Chapter 114 Her Promises to Another Man
Austin Robinson thought he had mistaken someone else for her when she first walked in, catching only a glimpse. Now, certain it was her, he said, "I thought it was you when you walked in - and it really is."
Taking the seat next to her, he sprawled out, exuding a carefree confidence, "Checked out the catalog? See anything you like? It's on me."
Each seat had been furnished with a catalog detailing the day's auction items.
Before Winona could respond, Zachary's bone-chilling voice cut in, utterly snarky, "Mr. Robinson, I believe your seat isn't here."
Only then did Austin notice Zachary's presence, and with a raised eyebrow, he asked, "Winona, who is this?"
Their eyes met across the distance: one audacious, the other stoic.
In the quiet depth of Zachary's eyes, he stretched an arm around Winona, a gesture that screamed possession, "I'm her husband."
"Husband? You're married?" Austin, out of the loop during the interviews, eyed Zachary's hand resting on Winona's shoulder, his face clouding over. Quickly grabbing her arm, he said in a tight voice, 'When? You promised you'd marry me."
Austin Robinson and she had been classmates – the school bully who became even more domineering after his father forced him to join the military.. The bully had turned into a tough soldier, his presence now even more commanding.
Caught up in a surge of emotion, his voice came out like a roar.
Winona was blindsided by his outburst. "What?" she exclaimed.
Since when had she agreed to marry him?
They were classmates, sharing high school years and then university grounds. Austin Robinson was known for his straightforward nature, sense of loyalty, and protective streak. Winona, during her turbulent days clashing with Layla, was as stubborn as they come. Initially, the two of them barely interacted until their mentor devised a peer-tutoring strategy to boost grades, pairing her up with Austin Robinson for guidance.
Her directive was clear: boost his score by fifty points within two months.
Pairing the academic ace with the notorious tough guy was like mixing oil and water; they hardly got along at first, often coming to blows. Although Robinson was fierce, he had a strict rule against hitting girls. Winona, however, played by no such rules; if he dared neglect his studies, she wouldn't hesitate to get physical, laying into him with gusto.
Through these scraps and squabbles, a friendship was forged.
Robinson, with his sharp features and assertive demeanor, was not a man to be easily swayed. "It was the night before I enlisted."
Winona strained to remember that evening, but it had been so long, and the alcohol of that night blurred her memory. Robinson had rambled on for over three hours, and heaven only knew what oddities had slipped into his monologue.
Zachary grabbed Robinson's hand that was holding Winona's. "Mr. Robinson, show some respect."
"It's okay; marriages can end in divorce."
Their voices almost overlapped...
Zachary tightened his grip, his fingers whitening with the pressure, nothing like the gentle hold on Winona. His stare was icy as he issued a threat veiled in mockery, "Eager to play the lover, I see. Quite the dishonor to your ancestors."
Robinson, who could play the rogue when he wanted to, has no equal. "No issue; I'll just take a number, wait for your split, and make my move. Seems you two aren't doing so great; could be any day now."
Zachary's eyes darkened with menace, and a silent contest of strength played out between their hands, too close to call. "You won't get the chance."
Robinson was poised to retort when the auctioneer, clad in a cheongsam, gracefully ascended the platform, signaling the start of the auction. Lydia stopped chatting and made her way over, prompting Robinson to refrain from further comment. He rose to his feet, flashing Winona a "call me" gesture, and said, "We'll be in touch."
Everyone settled into their seats as the auction began. Winona's revelation as Mrs. Bailey had just made waves, and most of the room was curious to see the woman who had captivated the Bailey family's notoriously cold and distant patriarch.
Standing six-foot-two with an impressive stature, Robinson's presence only drew more eyes to her.
Even without looking, Winona was acutely aware of the many gazes fixed on her.
In such moments, all she could do was nod.
After Austin Robinson left, Zachary shifted his attention to the podium, where the first auction item had been placed by the staff. He spoke in a cool tone, "Looks like Mrs. Bailey has quite the flair for games, even getting into the whole promise-play, huh?"
"I'm just friends with Austin, cut the sarcasm, will you?" she retorted.
"Friends? What, like a guy bestie?" Zachary quipped with a sly grin.
Winona glared at him. "Even if he were, it's none of your business."
"You're my wife; if I don't have a say, who does? Who do you want meddling in your affairs?"
"As long as it pleases me, I'll listen to whoever I want. Except for you."
Zachary's gaze shifted from the jewelry displayed on the stage back to her, he leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "Don't provoke me, unless you want to give the ladies here a show of our passionate marriage."
Winona was speechless.
She had forgotten Zachary's shamelessness.
Turning her head away, she scanned the seating area for Fiona, unsure if she'd still be allowed in without Zachary's invitation.
The crowd wasn't large, and Winona's eyes swept over them, spotting Fiona at last, seated on the edge of the last row. At the moment Winona looked over, Fiona also met her gaze.
Winona raised her eyebrows at her, only to see Fiona's smile quickly sink.
Typical Fiona, Winona thought. After suffering such embarrassment, she'd usually storm off, yet here she was, not only staying but also seated in the auction hall with a bidder's paddle, evidently set on winning something.
As the items listed in the brochure diminished, it was time for an emerald bracelet. Fiona raised her paddle.
The bracelet's clarity was exquisite, gleaming and transparent, and it wasn't cheap to bid—a ten-thousand-dollar increase with each bid.
The price skyrocketed from an opening bid of $1.2 million dollars and began to slow only after hitting $8.2 million dollars. Winona glanced sideways and saw Fiona's tense face.
"$8.2 million dollars for the first time. Will anyone raise the bid? $8.2 million dollars for the second time..."
Fiona's lips slightly curved up in relief.
Then Winona raised her paddle.
"$8.7 million dollars," announced the auctioneer, with a voice that perfectly played up the atmosphere.
Zachary turned to glance at her, "Like it?"
"Yeah," Winona replied, one hand propping her cheek, the other waving her number paddle.
Fiona raised her paddle again, this time shooting the bid up by one million dollars—clearly she was determined to win.
Zachary commented offhandedly, "Doesn't suit you."
Though the gem had clarity, its color was too mature, not fitting for a young woman like Winona.
Winona turned to him, batting her eyelashes playfully, but her words were anything but, "I just might want it anyway."
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