you not to process that payment!”The sales assistant remained unfazed. “Ma’am, you’re too late. Even if you are the Hansen family’s eldest daughter, you can’t break the rules.”After the transaction went through, the sales assistant returned my card to me.Emily's expression darkened, her gaze sharp as a knife. “You little tramp, where did you get the money to buy that dress?”“Have you been cheating? Amelia, you’re being incredibly bold today, showing me such disrespect. I should make you slap
Early in the morning, I received a call from someone who sounded furious.“Are you not coming home yet? How long is this going to go on? Who the hell is that man? You’re betraying me, Amelia! Don’t forget, you’re still my wife. Even if I don’t love you, you have to promise me loyalty!”What kind of lunatic is screaming?I hung up the phone without hesitation.Less than a minute later, my phone rang again.I switched it to airplane mode.I slept soundly until noon, feeling refreshed.Before marrying Damian, I had been focused on my studies. After marrying him, I turned down the olive branch offered by my advisor and rejected the opportunity to pursue a PhD, choosing instead to be a full-time wife.Honestly, that’s even more exhausting than studying for a doctorate.In the three years at the Hansen estate, I hadn’t slept in once.If I had known that breaking free meant a fresh start, I should have divorced him sooner!After turning off airplane mode, I received a text from my brother: “
Emily had been waiting for ages without seeing Damian and Vivian enter, so she decided to call Vivian. “Darling Vivian, why haven’t you come in yet?”Vivian replied, “Amelia just arrived with her male companion.”Emily gulped down a mouthful of juice. “She dares to show up? I’ll shove her face in the jam, and then—”Before she could finish her sentence, there was a quiet commotion at the door, as if everyone was trying to suppress their excitement. She looked up, and to her shock, it was Amelia!Emily immediately hung up the phone, seething with anger as she strode over, shouting, “Amelia, you little bitch, how dare you come here looking for trouble?”“Really?” A deep male voice echoed, and the man looked to be about 6'3" (190 cm) tall. He towered over Emily, who stood at only 5'5" (165 cm), creating an intimidating presence.Emily shivered, her capillaries tightening. She stammered, “Y-you’re that—”Axel’s expression was cold and polite, as if discussing something trivial. “Yes, I’m
“If I sign this, does that mean you’ll marry Axel? Don’t dream. Farley family won’t choose a woman who’s been married before.”“I suggest you don’t dream either. You’re a cheating man. Unless you’re dead, I’ll never forgive you.”“I’ll say it again—I didn’t cheat on Vivian. I was just comforting her. She’s had a tough time abroad all these years. I once hurt her, and I owe her. You always used to understand that, but what’s changed? Are you going to keep causing trouble? I’ve apologized, and my patience has its limits.”“Save that for Vivian. Tomorrow, I’ll go to Hansen Manor to get the divorce agreement.”I couldn’t be bothered to waste any more breath and turned to walk away.As I strolled through the garden, I let out a deep breath, releasing the frustration building up inside me. Damian’s self-righteous attitude was suffocating.How could I have been so blind before?A waiter holding a tray hurried past me, and I quickly stepped a
The simple words felt like a sharp dagger, twisting in Damian's chest, making his heart feel like it might give out. Damn adulterer!Damian couldn’t bring himself to pay attention to the rest of the auction items. His mind was stuck on the look Axel had thrown at him earlier.He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when Vivian nudged his arm. “My painting, The Face of the Future, is up for auction now,” she said.Damian pulled himself together with difficulty. “Alright.”The girl in the painting bore such a striking resemblance to the two women present that whispers began to ripple through the room. Some people’s gazes shifted back and forth between Vivian and Amelia.“My God, they really do look alike,” someone murmured. “And now this painting resembles both of them. If you ask me, there’s no way this isn’t hiding some sort of secret.” “Look, the seller of this painting is Miss Vivian.” “But I think the girl in the pai
As I chatted with Axel, the auction began.“Ladies and gentlemen, our first item for bidding is the Voyage of Dreams Antique Globe.”“This antique globe once belonged to a world traveler who dedicated his life to exploring and studying the unknown. His wish was to auction this collection to raise funds to support young explorers and scientific projects.”“This 18th-century handcrafted globe showcases the understanding of the world at that time, adorned with gold thread and gemstones, making it a valuable historical and collectible piece. Bidding starts at $500. Now, let the bidding begin!”“Brother, bid on it! This explorer was from Veloria, and your current renewable energy project aims to collaborate with the Veloria government, right? Maybe this globe could serve as a gift.”Axel raised his paddle. “$1,000.”A smile of approval spread across Axel's face. “My little princess is finally showing some ambition. I’ll give you this renewable energy company. If you do well, you can come b
Emily had been waiting for ages without seeing Damian and Vivian enter, so she decided to call Vivian. “Darling Vivian, why haven’t you come in yet?”Vivian replied, “Amelia just arrived with her male companion.”Emily gulped down a mouthful of juice. “She dares to show up? I’ll shove her face in the jam, and then—”Before she could finish her sentence, there was a quiet commotion at the door, as if everyone was trying to suppress their excitement. She looked up, and to her shock, it was Amelia!Emily immediately hung up the phone, seething with anger as she strode over, shouting, “Amelia, you little bitch, how dare you come here looking for trouble?”“Really?” A deep male voice echoed, and the man looked to be about 6'3" (190 cm) tall. He towered over Emily, who stood at only 5'5" (165 cm), creating an intimidating presence.Emily shivered, her capillaries tightening. She stammered, “Y-you’re that—”Axel’s expression was cold and polite, as if discussing something trivial. “Yes, I’m
Early in the morning, I received a call from someone who sounded furious.“Are you not coming home yet? How long is this going to go on? Who the hell is that man? You’re betraying me, Amelia! Don’t forget, you’re still my wife. Even if I don’t love you, you have to promise me loyalty!”What kind of lunatic is screaming?I hung up the phone without hesitation.Less than a minute later, my phone rang again.I switched it to airplane mode.I slept soundly until noon, feeling refreshed.Before marrying Damian, I had been focused on my studies. After marrying him, I turned down the olive branch offered by my advisor and rejected the opportunity to pursue a PhD, choosing instead to be a full-time wife.Honestly, that’s even more exhausting than studying for a doctorate.In the three years at the Hansen estate, I hadn’t slept in once.If I had known that breaking free meant a fresh start, I should have divorced him sooner!After turning off airplane mode, I received a text from my brother: “
The sales assistant seemed ready to intervene.“I’m the eldest daughter of the Hansen family,” Emily said haughtily. “Wrap up that dress for me; I’m buying it!”I calmly took out my bank card. “Sales assistant, please process my payment.”Emily stared at me in disbelief. “Didn’t you hear? Take off that dress right now—immediately!”The sales assistant took my card with both hands. “Sure, please hold on a moment.”Emily was getting frantic. “I’m the eldest daughter of the Hansen family! I order you not to process that payment!”The sales assistant remained unfazed. “Ma’am, you’re too late. Even if you are the Hansen family’s eldest daughter, you can’t break the rules.”After the transaction went through, the sales assistant returned my card to me.Emily's expression darkened, her gaze sharp as a knife. “You little tramp, where did you get the money to buy that dress?”“Have you been cheating? Amelia, you’re being incredibly bold today, showing me such disrespect. I should make you slap
“She's just a substitute.”“She’s nothing more than a high-end toy that Grandma found for me to replace you.”Damian’s words echoed endlessly in my mind. I had always known that Damian's mother despised me, but I never understood why. It turns out I looked so much like Vivian!Just then, a sleek black Bentley Mulsanne silently pulled up beside me. The window rolled down slowly, revealing a pair of familiar eyes.It was my brother, Axel.“Get in,” Axel said, his voice as cold as ever.He yanked the door open and pushed me inside.Three years ago, Axel had found me after my memory loss, but back then, I was deeply in love with Damian and refused to leave. I married him without a second thought, and now I felt ashamed standing in front of my brother, facing this dismal outcome.Axel started the engine, and the car smoothly pulled away from the street outside Hansen Manor.Axel started the engine, and the car smoothly pulled away from the street outside Hansen Manor.“Why didn’t you come
“Vivian, you’re finally back! I thought I had lost you forever.”“Damian, I can’t forget how good you once were to me. I think we can start over. We've wasted ten years; we shouldn’t continue to waste our beautiful youth.”The man on top of the woman had golden curly hair. His features were hazy, but his outline was striking.He panted as he pushed her legs apart to fit himself inside.“I love you, Vivian,” Damian roared, losing himself in passionate thrusts.Suddenly, my phone slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. I jolted awake. What just happened? Did I just dream that my husband Damian was cheating on me? I tried to recall the woman from my dream; she looked just like me.“Amelia, you should go back. You look tired; please get some rest,” Damian’s grandmother said seriously, looking at me.“Okay, Grandma. I’ll go check on Damian.”