Chapter 6

The private suites at the auction were separated by movable partitions.

Everyone attending was either wealthy or powerful, and a few ambitious social climbers had paid for access, hoping to make connections. The organizers encouraged it, even allowing guests to slide open the partitions if both sides agreed.

After a long silence, someone on the other side knocked on the panel.

Chloe didn’t respond.

Vanessa, however, rose to her feet, unlocked the latch, and slid the divider open just a few inches.

Through the narrow gap, Chloe met Brian’s eyes. His expression was dark, his gaze sharp with irritation.

Chloe lifted an eyebrow, her face calm, as if she were looking at a stranger. She turned to Vanessa instead.

“Sit down. The auction’s about to start.”

Vanessa smirked. “I was just curious to see what kind of garbage some people are so eager to eat.”

She and Chloe had grown up together. Years ago, after Chloe chose to stay in Riverton for Brian, Vanessa had been furious and cut contact. They only reconnected recently, and this was the first time Vanessa had seen Brian in person.

Chloe said nothing. Vanessa’s jab had technically hit her too, but she let it slide.

Brian’s face darkened further. His eyes stayed locked on Chloe as he took a step forward.

Vanessa stepped in front of him, smiling coldly. Her bodyguards, who had been waiting in the shadows, moved instantly to her side.

“This suite is private property,” she said. “Not every piece of trash gets to walk in.”

Brian’s jaw tightened. He glanced past her to where Chloe sat, poised and beautiful under the warm light.

“Chloe,” he said in a low, commanding voice. “Come here.”

Her lips curved slightly. “If I go over there, your pretty little girlfriend might lose her sparkle. I wouldn’t want to ruin your night.”

Candice’s face went white, her body stiff.

Vanessa motioned for the bodyguard to raise the divider, but Brian lifted his hand and blocked it, his expression cold.

The air tightened instantly, charged with tension.

Brian’s expression soured. He glared at Chloe, his voice heavy. “You really not coming?”

It was the tone he used before he lost his temper.

Chloe nodded once. “I’m sure.”

There was a time she would’ve done anything to keep him calm, to avoid another fight. But now, even if he dropped dead in front of her, she wouldn’t blink.

“Mrs. Shaw, we were just joking around,” one of the men tried to smooth things over. “Mr. Shaw’s about to marry you—he’d never—”

Vanessa cut him off sharply. “Shut your filthy mouth. Don’t lump her in with that scumbag. She’s NOT married to him.”

Her voice was loud enough for half the floor to hear. The nearby suites went quiet.

The man’s face froze. He recognized the insignia on the guards beside Vanessa—one of the country’s top private security firms. Hiring them cost seven figures at least.

He suddenly realized Chloe wasn’t just some woman who’d built a company with Brian from scratch. The connections she had now were on a whole other level.

The others, who had been ready to jump in, wisely kept their mouths shut.

Candice’s eyes were red as she stood up, looking as if she’d just suffered the greatest humiliation of her life.

“Mr. Shaw, please don’t argue with Miss Spencer because of me,” she said, her voice trembling. “You’re letting everyone laugh at you. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have come. I’ll leave right now.”

Brian frowned, the tension in his face softening just slightly.

Chloe rose from her seat.

Thinking she would back down for the sake of appearances, Brian straightened up, ready to smooth things over. He assumed she’d help him save face, that she’d never humiliate him in public.

But instead, Chloe walked right up to the partition, slid it shut, and turned the lock with a sharp click.

“Chloe Spencer!”

His furious voice echoed from the other side of the wall.

She didn’t even blink. She sat back down, her expression calm.

Vanessa followed, grinning as she sank into her chair. “Honestly, I thought you might actually go over there.”

Chloe kept her gaze fixed on the auction stage. “Do I look like someone that pathetic to you?”

Vanessa slipped an arm around her shoulders, resting her cheek against Chloe’s. “Not pathetic. Just blind for a few years.”

Chloe gave a small, humorless laugh.

The auction was about to begin, but the noise from the next suite didn’t stop.

Candice’s voice came through, soft and tearful. “It’s my fault. I made Mr. Shaw and Miss Spencer fight. I should go over there and apologize, make it clear that nothing’s going on between us.”

No one else dared to speak.

Brian’s cold voice finally cut through. “Don’t.”

The auction began its opening preview. The sound of Candice quietly sniffling carried faintly through the partition.

Eventually, there was a knock at Brian’s suite.

“Mr. Shaw,” the host’s representative said politely, “some guests have complained about the noise disturbing the auction. Please keep it down. We hope everyone enjoys the evening and finds something they like.”

Brian’s face turned to stone.

Candice stiffened, humiliated. She had already been embarrassed by Chloe, and now even a staff member dared to lecture them.

“There’s noise coming from plenty of other rooms too!” she snapped.

One of the sycophants beside Brian sneered, “Maybe that guest just wants an excuse to get close to Mr. Shaw. We can give him the honor, tell him Mr. Shaw will cover his suite fee if he comes over and apologizes.”

The words drifted through the wall. Chloe frowned in disgust.

Brian stayed silent.

Since Vision Studio had gone public, he had been surrounded by people like that—flatterers, opportunists, men who laughed too loudly at his jokes.

He’d started to believe his own hype. And arrogance always came with a price.

After a few murmured apologies from the organizers, the commotion finally died down.

Brian didn’t cause any further scenes, but he found a new way to provoke her.

Every time Chloe lifted her paddle to bid, his suite immediately followed, raising the price.

Several items she’d wanted ended up in his hands.

He seemed to be enjoying himself, even sending her a message halfway through:

[Brian Shaw]: See something you like? I’ll buy it for you.

[Chloe Spencer]: You just spent a fortune on junk. Not one of those things is worth liking.

[Brian Shaw]: You’re doing this on purpose?

Chloe glanced at her phone, then ignored him and placed another bid.

This time, he didn’t follow. She won the item, a delicate bracelet she planned to give her sister as a gift when she returned to Brookshire.

A new message came in.

[Brian Shaw]: Thought I’d keep bidding, didn’t you?

[Chloe Spencer]: Thanks for sitting this one out. Saved me a lot of money.

He didn’t reply.

But Chloe could already picture his face. Jaw clenched, eyes cold, fuming behind that wall. And for the first time in a long while, she almost smiled.