Then he leaned down beside me and pressed the power button on my laptop.

“Is your husband’s charm no match for your work?”

His breath brushed against my ear, laced with the faint scent of jasmine.

Instinctively, I turned to face him.

The faint nail marks on his neck, the lingering heat in his gaze, each detail stung like needles in my eyes.

I stood up to avoid his touch and restarted the laptop. “There’s an important project I have to rush these few days, I...”

At that, he let out a sigh of relief and gave a casual shrug. “I was just joking. Your husband will always support your career.”

He picked up the glass of water from the desk, handed it to me, then gently patted my head. “Alright, drink some warm milk and get to work. Try to rest early.”

His eyes were deep, tender, and full of warmth.

I almost wanted to applaud his flawless performance. Even with his heart entangled with another woman, he could still show me such gentle care.

Seeing me tilt my head back and drink half the milk, he smiled and reminded me not to stay up too late. Then he finally turned and walked out.

The door clicked shut.

And all at once, the room began to spin.

The glass slipped from my hand and shattered against the floor. I stared at the milk, frozen in horror.

Something was wrong with it.

Hugo had always brought me warm milk before bed, claiming it helped me sleep better.

But now I understood it wasn’t to soothe me.

It was to knock me out.

No wonder I could never remember anything from the nights.

No wonder his friends whispered that I was promiscuous.

I tried to scream, but no sound escaped my lips. I couldn’t move a single muscle. Only my mind remained alert, trapped in this paralyzed body.

Moments later, Hugo returned, Nova nestled in his arms, followed by his private doctor and a pair of bodyguards.

The study was cleared in seconds. Then, the bodyguards dragged me and slammed me onto the desk.

“Nova, didn’t you say you wanted me to leave a child for Isabella? I’ll let the doctor run a pre-pregnancy check now.”

Nova let out a giggle. “Are you serious? Doing the exam live in front of thousands, do you think Isabella would agree to that?”

Hugo kissed her, grinning. “She drank the special milk. She’s long unconscious. She won’t remember a thing.”

“Besides, she’s naturally wild. I bet she’d enjoy a live pregnancy check.”

A silent gasp echoed through me. I couldn’t move, but my body trembled in fear.

The private doctor began his examination. With each part he touched, he tore away my clothes, exposing more of my skin to the cold air.

Beside him, the bodyguard read the livestream comments aloud.

“So this is the super-smart rich girl? The seller’s too generous, letting us witness this rare gem; what a feast for the eyes!”

“Too bad she’s not a virgin. But I heard she’s a researcher, perfect for breeding and upgrading the genes!”

“Bro, above is dreaming. Look at the crowd in this livestream. It’s anyone’s guess who gets the final bid!”

….

The filth continued to pour out in waves. Even the bodyguard, red-faced, stumbled over the words as he read them.

My heart felt as though it was being crushed by an iron fist, the suffocating pain tightening with each breath.

After what felt like an eternity, the livestream finally ended. The doctor and bodyguards left one by one.

But Hugo and Nova were still there, their presence like a spark to dry grass, igniting a fire between them. Their breaths grew heavier.

“Isabella is nothing but trash. Just looking at her disgusts me.”

Suddenly, Nova’s hand tightened around his shoulder. “Hugo... Hugo...”

It sounded like Hugo picked her up and moved her away. The chair creaked beneath them, the sound eerily rhythmic.

“Nova, you don’t know how hard it’s been for me these past few days when you wouldn’t let me touch you!”

“Please, don’t push me away again because of that bitch, Isabella!”

The lewd moaning filled the room, growing more unbearable with each passing second.

In a corner, unnoticed, a tear slid down my cheek.

They went on for hours. It wasn’t until dawn’s first light began creeping in that I finally opened my eyes, numb from it all.

By then, Nova had already left.

Hugo held me tightly, his body still warm with the remnants of passion

“Wife, last night, you were so passionate.”

He believed I was still unaware, as I usually was, but this time, I had only drunk half the milk.

All the filth had poured into my ears.

My phone vibrated, offering me a chance to push him away. I reached for it and checked the message.

It was the confirmation of the Morrison Corporation’s equity transfer and property donation.

I clicked ‘Confirm’.

“What donation?”

Hugo had somehow leaned in, his eyes filled with confusion as he stared at the phone screen.

I dimmed the display and shrugged it off casually. “Nothing just donated a little something to Belmont Elementary School.”

He didn’t press further, only tapping my nose affectionately. “Didn’t you say you wanted a child? We’ve already contacted the hospital. Later, we can go for the procedure to remove the IUD.”

I frowned, and from the corner of my eye, I saw the lit screen of Hugo’s phone. The group chat was filled with messages that burned my eyes.

“The auction is all set! Live surgical removal of the IUD, followed by the auction of Isabella’s reproductive rights, so exciting!”

“By the way, ever since that pregnancy check-up video dropped, the pre-bidding price has already hit a million! All stacked up bit by bit!”

“You absolutely won’t believe the real identity of the highest bidder. Just wait for the auction; jaws will drop!”

My body trembled almost reflexively as I took a step back. “I have something this afternoon. The child thing doesn’t need to be rushed. I was thinking too simply before. Let me reconsider.”

Hugo’s face darkened instantly, a flash of disgust passing through his eyes, but he still pretended to be helpless. “Why are you acting like a child, changing your mind every second?”

“No worries. Since you’re not ready yet, your husband has all the patience in the world to wait for you.”

He hugged me lightly. “Then I’ll head to work first.”

He grabbed his coat, smiled at me, and then turned to leave.

It was the same expression he always wore, yet in my eyes, it seemed like the devil himself, baring its bloody jaws at me.

I fearfully shut the door, pressing my back against it as my body trembled.

But before I could take a breath, the door was violently shoved open.

Several masked men stormed in without a word, yanking my hair and slamming a damp cloth against my nose.

I could feel my consciousness slipping away as they dragged me out, throwing me into a car.

Just before everything faded to black, their lewd laughter echoed in my ears.

“Good thing Brother Hugo was cautious. He knew this woman wouldn’t behave, so he prepared the knockout drug in advance!”

“This auction is specially prepared for her. The attendees are all powerful elites you can’t afford to offend!”

I bit down hard on my lip, gathering the last of my strength. With trembling fingers, I managed to press the phone button before darkness took over completely.

When I woke, I found myself lying naked on a transparent glass bed, my limbs bound tightly to the four corners, my body stretched out in an X.

A gasp caught in my throat as I forced myself to turn my head, desperate to see where I was.

It was a massive auction hall. Below me, thousands of masked men sat, each accompanied by a bodyguard.

Seeing me open my eyes, the tycoons grew excited.

“The auction item is awake! Look at those bright, intelligent eyes; no wonder she’s a high-IQ elite!”

“Let’s get this started quickly. With genes like hers, I must have her!”

As their words sank in, a cold wave of understanding crashed over me, and fear spread like wildfire through my body.

In that moment of utter despair, I cast a desperate, pleading look toward Hugo and Nova, standing on the stage.

I had never done anything to hurt them.

Please, don’t do this to me. Though they both wore masks, I knew it was them.

Our eyes locked, and Nova leaned toward me with a twisted interest, her long, manicured nails tracing my arm. “Damn, such a natural beauty. To use her only as a tool for reproduction, what a waste, don’t you think?”

Hugo only pulled her tighter into his embrace, sneering with disdain. “Such a filthy thing. Does she really think one of these tycoons would want her? Just being able to bear heirs for them is her blessing!”

The laughter swelled, growing louder until it almost split my eardrums.

A strange heat began to spread through my body, feverish, unnatural.

But it was my heart that sank deeper still, sinking beneath the weight of despair that consumed me entirely.

The auction began, and the bidding started.

From five dollars, the price climbed, slowly creeping toward two million.

“I’ve never been to an auction like this in my life. At first, I thought bidding dollars by dollars was tedious, but now? It’s too much fun!”

They eagerly immersed themselves in this twisted game.

Time itself felt like poison, every minute, every second, slowly eating away at my insides.

After a fierce bidding war, the hall suddenly erupted in a chorus of shrieks.

“Oh my god! Someone lit the Sky Lantern! Let’s see who it is; it's President Rossi!”

The entire venue exploded with excitement.

“President Rossi is nearly eighty, yet still so full of life!”

And I, like helpless prey on a butcher’s block, descended deeper into numb despair amid this prolonged torment.

“Now, President Rossi has handed over his unlimited black card to me. Anyone else still bidding?”

“Since it’s unlimited, what’s the point of bidding anymore? Then today’s auction winner is—”

The host, practically bouncing with excitement, raised the hammer, poised to strike.

But just then, the doors of the hall were suddenly smashed open.

“Something’s wrong! Something’s wrong outside—”

Before the messenger could finish, a familiar voice cut through. “Who dares lay a hand on her?!”