The venue was nothing short of breathtaking.Celebrities,politicians and business tycoons mingled in designer gowns and tailored suits,sipping champagne and trading smiles.
Lennon stood beside me,usually affectionate.He placed a warm hand on the small of my back,leaned in close and whispered into my ear.
"Whatever you want tonight,it’s yours."
I gave him a faint smile and said nothing.
Then,just as the next item was about to be introduced,the massive auction screen flickered.And in an instant,the feed switched.
A single image appeared.An image of me.
My hair tangled.My body was limp and exposed.Unconscious.
Gasps echoed through the room like breaking glass.
"What the hell is this?"Lennon shot to his feet,his face draining of color,then quickly reddening with fury.
The host scrambled to regain control,but the screen only grew more grotesque—photo after photo,each one faked but disturbingly convincing.Then,a shaky video.
"Oh my god…isn’t that Meredith Shepherd?"
"I always thought she was so elegant.No one could ever imagine she did something like that behind closed doors.
The whispers came like a storm,crashing into me from all directions.My skin went cold.I felt as though I had been plunged into a frozen lake.
None of it was real.I knew it.
But who would do something this cruel?
Then I turned my head and there she was.Winona Myers.
She stood at the back of the room,holding a glass of wine,her lips curled into a smirk.Slowly,deliberately,she mouthed the words,"You’re finished."
"Mr.Shepherd,please,we’re so sorry—"The auction manager rushed over,drenched in sweat as he tried to explain.
Lennon grabbed the man by the collar,his voice erupting.
"Shut it down!Now!Or I’ll make sure this place never hosts another event again!"
The man nodded frantically and ran to the control booth.
However,the damage was done.
Lennon turned back to me with eyes colder than ever."Meredith,what the hell else are you hiding from me?"
I tried to speak,but my throat locked up.No sound came out.
Slap!
This time,the blow was harder than before,knocking me clean to the floor.
My ears rang.My mouth filled with blood.I tasted iron as red droplets dripped onto the soft,pale carpet beneath me.
Lennon looked down at me,his voice filled with nothing but loathing.
"You really disgust me."
Then he turned,plucked a flash drive from his pocket and threw it to a nearby waiter.