My Ex-husband's Uncle Can't Let Me Go

Chapter 5 - In a strange arm

Valerie's pov

My breath caught sharply, what the hell was going on? How can they be auctioning a company at what was supposed to be a gala?

“Starting price, a million dollars.” The auctioneer said.

“Who would buy that useless company,” the man beside me mumbled.

“Ten million,” a voice rolled out not too far from where I sat.

My jaw slackened the moment I recognized the voice as the buyer's. I glanced towards the direction of the voice but it was dark so I couldn't see anyone there.

“What the hell? Is he crazy?” Someone whispered from the crowd.

“Seems like the company is worth a fortune.” The auctioneer said, raising her gavel. “Ten million going one… two… thre–”

“Fifteen million,” I said, raising my bid paddle.

The woman beside me tapped me instantly. “The company's auctioned here are trash. You seem new so just wait for the main items.”

“Trash?” I repeated under my breath, sizing the woman up. “That company is worth more than whatever she had on her body.”

“Oh my gawd! Bidder 123 wants the company too. Fifteen million going one… two–”

“Fifty million,” the tone dropped lower.

My breath left me for a second. I knew this wasn't going to be an easy fight but what I couldn't understand was what the man was playing at.

“Seems like Paddle 200 is taking the company home. Fifty million going–”

“Sixty million,” I said, exhaling slowly as I muttered a prayer under my breath hoping he wouldn't raise it further. My grandmother's company was almost bankrupt and this was the highest Adrian's company could offer.

“Two hundred million,” a lazy, amused voice followed.

I gritted my teeth, clutching tightly onto my bid paddle. How could he raise the bid so high?

“Did I just hear two hundred million from paddle? Twk hundred million going one,” the auctioneer said with so much enthusiasm, “going two–”

“Three hundred million,” I said through gritted teeth, if he wants to play, why don't we get started? But one thing is sure, I wasn't going to lose to him.

The woman tapped me again. “It isn't worth it, just–”

“Do you think you're worth being here?” I snapped, shutting her up immediately.

“Five hundred million…”

Seconds slowly crawled into minutes and with each passing minute the bid kept going higher and higher as neither of us were ready to back down, murmurs were rippling through the crowd but I didn't care.

“Five billion,” I said, raising my bid paddle for the upteenth time.

“Five billion going one… two… three. Sold.” The auctioneer slammed her gavel onto the sounding block. The c***k of the gavel echoed through the room, signaling the end of the bidding.

I jerked to my feet instantly turning towards the direction the voice had been coming from but before I could make a move, a woman approached me.

“Please follow me to make your payments,” she said, head lowered.

I glanced at the mysterious voice’s direction again before following the woman out. Luckily, I was with one of the black cards the mysterious gifter had gifted me. I really hoped he was the same person with the annoying scumbag who intentionally raised the bid because I was going to use his money to buy the company.

The woman swiped the card before giving me a document to sign. I didn't bother going through the details, it was a high end hotel and auction so of course they won't be auctioning something that isn't original and authorised.

I stuffed the document that was handed to me in my bag before turning toward the mysterious voice's direction. As I had expected, it was only his bid paddle that lay carelessly on the floor.

“Of course, you wouldn't show your face after all you're a coward.” I muttered under my breath turning to leave when the voice suddenly came from inside the huge mahogany door opposite where the bid paddle lay.

“Let's talk about handing your assets over then,”

I froze mid-step, turning abruptly to glance at the door. My brows furrowed tightly together as I tried to understand her he meant. Everything in me was yelling at me not to open it but my feet moved with listening and my hand pushed open the door before my mind could intervene.

But to my dismay, there was no one instead on the well arranged desk in the room lay a phone.

“Miss Valerie, don't tell me you bought the company because of your grandmother's assets?” The voice came through the line.

My breath hitched as I walked slowly towards the phone. My skin prickled with goosebumps as I had that unmistakable feeling that someone was watching me.

“The company's mine now,” I said, trying to not let my voice shake. “Thank you for your kindness."

The man let out a low chuckle which echoed in my ear drum. I won't deny the fact that the feeling felt nice, I bit my inner cheeks when I realized what my mind just thought.

“Why don't you check page 5 of the document you signed?” The speaker cracked with his question.

My hand quickly grabbed the document instinctively, skimming to page 5 immediately.

“Party A owns everything in the company except for the assets associated with it.”

My mind stopped working the moment I read it. Did I just spend five billion to just acquire a newspaper company?

“It seems like I should be the one thanking you,” his voice filtered through the phone speaker heavy with mockery.

The line went dead the next minute before I could reply. I felt my world tilt before me, my vision blurring heavily as I slumped into the couch nearby.

A loud cheer from downstairs dragged me back to reality and I realized I've been sitting motionless for God knows how long.

I staggered to my feet walking out of the door but I had barely made it to the stairs when I bumped into a man. Before I could react, the man sprayed something on my face plunging me straight into darkness.

***

My lashes fluttered open slowly to a very unfamiliar ceiling and a choking air which reeked of power. I was about to sit up when I realized the waist draped tightly on my waist and the hot breath fanning my neck from behind.

“Good morning, sweetheart.” The overly familiar voice said.

My eyes dilated instantly, that was… that voice belonged to—

The door suddenly burst open and Adrian stepped inside, freezing instantly when he saw me more like when he saw the scene before him.