“That’s enough!” Grayson could no longer pretend. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at me and yelled, “Amara, put her down this instant. The man in that video is me!”

Silence crashed over the hall. I looked up slowly.

He locked eyes with me and, for a moment, I saw a frantic flicker beneath his bravado. His voice softened, pleading. “Sweetheart, it’s my fault. I can explain. Punish me however you like. But Alyssa’s innocent. She’s carrying my child.”

Alyssa? The woman he’d claimed he wanted dead for revenge.

I stared at him, cold as death. “What about our child? Do you expect me to just accept that he’s gone?”

He launched into a rehearsed line as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Alyssa agreed. When her baby’s born, she’ll give it to you to raise. Boy or girl, the child will inherit our wealth. We’ll be a happy family of three.”

His shamelessness stunned me. I stood there for two seconds, then laughed through my anger. “You lied to me. You tricked that woman, made her lose her child, and now you expect me to raise your bastard? You actually think that’s a gift?”

“Grayson,” I said slowly, “aren’t you afraid my child will come back to collect?”

His face hardened. “What do you mean by ‘bastard’? It’s our child. When did you get so cruel and petty? I’m disappointed in you.”

When I stayed silent, he sighed theatrically. “Amara, please. Let her go. I’ll only let Alyssa see the baby five times a week. Isn’t that punishment enough?”

I was so furious I laughed. Then I slapped him hard across the face, each word squeezed out between my teeth. “Let her go? Don’t make me laugh.”

I pointed to the man who’d just bade the highest and stated, “Mr. Bishop, Alyssa’s yours. Enjoy.”

Mr. Bishop hesitated for a heartbeat, so I reminded him, cool as ice, “Whether you want her or not, I'm not going to refund your money.”

That pushed him over the edge. He quickly grabbed her and dragged her offstage toward the lounge.

Grayson started forward, but I stepped behind him and warned, “If you go in there today, Grayson, we’re finished.”

He froze, body stiff, eyes nearly bleeding. Then a woman’s scream rang out from the lounge.

“Grayson! Help me… ah—”

Amara's POV

At that moment, Grayson completely lost control and burst into the lounge like a madman.