The latter stammered for a while before stutteringly confessing, “She sent… pictures... of fish being eaten. I didn’t think it was important, so I deleted them for you.”
Marcus’s breath grew heavy. “Who told you to make that decision?”
But the moment her tears fell, his scolding words caught in his throat.
Melody's POV
“Forget it. Let's watch the auction first. We’ll deal with this later.”
When the auction began, Marcus didn’t even glance at the items and simply raised the stakes all the way. As such, a collective intake of breath rippled through the room, while my face went cold.
Lot after lot fell under the hammer. When they reached the last three items, I jumped to my feet.
Those were my mother’s bracelet, the God statue my father had sculpted, and the antique my grandfather left me.
I called over the auction staff. “Those three stays with me no matter the price.”
Their faces went pale. One of them stammered, “Miss, you know the rules in the auction. Don’t put someone like me in such an awkward position. Maybe you should speak to Mr. Stokes directly?”
As suggested, I went to Marcus’s private box. But before I could say anything, Judy pointed at the stage and said, “Marcus, those three are my favorites. I want them.”
Marcus’s expression hardened. “Didn’t you just say those things were tacky?”
“Well, I want them now. Aren’t you going to give them to me? I’m pregnant, you know. When the baby is born, I’ll tell him his dad is cheap!” She threw out the last remark like a weapon.
I paused, looking at her flat stomach that hadn’t swelled yet. So that was it. This woman had the nerve to come after me because she was carrying his child.
Marcus’s face grew cold. “Melody, I promised these to Judy. If you like them, I can find similar ones later.”
“You know what these things mean to me.” My voice went cold.
Eight years ago, our syndicate was massacred by enemies, and those family heirlooms disappeared. I killed hundreds of their men, but the man responsible never spoke until Marcus put him through a month of torture and finally got him to confess.
Marcus’s tone was controlled but angry. “They’re items from the dead. Do you have to care so much? I told you I would make it up to you later. For now, give those to Judy. You owe her, remember.”
Then he leaned back as if settling the matter.