Austin hurriedly put his phone away, his eyes flashing in slight guilt as he changed the topic.
"I just asked you to wait for a moment. There's no need for you to look so down and upset about it. I'll try my best to overcome my phobia next time. There'll be other opportunities soon."
My heart clenched when I saw the casual and even disgusted look on his face.
He could fully enjoy sexual pleasure whenever he was with Carol, and his "mysophobia" certainly didn't happen then.
However, when it came to me, he would probably never "overcome" his phobia and physical aversion to me.
I clench my fists tightly, no longer able to feel any physical pain.
Meanwhile, Austin rummaged through his wardrobe for his suit while casually remarking, "Go and shower. I'm bringing you to an auction with me. I heard that there's a highly anticipated last lot for the auction this time around.
"Practically everyone is going for it tonight. Let's go and join in on the fun."
I felt as though I'd been electrocuted as soon as I heard him say that. I shook my head in terror and refused.
"I'm not going. I'm not planning to bid on any collectibles anyway."
At that, Austin's expression turned dark instantly.
"What's with the tantrum? And to think that Carol even told me to bid on a few more jewelry sets for you this time. Why are you still acting like a spoiled child at your age now?
"I don't care. You're going there even if you don't want to. Ever since we got married, all you do is just cook and clean, and nothing else. Even the maids don't have anything to do anymore. Anyone would think you were trying to steal their jobs.
"You are coming out with me to see the world tonight if it's the last thing you ever do!"
My gaze fell on my rough, battered, and calloused hands. I suddenly found everything just too hilarious to be true.
I had been compromising and accommodating to his so-called "mysophobia" for so many years that I washed the bedsheets twice a day in the morning and at night, and also hand-washed his clothes every day.
As it turned out, he only saw it as me acting like a maid after all. He even thought that it was unseemly.
Austin's patience wore thin when he saw me staring at my hands. He dragged me off and shoved me into my personal "disinfecting bathtub".
After I was done washing up, he looked like he was mustering all of his courage to dry me off with a towel, his disgust clearly visible on his face.
When he was done drying me off, he then disinfected himself once more before dragging me into the car.
As soon as we arrived at the auction house, I saw everyone clinking champagne glasses and discussing the upcoming auction.
When Carol caught sight of me, she immediately rushed over with a smile on her lips as she carefully examined my hands.
Both my hands were bright pink from being washed with disinfectant. My skin was also as thin as a membrane and even covered in red rashes.
"You've got such delicate skin, Stella! I heard that Austin can't even bear to touch you for fear that you'd break, right?"
Just a split second later, someone exposed her unexpectedly and said, "Of course not! It's not because he's afraid of hurting her—it's because he just simply doesn't want to touch her at all! Otherwise, how could she still be a virgin after five years of marriage?"
Another wave of laughter rose and fell, overwhelming me without mercy.
I frowned. My face burned as I said coldly, "Are you all done yet?"
Austin clicked his tongue in displeasure, his eyes turning dark and dangerous.
"You're not happy about being praised as a virgin? Don't you know praise when it happens to you? Anyone else would have been ecstatic to hear that. Don't be so ungrateful."
When the others saw that my expression was still as icy as ever, someone picked up a glass of wine and handed it to me, saying, "Yeah, he's right, Stella. Don't be such a spoilsport. They were just praising you.
"Here, have a drink. This wine is very expensive."
I looked around, noticing everyone's gazes fixed on me.
I immediately understood why as soon as I recalled that they were going to auction off my virginity. I pushed the glass away coldly and said, "Wasn't this only supposed to be an auction? I don't drink."
Austin's grip tightened on his wine glass, his knuckles turning white. He was barely able to suppress his anger as he growled, "If you still refuse to behave yourself when we're still being nice to you, you're going to have to suffer the consequences later.
"I already said that you've gone mad from staying at home all day. You can't even take a joke, and you even refuse to drink now. What the hell do you want, exactly?"
