Bidding War: When My Husband Chose His Secretary Over Me Chapter 2

Every eye in the room was now fixed on me.

Even the auctioneer on stage was frozen, unsure of what to do next. He probably knew I didn't have the money, but professional courtesy dictated that he couldn't drop the hammer as long as there was an active bidder.

Vincent’s roar echoed through the hall. “Jeannie! You’re really determined to make an enemy of me today, aren’t you?”

I shot a glance at the smug secretary standing beside him and answered with cold, hard finality.

“Yes.”

The single word hung in the air. Vincent bellowed, his voice raw with fury. “Fine! Fine! Let’s see just how much money you have to fight me with!”

He thrust his paddle into the air without a moment’s hesitation.

“Ten million dollars!”

Anyone familiar with auctions knows that a patronage pledge is a point of no return. You either see it through to the end, or you declare financial ruin.

If Vincent was willing to gamble his entire company for a secretary, then I was more than happy to play along.

“Ten million… and one dollar.”

My voice was calm. Heads snapped in my direction. I could read the ridicule on their faces; they were all waiting for the punchline to this spectacular joke.

No one here knew I was the silent force behind the Posehn Corporation.

Years ago, when the Posehn family was on the brink of bankruptcy, its patriarch, Arthur Posehn, had appeared on my doorstep late at night, clutching a marriage contract, begging me to save his family.

To repay a debt owed to a previous generation, I had gritted my teeth and married his son, Vincent.

But this man, my husband, had never shown me an ounce of respect. He humiliated me daily, and now he dared to pledge his fortune to another woman right in front of my face. It was a slight I simply could not swallow.

“You bitch, do you even have the money to back that up?” Jenna’s voice was shrill now, her composure cracking as she saw me stand my ground against her boss. “This is a high-end auction, not a flea market! Don’t say I didn’t warn you—if you can’t pay up, you’ll go to jail!”

I looked up at her and smiled sweetly. “Jenna, whether I have money or not is none of your concern. I’d be more worried about your boss if I were you. There’s no backing out of a game like this.”

My words seemed to ignite the last of Vincent’s restraint. He shot to his feet, paddle held high. “How dare you lecture my people, Jeannie? You want to play? Let’s see what you’ve really got in that purse of yours!”

He roared, his voice shaking the crystal chandeliers. “I’ll raise it another ten million! Twenty million total!”

A collective gasp went through the room. This was a charity auction, after all. The items were valuable, but none were worth tens of millions. The painting in question was the work of a child, not an old master.

“Mr. Posehn, how generous!” I said, clapping slowly as I rose to my feet. “On behalf of the children in underprivileged communities, I thank you.”

I paused, a slow smile spreading across my lips. “But… since this is for charity, more is always better, isn’t it?”

As the room watched in stunned silence, I slowly extended a single, elegant finger.

“Twenty million… and one dollar.”