Lucas quickly slammed the door shut with a loud, echoing bang. The baby in my belly stirred uneasily, frightened by the noise. Normally, I would have thrown those macarons back at his face. This time, I chose to eat quietly for the baby’s sake as my baby needed the nutrients.
When both Lucas and Veronica were gone a few days later, I took my debit cards and slipped out of the house. As I was in my final month of pregnancy, I moved awkwardly to stop a cab. Then, I sat in the back seat of the cab like a waddling penguin.
The driver glanced at me through the mirror and said kindly, “Ma’am, please be careful. You’re carrying precious one now.”
I met his friendly smile and suddenly my nose tingled. It had been so long since anyone had spoken to me with genuine warmth. When we stopped, I closed the car door and gave him the address. It was a place I hadn’t visited in ages.
“Christie’s London Auction House, please.”
I wanted to prepare something valuable for my baby. A gift to secure his future. The driver looked surprised.
“That’s where the wealthy go, ma’am! There’s really an auction house there?”
I just smiled and gently stroked my belly without replying. The auction house wasn’t open to the public. Only people with assets over a hundred million pounds were invited. It was a secret circle for the elite.
When we arrived at the Christie’s London, I followed my memory and walked toward the entrance. But before I could go in, the security guard stopped me.
“Madam, you’re not allowed to enter.”
My chest tightened. I used to walk in and out of this place freely. However, Lucas had always been by my side back then.
I pulled out several Coutts World Silk Cards as I told him, “Oh, please. Just verify the funds!”
One guard accepted them with a polite bow, but when he checked, his face turned hard.
“How dare you try to fool us? Do you even know where you are?”
“If you weren’t pregnant, I’d have kicked you hard already!”
Both of them insulted me harshly, which hurt me.
“Isn’t there enough money in the accounts?” I asked, confused.
Those cards were made of pure platinum, custom-made for me by Lucas. Each one was supposed to hold more than enough. Yet, I had never used any of them before.
“This account is empty. Who are you trying to trick?” the guard who verified the funds asked coldly.
For a moment, I just stared at the card. When Lucas first gave it to me, I truly believed he loved me. Back then, I thought his feelings were sincere.
Now, I realized everything. The affection, the promises … all of them had been nothing but a show. What I once believed to be love was just his way of passing time. And I, in his world, was nothing but a fool performing for him.
Quietly, I took back the card as I lowered my gaze before turning to leave. But before I could take another step, I stumbled straight into someone’s arms.
“Excuse me,” I said quickly.
When I looked up, I saw surprise flicker across the man’s face but it then softened into recognition.
He held my wrist gently. Finally, he asked, “Are you … Yvette Bennet?”
His face was familiar. Suddenly, I remembered who the man was. This was my childhood friend, Andrew Marlowe. When he was six years old, his grandfather had taken him overseas. From then on, we had lost contact ever since.
“Excuse me,” I muttered, brushing off the dust from my clothes, trying to step aside.
I didn’t dare meet his eyes. I was pregnant, awkward and worn down. Meanwhile, Andrew stood tall in a tailored suit, confident and polished.
The security guard, seeing this, sneered as he commented, “Sir, this woman’s a nobody. She’s just pretending to be rich. We’re throwing her out.”
I lowered my head even more, like an ostrich hiding in the sand.
“How dare you talk like that! Do you even know who this lady is?” Andrew shouted angrily as he walked towards me.
The two guards could only look at Andrew fearfully before looking back at me. After that, they quickly lowered their heads.
“Mr. Marlowe! We’re sorry, Sir. We didn’t realize she was your guest!”
For the first time in a long while, someone stood between me and the cruelty of the world.
