The annual auction in Oakwood was a tradition my father and I shared.

Today was particularly significant; my mother's belongings were up for auction.

The owner of the auction house, an old friend of my father's, had reserved front-row seats for us. As the auctioneer announced the next item, my heart skipped a beat. It was my mother's ruby necklace.

"One million," I called out without hesitation.

"Five million."

A few seconds later, another bidder raised the stakes, and the price skyrocketed.

The voice was familiar.

I turned around and saw Anton's assistant, his eyes darting away as soon as they met mine.

He couldn't possibly afford five million dollars. It had to be Anton's money.

Seeing his expression, I realized who this necklace was meant for.

That woman, Skylar Hall, was now Anton's new favorite.

...

"Isn't that Anton's assistant?" my father recognized, his brow furrowing. "Is he bidding for you? Didn't you tell him you were coming today?"

I shook my head, a lump forming in my throat.

It had been over a month since Anton last came home, and we hadn't spoken in ages.

Even if I had told him, he wouldn't have cared.

Seeing my expression, my father seemed to understand something. His face darkened, and he raised his paddle. "Six million."

"Ten million." Without hesitation, the other bidder raised his paddle again.

"Fifteen million."

"Thirty million."

My father's hand trembled, and he seemed to hesitate, but eventually, the paddle fell weakly onto his lap.

Our family's business was small and short of funds. We couldn't compete with that kind of money.

The gavel struck three times, sealing the deal.

My father and I watched helplessly as my mother's necklace was sealed back in their box and taken away. We had lost interest in the rest of the auction.

As soon as it ended, I got up and walked towards Anton's assistant.

"Roland," I called out to him.

He paused, turning to face me with a look of unease.

"Why are you here at the auction?" I asked, hoping against hope that Anton hadn't sent him.

Before he could answer, a lively female voice came from upstairs. "Ms. Barnett, he came with me."

I looked up to see a girl descending the stairs in a pink halter dress.

She wore the latest cute makeup, with a round, rosy face and a petite figure.

She was delicate and adorable. This was exactly Anton's current type.

He was desperate to divorce me for her.

...

The VIP area was upstairs, reserved for those with enough money and status.

Ironically, as Anton's wife, I didn't have the privilege, but Skylar did.

She approached me with a feigned innocent look.

"Anton knows I like ruby necklaces, but he's out of town on business and couldn't make it back, so he sent Roland with me to bid," Skylar said with a sly smile. "I didn't expect you would also be interested in this necklace."

I met her gaze, my voice as cold as ice. "You should address me as Mrs. Stark."

"Oh, I must have forgotten." Skylar feigned surprise, her hand fluttering to her mouth in a mockery of coyness. "But then again, you're on the brink of divorce. I suppose the title barely applies anymore, doesn't it?"

She was nothing more than an employee at the Stark Group, yet she stood before me with no trace of fear.

She knew my status was hanging by a thread, and she was eager to snatch it away.

"Roland," she snapped her fingers, "fetch the necklace. Anton just landed and will be here shortly. He's dying to see me draped in this little bauble."

The thought of my mother's necklace around her neck made my stomach churn, but I kept my composure for my father's sake.

"Skylar, every piece has its price. Name yours, and I'll pay in installments," I said.

She pouted, a grotesque parody of innocence. "But I promised Anton that I'd wear it to our candlelit dinner tonight. Why don't you come along and ask him yourself?"

"Meet him? Absolutely not!" My father's voice boomed from behind me.

He stormed over, grabbing my arm. "You're going to divorce him right now."

"Dad, wait!" I tugged at his sleeve. "The necklace, Dad. It's still with her."

"Forget about the necklace. Just come with me," he said, trying to take me away.

As I refused to move, he looked at me with deep frustration. "He's treating you like dirt and dragging our family through the mud. You can't possibly want to stay with him."

I avoided his gaze, my voice barely a whisper. "Dad, I need to talk to him."

He threw his hands up in exasperation. "There are plenty of fish in the sea! Why him?"

I looked down, a lump forming in my throat.

There were indeed plenty of fish, but Anton was the only one who had stolen my heart.

My father stormed off, leaving me to face Skylar's scorn alone.

Roland returned with the necklace, and Skylar smirked.

"Come with me."

I followed her out of the auction hall. Outside, I saw our car—the one we'd chosen together.

I'd favored white, but Anton had preferred black. He'd chosen white without a second thought.

I asked him why he hadn't chosen black since he traveled frequently. He had told me, "I'm buying this car to take you to places you like. It's your car, Erica. Your favorite color, your choice."

Skylar slithered into the car and sat next to Anton.

As I remained outside, he rolled down the window. The eyes that had once held galaxies of love now regarded me with arctic indifference.

...

"Anton," Skylar purred, "I finally got the necklace, but she wants it too. She's asking me to give it to her. What should I do?"

I stared at Anton. "It's my mother's heirloom."

He knew the hell I'd gone through after her death, the emptiness she'd left behind. All that remained of her was that necklace, found by someone amidst the wreckage of the car accident.

To my dad and I, the necklace was a souvenir of the time we had spent with my mom.

I saw Anton's pupils constrict for a moment, but in the next breath, he draped his arm around Skylar's shoulder. His voice was cold and distant as he said, "Since it's so important, why didn't you get it from the auction?"

My gaze fell to his hand. There was still a faint tan line on his ring finger.

"I don't have that kind of money," I admitted.

"That's your problem." Anton looked at me, his eyes as hard as stone. "If you had agreed to divorce me earlier, the compensation would have been enough to buy that necklace."

His words struck me like a dagger, twisting deep into my heart.

"So, you're helping Skylar get it just to force me into a divorce?" I asked, each word tasting like poison on my tongue. "Anton, how could you do this to me?"

"I have no feelings for you anymore, Erica," he replied.

...

That day, I left without the necklace.

Anton's last question echoed through my thoughts like a haunting refrain as I sat on the couch, staring at the coffee table and the paintings that adorned our living room. Each piece was a testament to the dreams we once shared.

'How could he suddenly fall for someone else?' I refused to believe it.

Even though Anton paraded Skylar around like a trophy, and everyone who knew us whispered about his newfound love, I couldn't bring myself to sign those divorce papers.

I wasn't ready to give up on us.

My eyes drifted to our photo on the table, and for a moment, I was transported back to when we first met.

We were just kids in high school. I was a studious overachiever, but he was a rebellious troublemaker who sat behind me, tugging at my braid.

I'd turn around, ready to scold him, but he'd just hand me a note.

[Erica, I like you. Do you want to give it a try?]

From that day forward, he was there every morning, waiting at my doorstep and walking me to and from school.

My parents found out first, and then word reached his parents.

Our families even have dinner together because of it.

"You're still students. You shouldn't be dating," said his mother. "You don't want to ruin Erica's future."

Anton nodded, agreeing outwardly, but under the table, his hand found mine.

...

In our senior year, my mother died suddenly in a car accident.

The vehicle was engulfed in flames, leaving nothing but charred remains.

My father aged overnight, his business crumbling under the weight of his grief. I was devastated and diagnosed with depression.

I couldn't go to school, and Anton took time off to be with me.

He patted my head and held me. "Erica, don't be sad. You still have your dad, and you still have me."

With his support, I slowly began to heal, managing to take the college entrance exam, though my scores suffered from the trauma.

To stay by my side, Anton gave up a better school, choosing a university in the same city.

I told him he was being foolish, but he just smiled, taking my hand in his. "What if you get noticed by another guy at college? I can't go to another city."

It was the first time he'd said something so sweet, making me blush and my heart race.

I gathered my courage and asked, "What do you see me as?"

Anton was taken aback, his ears turning red.

"Isn't my intention clear enough?"