All Chapters of The Marriage Auction: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

He was trying to hawk my new ride at a steal, thinking he could line his pockets and play me for a fool. I seethed inwardly.I bit back my fury, gave my workers the nod, and we started to head out.However, Harold clamped onto me, oozing arrogance. "Jim, you really want to cross me? One word from me, and my sister will dump you. You'll be left a lonely old man no one wants."With that, he spat right in my face; A clear insult.The workers inhaled sharply, scrambling to hand me tissues. I wiped the vile spit away, again and again, but it just would not come clean. All I could do was wrench away from Harold's grip and grit out, "Go on, call Ella now. Let's hear what she has to say."…When he saw the anger on my face, Harold froze for a moment. Then he glanced at the bespectacled man beside him, who was clearly enjoying the show, and immediately straightened up and began lecturing me as if he were completely in the right."I just think a small business owner like you has no busine

The living room looked like a frat party gone wild, with a dozen randos guzzling booze like it was the end of the world."Matthias, man, you've got it made in the shade with this mansion. We're all living it up thanks to you," one of them toasted.""Totally, and that sweet ride, a cool 150 grand, don't forget to toss us a bone," another added.Matthias Jamison was eating up the adoration, grinning like a Cheshire cat."This place? It's just a starter. I'm gonna snag a villa that'll blow this one out of the water. This joint will be Pop's retirement pad."He was Harold's kid, alright. It looked like he was playing king of the castle while I was out of commission.In your dreams, buddy.I felt the rage bubble up, and I let it rip, "Everybody out, now!"The room went dead silent.Then Matthias sneered, "Look who's talking, you blind cripple. You're the one who should hit the road."His words were like a slap in the face, and I was about to clap back when a ruckus upstairs cut me

I should have been the one to say that last line to her.I gave her my heart, my trust, and the best of everything.What did I get in return? My mother's death at her hands and Harold's.Fighting through the pain wracking my body, I got to my feet, ignoring her tantrum.I tried to make a beeline for the cops, who were being blocked by Matthias and his cronies, but Harold, handcuffs and all, came at me swinging."Think playing the mute will save you? Today, you'd better come clean about calling the cops, or I'll beat you to a pulp."His threat was audacious, utterly disregarding the cops right there.I tried to sidestep his blow, but with only one good eye, I barely missed Harold's fist,only to be caught in Ella's relentless barrage.She spat venom with each strike. "Just look at you, a filthy beggar, you make me sick."Out with it, was it your dead mother, always scheming behind our backs, who told you to rat us out? She's always been green with envy at my happiness."Her w

She paused, a look of surprise flashing across her face before she slipped into a cloying sweetness. "Jim, why are you avoiding me? You're being so annoying."Her voice was so forced it sent shivers down my spine and made me feel sick.Gone was the refreshing gentleness she once had, replaced by an overdone slickness that turned my stomach."I don't want to see you again. Leave."My voice was ice, and it stopped Ella in her tracks.Tears pooled in her eyes as she looked at me, searching my face for answers she could not believe.Then she saw the prosthetic eye, and her voice dropped to a whisper."Jim, I'm so sorry. I had no idea Harold would do something so terrible, to hurt you like this."I didn't realize pushing your mom down the stairs would kill her. Now he's locked up for life."She dabbed at her tears, her voice breaking, "Let's just put the past behind us, okay? From now on, we'll have a good life together. That's all that matters."How could she be so shameless as t

Naturally, I could not wait to share the news with Harold, who was behind bars. He reacted exactly as I expected, losing his temper, pointing at me, and yelling, "You heartless fool. You're loaded. Why toss my sister aside?"You should be splitting your fortune with Ella, and that means my boy gets his share." He was clearly eyeing my fortune, dreaming it would all end up with his kid. Dream on. Harold's tantrum quickly brought the guards running, and they hauled him off. Frankly, his life sentence was getting off easy. My visit today had a dual purpose, to rile him up and to make sure the other inmates would 'take good care' of Harold from now on.The only true revenge for my mother was to make him suffer a living hell.However, Harold could not take the heat. In just six months, he was a broken man, both in body and mind.When he got shipped off to the psych ward, I had my guys dig a little deeper. Turns out, he was playing us all.The game was not over. In some places, al