Chapter 7

The auction began. Famous painting after famous painting appearing on stage. I barely paid attention until my mother's painting was brought out.

"The next piece is 'Prayer Under the Moonlight.' Starting bid, five hundred thousand!"

The auctioneer's gavel rang out.

I immediately raised my paddle. "Six hundred thousand."

"Eight hundred thousand." Clara's voice rang out from the VIP section, as casual as if she were just making small talk about the weather.

"One million." I pushed on, gritting my teeth, sweat in my palms.

"One million and five hundred thousand." Clara was still perfectly at ease, even giving me a little smile.

My hand trembled. That amount was already past my limit.

People around us started to whisper, all drawn in by the bidding war. Some were guessing at our identities, others were discussing the painting's origins.

"This bidding war is quite exciting! Both of them must really want this piece."

"I heard it's from an old, prominent werewolf family."

"Two million." Clara raised her paddle with elegance, turning and smiling at me. "Why don't you give up, Aurora? It's just a dead woman's junk. Is it really worth it?"

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. This wasn't junk. It was my mother's most treasured painting.

The auctioneer began to count down, "Two million, going once… Going twice…"

"Wait!" I shot to my feet, turning toward Damian, sitting in the back row.

Only then did his gaze finally fall on me. Swallowing my pride, I stumbled over and grabbed his sleeve with trembling hands.

"Lend me money," I said quietly, almost pleading. "Please, I'm begging you."

Those words drained everything from me. I had never begged anyone for anything in my entire life.

I was Aurora. I had never bowed my head to anyone. Yet, I was willing to give up all my dignity for my mother's keepsake.

Damian looked at me, mixed feelings in his eyes. He slowly reached for his black card.

"Damian!" Clara burst over, tears in her eyes as she grabbed his hand. "You can't help her go against me!"

She started crying instantly.

"I really love this painting, Damian, please."

Damian's hand froze in midair.

I watched him, desperately waiting for his choice.

For a second, I almost believed that maybe this time, he would choose me. Maybe, just once, he would stand by my side.

After a long silence, he slowly pulled his hand back.

He didn't even look at me, and said quietly, "Let her have it."

In that instant, my entire world collapsed.

"Two million, third and final call! Sold!" The auctioneer's gavel slammed down, every strike pounding into my chest.

I watched as Clara claimed the painting, despair almost spilling out of my eyes.

After the auction ended, I blocked Clara's path.

"What do you want for the painting?" My voice was hoarse. "I'll pay you three times the price. Six million."

Clara tilted her head, pretending to think. "I don't want money. Money means nothing to me."

"Then what do you want?"

"Alright, then. I want you to admit in front of everyone that your talent in design is fake," Clara said.

People nearby started to whisper among themselves.

She didn't stop there.

"And I want you to grovel at my feet and apologize. Admit that you've bullied me your whole life," she added, her smile sickly sweet.

Everyone stopped to watch. Several people pulled out their phones, eager to record.

I closed my eyes. My knees started to buckle. For my mother's only keepsake, I was willing to give up even my last shred of pride.

Just as I was about to kneel, Clara suddenly started laughing.

"Oh, I forgot to mention! I already shredded the painting. Why would I ever keep something like that? What a shame! It was such a beautiful painting, too, but it belonged to a dead woman. You'll never get it back."

Time seemed to freeze.

All sound disappeared, except for the sound of my own heart shattering.

My mother's last work, destroyed by this cruel woman.

Her pale face flashed through my mind. That painting was her favorite.

But now…

Before I even realized it, I grabbed a heavy silver trophy from the table and smashed it down onto Clara's arm.

"Ah!" Clara's scream echoed through the auction hall.