The auction party

|Raven’s POV|

‘I shouldn’t be here’ That was what I thought as I stepped outside the hell I was temporarily kept in. My jaw ticked in annoyance as I took in the entourage and display of wealth lined up for the auction party.

It’s been three days since my father’s demise and my stay with Raphael. A part of my face hurt from where he had smacked me because I refused to consummate the marriage and the arson attempt on one of his jewelry stores only added to my misery because he took the anger on me, claiming I was cursed.

But unfortunately, he refused to let me go.

A loud honk resounded in the silent estate snapping me out of my thoughts. With my heart pounding in my chest, I took a deep steadying breath and walked towards the white SUV which Raphael was inside.

The driver gave me a curt nod, opening the door for me. 

I was met with the familiar scent and a tightened jaw. He barely glanced at me before ordering the driver to move.

I could feel his heated stare on my body but I loathed being beside him so I just stared at the journey ahead.

Leaning closer to me, his navy blue suit brushed my arm lightly and I stiffened “Aren’t you forgetting something?” He whispered.

Scrunching my face up, “What is that?” I questioned.

I followed his gaze to my hand before realizing that he was looking at my ring finger.

Shit! I had forgotten the ring I was given earlier.

Gripping my chin in a rough caress “You think I wouldn’t notice you are not wearing your ring. You will put it back on and never take it off. Or you will wake up tomorrow with it glued to your finger.” He threatened.

He slipped the band into my finger, the metal felt heavy, suffocating and blinding, illuminating the dimly lit car. My eyes burned with tears but I didn't want to ruin my make-up. I was too young to go through all of these.

I was just twenty-two and I was grieving like a fifty-year-old widow who had lost her love to a painful death. I shivered as I felt his cold hands on my bare thigh, but luckily for me, he rested there without making any funny moves.

A tremor started in the thigh he palmed. The tremor moved up my arms, creeping into my vessels and veins. My lungs tightened and every breath I took closed them a little more.

Black spots danced in my vision.

I grabbed the leather seat, before doing the ritual I was taught.

“1”

“2”

In. Out

His nails dug into my bare thighs, “We are here.” His grip was choking and felt like a warning.  He brushed my arms lightly “You would stay by my side and not say a word. You know what happens when you defy me right?”

I bobbed my head like a puppet, too scared to talk because I didn't trust myself not to sob in front of him and that was the last thing I wanted. He slipped the mask on my face and fastened the rope at the back of my head.

------

Ten minutes later, we walked into the hall with our hands joined together. I could feel hundreds of gazes on us but one felt intense. Like it was burning into my skin but I dared not look. The only person my eyes had to be on was Raphael.

My eyes scanned the room, the hall was filled with elegant dresses and tuxedos plus beautiful and colourful masks. These events were parts of me so I didn’t worry about blending in, from the corner of my eyes, I could see some of the ladies glaring at me because their husbands or dates wouldn’t stop looking at me.

Raphael made sure they knew who I belonged to as he brought my fingers up his lips and kissed my ring, my cheeks reddened and my face burned with embarrassment.

How I wish the ground could open and swallow me in. 

Asshole.

Leading me to the front row, his whisper caressed my neck. “I am going to give my speech. Behave like a good girl.” He advised before walking to the podium.

Curiosity burned down my lungs, and the feeling of knowing who was intensely staring at me spread throughout my body so I craned my neck. Clutching my purse and scanning the crowd.

A waitress passed by and my fingers clutched a glass of champagne, taking a sip.

Awareness tickled in the back of my mind and my gaze drifted to the lone tall figure standing in the furthest part of the room. My glass halted at my lips.

Broad shoulders. Black suit. Smooth lines. Black mask. Lean muscles.

The intensity of his stare made my knees weak, the atmosphere was magnetic and it was as if I was under compulsion. I felt a part of me awaken, the feeling was familiar yet unease coiled around it like a snake wrap. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t break our eye contact and it was as if there was an invisible force of attraction pulling us together.

I felt Raphael approaching before I heard his voice “What are you looking at?” Raphael questioned, following my gaze but he was no longer there.

He clenched my jaw roughly and kissed me on the lip. The champagne swirled lightly in the glass as I stilled, I felt sick in my stomach and pushed him. I shoved people apart and walked as fast as I could to the ladies' restroom that I had seen earlier.

Closing the door after me, I threw up the content that I had eaten before leaving the house  into the cold porcelain. I heaved and quickly rinsed my mouth before fixing my make-up.

I felt someone slip inside and I met their gaze in the mirror. I paused after noticing the glare and scowl on her beautiful face.

“She isn’t even that pretty. I don't know why he can't keep his eyes off her.” She huffed out.

My lips formed an ‘O’ shape after realizing she was having a girls’ issue which is none of my business.

“I am talking about you though. Do you know Alistair?” She shoved her face in front of the mirror.

My brows furrowed and I turned to her. “Excuse me. Are you talking to me? Who the hell is Alistair.”

“The guy in black mask that you are staring at as if your long lost love had just returned,” She spat.

I averted my gaze and noticed that my cheeks were already a deep shade of red. I didn't notice that someone had witnessed our interaction but thankfully it wasn't Raphael. Who knows what he would have done?

She threw me a dirty glance and stormed off the room angrily. I walked outside after fixing my dress.

By the time I got to the hall, I realized that some activities had taken place, but I looked at the man on stage and tuned his voice back in. “Hmmm……. and you all know how we do this,” The host trailed off.

“We save the best for the last. This is a special edition neck piece that comes with a condition.” He continued after taking a long pause.

He opened the transparent lid, “Whoever bids highest for this neckpiece shall get to ask the CEO, Raphael Lau anything, and whatever the request would be accepted,” The host hummed.

The necklace took my breath away, it was a tear-drop design that was carved into a bird-like shape. The diamond was black, the wings more shining than the stone.

“Okay, the Raven gemstone price starts at twenty million,” He boomed.

“Twenty-five million,”

“Thirty million,”

“Thirty five million,”

“Forty million,” Another person yelled, raising his bidding board.

Grinning toothily, the host said, “Do we still have bidders in the house?” 

“Fifty million,”

“Fifty five million,”

“Sixty million,”

I knew this was an auction merely disguised as a shitty show of money but the five foot alpha men trying to throw their dominance around in the form of money made my stomach churned.

“Seventy million,”

“Anyone? If there is non-” He questioned, scanning the crowd to see if any board was up.

“Hundred million,” 

“Two hundred million,” a different voice called out, oozing dominance and authority. We all whipped our heads in the direction to see who was crazy enough to spend such an amount on a neckpiece. My breath hitched when I saw him.

“Going….. Going for two hundred million, and there we have our highest bidder.” He proclaimed before sealing the lid.

Raphael dug his hands into my thigh “Wait…how could he bid a neckpiece for two hundred million?” 

“You shouldn't be bothered. He is patronizing you. You became 200 million richer.” I muttered.

The host bowed slightly, “Congratulations….. You are now the exclusive owner of the only piece available in the Raven edition,” He announced.

Each step was taken with precision as he walked towards the podium. His grey eyes became almost pitch black as he looked at Raphael's hand on my hip but he averted his gaze swiftly.

I felt hot under his stare, and something flipped in my belly, realizing that this powerful man couldnt stop staring at me.

The host glanced at me, his eyes lingering on my bare thigh before shifting his attention to my husband “Now, it is time for your special condition….. Put your hands together as we welcome Raphael Lau on stage,” He drawled.

Raphael walked towards the podium, stretching his hands to the mysterious man, “Thank you, gentleman. It was a pleasure for you to have such a beautiful gemstone, which has slowly become my favourite in just a few hours,” Raphael chuckled awkwardly and withdrew his hand when the stranger refused to shake it after accessing it like it was full of germs. 

Bile rose in my throat, but I knew he wouldn't permit me to leave his side the second time, “Wow, the bastard even launched his new neckpiece in my name…. I can see why he insisted that I accompany him,” I scoffed in disbelief.

The stranger’s eyes clinically swept over Raphael, “You’re welcome. It is worth every single penny.”

The black masked man knew  he had the power and how to wield it. Something gnawed in me that this man might be the most powerful and dangerous in our midst. 

No one or nothing beat his aura.

Raphael shifted lightly from one foot to the other, his unease growing at the anonymity and authority oozing from Mr handsome “Definitely. Please ask me anything you want, and it will be given to you,” Raphael assured.

His grey eyes were accessing, calculating and it seemed he knew about everything that happened inside the hall “Anything?”

He smirked after Raphael gave a curt nod, then his eyes snapped to mine and he pointed his index finger at me. “Good, I want her. I want the Raven herself.” He requested.