Chapter 4

“Please, just let me have it.”

Oliver looked at me silently, saying nothing more. I rose to my feet recklessly, shouting with all my strength, “Three million three hundred thousand.”

It was all the savings I had accumulated over the past ten years. If Oliver raised the bid again, I would have no other choice.

To my surprise, Oliver put down the bidding paddle and didn’t raise the price again. I was still in disbelief and shock when the bracelet was presented to me.

My hands trembled as I handed over my card and reached for the jade bracelet. But someone grabbed my hand.

“Mrs. Cerano, there’s no money left in your account.”

I felt as if I had been struck by lightning. “How could that be? There’s clearly…”

Quina walked over with the jewelry and jade she had just bid on, smiling sweetly at me. “Mrs. Cerano, I just used your card to pay. Thanks for the apology. I won’t hold it against you for scaring me earlier.”

Something inside me broke at once, instantly. “Give it back! Give me my money back!”

I grabbed her hand and shouted at the auctioneer, “I didn’t bid on these jewels! Go collect payment from Oliver! Give me my money back.”

Quina pushed me in fright, the jewels in her hand striking my cheek and eyes, leaving bloody scratches. I released her hand in pain, covered my eyes and squatted down.

Through the blur of blood, I saw Quina slip and fall to the ground, clutching her stomach and wailing. Oliver pushed through the crowd and rushed to her side.

“Quina, what happened to you?”

Quina pointed at me through tear-filled eyes. “Honey, she tried to snatch the jewelry from me! But these were gifts from you! I refused to give them up, so she pushed me. Please help me get justice!”

I staggered to my feet, wanting to explain I hadn’t pushed her, but she’d slipped on her own.

The enforcer hesitated, explaining, “Mr. Cerano, the one who pushed her was.”

Quina clung to his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. “It hurts so much, honey, it hurts! Is the baby going to be okay?”

In that instant, Oliver lost all sense of reason. He scooped her up and turned to leave me.

His voice, cold and decisive, said, “Whoever dared lay a hand on my woman won’t get away with it today. Whichever hand pushed her, I’ll break that arm. If anything happens to the baby, I’ll make his entire family pay.”

I lay on the ground, pinned down by the thugs like a dead dog. I cried out his name, “Oliver!! It’s me!”

Before my words faded, the baton struck both my arms, pain surging through my entire body. I couldn’t utter another sound, collapsing limp on the floor. Oliver’s gaze darkened sharply as he turned to look.

“Who just called my name? Was it Paula?”

Before he could get a clear look, Quina, in his arms, began crying again. Oliver didn’t dwell on it, striding away quickly.

Passing guests stared at me, discarded like trash at the doorway with my broken arm limp and limp, their jaws dropping.

“And we thought Mr. Cerano was madly in love with her. Turns out it’s nothing special.”

“I heard Mrs. Cerano’s father is that mining tycoon surnamed Frassinetti, who’s got deep connections with the newly appointed anti-corruption chief in New York.”

“Don’t you think Mr. Cerano is risking a crackdown and retaliation by treating her like this?”

A wave of snickering rippled through the crowd. “You didn’t know? Mrs. Cerano ran away from her wedding for love years ago. Her father disowned her long ago.”

“He hated her disobedience so much he declared she’d be chained to Oliver for life. If she ever regretted divorcing Mr. Cerano, he’d kill her.”