THERE’S THIS AUCTION-

Anika

“I did not know that what you were going through all of this all this time.”

I smiled softly at Felicia. She was my best friend—well, to be fair, she was my only friend. Fierce, bold, loyal to a fault. The kind of person who would burn bridges for you without a second thought. I think the only reason I never told her about everything with Simon was because I knew she would make me do something about it. Something reckless. Something final.

Back then, I had still been blinded by the love I thought I had for Simon. I had believed, foolishly, that my love would be enough to make him love me back someday. I was naïve, but now, I was smarter than that.

Her eyes blazed like fire, and her jaw ticked. “I knew that I never liked him—I should—”

I held up a hand and stopped her. “No need. We are already divorced.”

She froze for a moment, then tilted her head. “How did he take it?”

I said nothing. And to be honest, I really didn’t need to. I could feel her studying me, taking in the way my shoulders slumped, the way my hands twitched nervously in my lap. After a few long seconds, she gasped.

“Anika… you didn’t tell him?”

I nodded once.

“This is… messed up.”

I folded my arms, keeping my tone even, though my chest felt heavy. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll be gone soon anyway.”

“You’re leaving?” Her voice broke slightly, disbelief layered with hurt.

“Yes,” I admitted, softly, but my resolve was firm. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

“How long?” Her hands gripped mine, tightening like she was afraid I might just vanish before her very eyes.

I heaved a long sigh. “I’ll be gone by tomorrow.”

Tears pooled in her eyes. I took both her hands in mine, feeling the soft tremble in them. “I’m sorry, Felicia…” My throat tightened, words catching in the back of my throat. “I just… I feel like I don’t have another choice.”

It would have been more than understandable if she hated me right now. I mean, who drops a bomb like this on a friend? Who keeps secrets so long and then just… leaves? Our friendship meant so much to me, but if she never wanted to speak to me again, then I would understand.

She shook her head slowly. “You’re not wrong, Anika. I just… I wish I had noticed something sooner,” she said.

I squeezed her hands tighter. “You are the best person in the world, Felicia. None of this is on you.”

She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, forcing a smile. “You know what? Let’s just have fun today.”

I arched a brow at her. “Fun? What do you have in mind?”

“There’s this auction—”

I cut her off immediately, shaking my head. “No. I hate all those stuck-up events. You know that.”

As if I hadn’t already suffered through enough of them with Simon, standing at the corner as the diligent ‘secretary’ that I was, and I use that word very lightly, while he always took the spotlight…. It all just made me sick.

 “Please, Anika. It’ll be fun. Plus, 70% of the proceeds go to charity for children with cancer. Doesn’t that count for something?” she pleaded.

I hesitated.

“Come on, Anika,” she said again “I promise you won’t regret it”

Felicia was nothing if not persistent, and it was not a surprise when I finally gave in. “Fine.”

She squealed “we will have a good time for sure”

“We better”

The auction hall was enormous, chandeliers dripping like melted crystals from the ceiling. The scent of perfume and power mixed together in the air, a heady cocktail that made me feel both out of place and completely in my element.

People were everywhere—women in towering heels and men in suits that screamed authority. But I kept close to Felicia, letting her drag me from one display to another.

Felicia dragged me to see some of the items that she had interest in bidding on, and I can’t lie I was actually having fun, maybe even thinking of some things I was interested in myself-

Until we saw them.

Bree. Simon.

What were they even doing here?

Bree clung to Simon, their hands intertwined like a real couple. The way he led her softly, taking her to look at item after item while she shamelessly pointed at the ones that she wanted.

He had never been like this with me before, in all years we were married. The only time he had even show PDA was when he kissed me on our wedding day. And now, here he was playing husband for the sister of his actual wife.

Well, ex-wife bu he will find that out soon.

I froze, Felicia’s hand tightening on mine. “Disgusting snakes,” she hissed under her breath.

She wanted to storm over and give them a piece of her mind, but I grabbed her arm. “Stop. They’re not even worth it.”

I wanted to turn away, to just walk off and leave, but apparently, that wasn’t allowed. It was as if he read my mind—Simon looked up, and our eyes met.

He made no move to step away from Bree, no sign that he had seen me except for the slight widening of his eyes.

Bree, of course, caught sight of me too. Her lips curved into that devious smile, and before I knew it, she was waving. “Anika! HI!!” Her voice rang out so loudly that people nearby turned to see what the commotion was.

I waved back stiffly, trying to keep my cool. But Bree wasn’t done. Within seconds, she was dragging Simon toward me, her grip like a vice.

“I hope you’re not angry that I came here with your husband,” she said, her tone dripping with fake sweetness. “He just wanted to make it up to me because I was sick.”

Innocent? Please. I could see through every ounce of that bullshit. I smiled, but there was no fond emotions behind it. “You can have him.”

Simon frowned, his gaze snapping to me. “What are you doing here?”

I shrugged casually. “It’s an auction. What else would I be doing here?”

“You weren’t home, and I got you a gift,” he said, as if that somehow mattered.

Felicia, never one to hold back, cut in, her voice steady but icy. “You both are despicable.”

Bree gasped, her eyes suddenly filling with fake tears. “I’m not trying to take your husband, Anika! Why do you hate me so much?”

I rolled my eyes, the motion sharp and unamused. I turned to Felicia, muttering under my breath, “Let’s just go in… I’m tired of looking at scum.”