A sleek, black envelope arrived at the penthouse by 8:30 a.m. Amelia stood in front of the mirror, taking her reflection in. A mere week ago, she had lost everything. She had been pointless, reeling in a pole that was a mere wcjo of the one she used to know. But now, with Coulter'a help, she would be going right back to her office. The office she worked hard for, even better. Her eyes closed as she adjusted the dress, then walked to the door. She had expected Coulter. He had been silent ever since he dropped her back off at the penthouse last night. She opened the door, and to her surprise, there was no one. Just a black, sealed envelope with nothing but an X inscription in gold at the back. She took it and slowly opened it, her eyes scanning the words. It was an invitation to a private, prestigious auction, and one of the auctioned items was shares from a particularly, obscure company. Shares that were enough to elevate even a dying company. Without hesitation, she call

"Don't you dare talk about him like that!" Amekia said all of a sudden, her eyes wide with all the fury she has contained from the penthouse incident to the Nasdaq bell ringing mishap. "He is the best man I know and...""Oh really?" Melissa said, laughter echoing in the hall as she turned around, gesturing to Amelia. "By all means, high society elites like us are going to listen to the words of a woman who spread her legs wide open in prder to get a mere IPO. Everyone knows exactly what you are. A prostitute disguising in the ocersized clothes of a CEO. A wanton woman who opened her legs for a man who was too vulnerable after the divorce with his wife to actually know he was getting in trouble!"Coulter's jaws stiffened, and without a word, he moved, pushing Amelia behind him, so he was face to face with Melissa. Amelia was shaking from blind rage, her chest heaving hard as she struggled to contain herself and not bring more chaos to the already big crowd of people. She could hear t

The auction began.The first peace was a vintage men's watch, an item that Coulter used to be the owner of after he placed a secret bid on it years ago at ten million dollars. "The starting price for this watch is eighteen million!"Coulter only stared at the watch. He had gotten tired of the watch, and that's why he had added it to the auction list."Eighteen million," A woman said from the back, her voice high.The crowd erupted in a deafening applause. "Is there any other bid?"Melissa turned to Amelia who was staring down at her paddle. "Won't you place a bid? Your boy toy's birthday is in mere weeks. You should get him the best gift for a little manwhore."Amelia's eyes widened as she turned to Coulter who had been absentmindedly staring st the watch. Something inside of her broke.He looked like he wanted the watch, but now she placed a bid now, she would definitely mot have any money for the X shares.She swallowed hard."Go on," Melissa said, as she raised her own paddle. Sh

Caleb swallowed hard, his eyes slowly scanning the entire room. Melissa way hed him expectantly, her eyes wide. The Caleb she thought she knew would easily afford not just twenty million dollars, but fift if he needed to. Hundred if it got to that point."Caleb?" She called, her voice low, coaxing.Coulter watched him with the eyes of a keen manipulator, his fingers tightening on his phone. Ian had such beautiful timing. Knowing how fat Coulter's ego was, he wouldn't come back empty-handed, even if he went bankrupt and in debt over it.And that was exactly what Coulter wanted. For him to be bankrupt, in debt, and empty-handed."Another anonymous offer just came in! Fifty million dollars! The necklace is now worth fifty times its original price!"A lull fell on the crowd. Ragged whispers, gossips seeping into every seat. All eyes mow watched Caleb with renewed interest. "Sir? Will you bid again now that your original bid has been rendered invalid?"Caleb bit down on his lips. Hell, th

Coulter's eyes settled on the document of the X shares. His eyes gave nothing away, even as Amelia held on to his arm, her eyes a mix of anxiety and dawning realization that the shares could never really be hers."Starting bid, Hundred million!" The announcer yelled again, gesturing frantically towards the shares. "Anyone?"A paddle went up at the far back. "Hundred million."The announcer nodded, seemingly unimpressed. "We have an offer for Hundred million! Any counter offers?"Meanwhile, Melissa rested her hands on her waist as she watched Cole pacing around, her eyes thin. "What are you going to do now? About the X shares? You know how much I want those! Are you really going to sit there and watch aome stupid anonymous bastard take everything from me? Are you really going to watch that akut and her little houseboy laugh at me?! You saw what happened at the Nasdaq ringing. You saw it! Those snakes know how to charm people with my secrets and their bodies! Are you going to...""Of co