GOODBYE, SIMON

ANIKA’S POV

I was seated next to Felicia at the auction, but somehow Bree and Simon thought that it was the bright idea to take a seat right opposite us.

“This is a rare gold necklace worn by the Queen of England herself-”

“I want this one, Simon,” she said, eyes wide as she jabbed at a glittering necklace.

Simon didn’t hesitate. “Whatever you want,” he said and gestured to the auctioneer to bid.

“This is a diamond bracelet-”

“Can I get this one as well” she bat her lashes at him. Simon juts smiled at her “ok”

I rolled my eyes so hard I was surprised they didn’t get stuck.

She might as well get the entire items to herself, such a waste of money.

That and the fact that she was looking at me after every request like it was meant to mean something to me seemed to annoy me to no end.

“I’m annoyed,” Felicia hissed beside me, her voice low but sharp enough for only me to hear.

I just smiled, calm on the surface though a storm was brewing inside. “It’s not worth it, babe,” I said softly, laying a hand on hers.

Felicia shook her head. “I know, but how can he just act like his wife isn’t just… here?”

I corrected her gently, the word tasting bitter on my tongue. “Ex-wife,” I hissed, barely moving my lips.

“I know,” she whispered, frustrated. “But he doesn’t know that.”

I just looked away from them, the both of them no longer affected me.

Just then, the auctioneer’s voice cut through the low hum of conversation, a sharp edge of anticipation in the room. “Ladies and gentlemen, we present a very special item tonight—a Fabergé egg, rare and exquisite. Bidding starts at one million.”

My chest tightened as I looked at it.

It was exactly the same one.

My grandmother had given me this exact type of Fabergé egg when I was younger, ore of as a keepsake before she died. Back then I was careless, and one day I had broken it on accident. I remember how much I cried for days.

Even now, I felt like looking at it brought me closer to my grandmother again. I turned to Felicia “I need to have that egg” I said.

“If you want it Anika, then bid for it, I’ll support you”

Without thinking, my hand shot up. “Five million,” I said, my voice firm, surprising even me.

Gasps erupted around the room. The air seemed to thicken, heavy with disbelief and excitement.

Bree’s hand immediately landed on Simon’s arm. “I want that!” she squealed, eyes sparkling with mischief.

Simon smiled at her indulgently, the look sharp and infuriating. “Whatever you want,” he said, and then he raised his own hand. “Five point five million.”

I glared at him, my teeth gritted so tightly I could feel the ache in my jaw. “Seven million,” I shot back, my voice trembling with anger.

He didn’t flinch. Instead, he calmly raised his hands “ten million”

The auctioneer cleared his throat, and Simon’s eyes met mine, daring me to bid again. The fire in me wanted to, screamed at me to, but… I couldn’t. I dropped my gaze. He had won.

“With no further bid, the egg is gone for ten million!”

Bree leapt to him, squealing, arms wrapping around his torso. “You’re the best, Simon!” she gushed, her laughter ringing in my ears like nails on a chalkboard.

I felt something break inside me, angry tears stinging my eyes.

This same Simon who had promised to help me get that egg. He knew how miserable I was when I had broken the one I had. He had sworn to get me the exact same type to replace that on, and now, just when it was just within my grasp…. He was the same person to take it away from me.

And all for what?

Bree didn’t even care about the egg, she just wanted to be cruel.

I stood abruptly, ignoring the rustle of fabric and shocked glances around us. Felicia followed silently, her hand brushing mine softly and we both walked out.

Simon followed after me and grabbed my arm. He looked too casual like there was nothing wrong at all “It’s just an egg, Anika. Stop over-exaggerating. I’ll get you another one.”

I snatched my hand from his hold, spinning to face him. “You know what that egg meant to me, and yet you did this?” I asked “You already gave her everything, why couldn’t you let me have that one thing?”

He was silent for a while then he said “I’ll get you something else just let Bree have this”.

I nodded my head, he really didn’t care.

A soft, syrupy voice cut through the tension.

Bree came up right beside Simon like somehow she was the victim in all of this “You can have the egg if you really want it, Anika. Please don’t blame Simon.”

Bree’s fake sweetness made me want to spit.

“I don’t want it” I said.

“Simon just got it because I wanted it, if I had known how important it was to you I would have never asked…. Come on take it”

 She held out her hands, and then, with the cruelest of smirks, let it fall to the floor. The Fabergé egg shattered in a spray of colored fragments, glittering and broken under the harsh lights.

Bree’s voice cracked as she started to cry, theatrics over the top. “Why do you hate me so much?”

She placed her hand on her chest, like she couldn’t breathe properly.

Felicia shoved her lightly, exasperated. “You are such a liar.”

Simon took Bree and hugged her tightly to himself glaring at Felicia.

“You know Bree has a weak heart, do you want to kill her?!”

I stopped Felicia with a hand on her arm, my eyes still locked on the shards of glass and enamel at our feet. “It doesn’t matter,” I said softly, almost to myself. “It’s gone now.”

I knew in my heart that I was not talking about the just the egg… everything was gone, my love, my forgiveness, my understanding. Every shard of feeling that I ever felt for Simon, or thought I did was all gone.

Felicia’s gaze snapped to Simon, sharp eyes that glared at him like they wanted to shoot bullets. “You will regret this Simon, but by then it will already be too late.”

Simon scoffed. Then he looked at me like he was looking at an immature person that was just throwing a tantrum, like he did not even care to understand my feelings. “Stop being unreasonable Anika” he said.

I scoffed.

Of course that was all he had to say, after everything that had gone on, and yet I was still the unreasonable one.

I turned to look at him one last time. “Goodbye, Simon.”

His brow furrowed at the bite in my tone, but he didn’t press. “I’ll see you at home,” he said, the words trailing after me.

I said nothing, just looked at Felicia.

“Let’s go,” I murmured, my voice steady though my chest felt hollow.

If only he knew, that there would be no meeting at home after this.

This goodbye, was forever.