While Pregnant, My Alpha Husband Auctioned Me Off for One Dollar Chapter 05
Damian Black.Â
He was the Alpha of the Black Pack and one ofÂ
Wall Street’s most powerful investors.Â
Everyone in New York’s upper circles knew he wasÂ
the last man anyone should provoke.Â
He was also the young investor I had helped once,Â
three years earlier, when I still worked on WallÂ
Street.Â
I had never imagined we would meet again here,Â
under circumstances like these.Â
I instinctively stepped back, one hand shieldingÂ
my lower belly.Â
Inside the private room, the auction hall’sÂ
suppressors no longer reached us. Damian’s scentÂ
gradually calmed my agitated wolf.Â
Damian studied me. His gaze moved over theÂ
mask covering my face before settling on myÂ
stomach.Â
He walked to the table and picked up the freshlyÂ
printed transfer agreement.Â
“Take off the mask, Erin Carter.”Â
My heart began to race.Â
He had recognized me.Â
There had been no hesitation, no uncertainty, andÂ
no need to test me. He knew exactly who I was.Â
I bit my lip and removed the mask I had worn forÂ
five years.Â
The moment it came off, I could finally breatheÂ
freely again.Â
I raised my head and met his gaze.Â
“Mr. Black, thank you for helping me back there. I’ll find a way to repay the ten million dollars.”Â
Damian did not answer.Â
Instead, he took a clean handkerchief from his suitÂ
pocket and held it out to me.Â
“Here. Wipe your face.”Â
Only then did I realize my forehead was covered inÂ
cold sweat.Â
“Don’t thank me yet,” he said.Â
He pulled out a chair and sat down, crossing one leg over the other as he watched me in silence.Â
“I paid ten million dollars. I expect more than a thank–you.”Â
I looked at him warily.Â
“What do you want?”Â
Damian smiled.Â
There was something buried in that smile that I could not read.Â
“I want you.”Â
The blood drained from my face.Â
I was about to refuse when he tapped his fingers lightly against the table and cut me off.Â
“I want you to work with me. When Gavin signed the transfer agreement, he left a bank account. number. The account belongs to Vera and isÂ
registered overseas.”Â
Damian pushed a photocopy across the table.Â
The record of Gavin’s one–million–dollar transferÂ
was printed clearly on the page.Â
“You now have direct evidence that he transferredÂ
marital assets to her.”Â
Damian leaned forward slightly, his gaze calm andÂ
direct.Â
“Don’t cry, Erin. Let’s talk about how we’re going toÂ
strip him of his reputation and his career.”Â
I stared at the photocopy.Â
My eyes burned, but I forced the tears back.Â
Crying was useless.Â
What had happened on that stage had burnedÂ
away the last of my hesitation. I no longerÂ
expected Gavin to change.Â
“Why are you helping me?”Â
I looked up at Damian.Â
Damian never entered a deal without expectingÂ
something in return, and everyone in New York’sÂ
business world knew how ruthless he could be.Â
“Because Gavin is bidding on a major Manhattan development project,” Damian said, leaning back in his chair with an almost lazy air. “I’m his main competitor. If the Alpha and CEO of Cole Group were exposed for illegally auctioning off a werewolf, transferring marital assets, and abusing his pregnant wife at a time like this…”Â
He raised an eyebrow.Â
“Wouldn’t that hurt him more than any business.Â
move I could make against him?”Â
It was flawless business logic.Â
But I knew it was not the whole truth.Â
If Damian wanted to defeat Gavin, he had plenty ofÂ
more direct options. He did not need to spend tenÂ
million dollars at an auction just to form anÂ
alliance with me.Â
But I did not call him on it.Â
We shared the same goal, and right now I neededÂ
his money, authority, and connections.Â
“All right. I’ll work with you.”Â
I slipped the photocopy into my bag.Â
“But I have one condition.”Â
“Name it.”Â
“I want to destroy everything he cares about with my own hands,” I said quietly.Â
Damian studied me for a long moment.Â
There was no pity in his eyes, only approval that I had finally chosen to fight back.Â
“Deal. The ten million dollars will be transferred tomorrow using the account information Gavin provided, and the entire money trail will remain onÂ
record.”Â
He rose and walked toward me.Â
“Go back to the apartment, Erin. Pretend you know nothing. I’ll be watching to see how you handleÂ
them tomorrow.”Â
At two in the morning, I opened the door to theÂ
apartment.Â
A warm yellow floor lamp glowed in the livingÂ
room.Â
Gavin sat on the sofa with a glass of whiskey inÂ
his hand.Â
The moment he heard the door, he turned, setÂ
down his drink, and hurried toward me.Â
“Sweetheart, you’re finally home.”Â
He pulled me into his arms and rubbed his chinÂ
gently against the top of my head.Â
“Why are you back so late? I couldn’t reach you. IÂ
was worried sick.”Â
His deep voice was roughened by the late hour,Â
making him sound unbearably affectionate.Â
If I had not heard him announce a one–dollarÂ
opening bid for me through a voice changer onlyÂ
hours earlier, I might have believed hisÂ
performance as the perfect husband.Â
Suppressing the nausea churning in my stomach, IÂ
stood rigid in his embrace.Â
“I was out with friends. My phone died,” I answeredÂ
softly.Â
“Are you hungry? I kept some oatmeal warm forÂ
you in the kitchen. I’ll get it.”Â
He released me and walked into the kitchen.Â
I watched him move around the kitchen in hisÂ
loungewear, his familiar cedar scent still as warmÂ
and gentle as ever.Â
A chill crawled slowly up my spine.Â
Those were the same hands that had orchestratedÂ
the bidding and tried to hand me over to aÂ
stranger.Â
Now he held a delicate porcelain bowl, blew gentlyÂ
over a spoonful of oatmeal, and brought it to myÂ
lips.Â
“Here. Careful, it’s hot.”Â
He sat beside me and held a spoonful to myÂ
mouth, his eyes unbearably tender.Â
I stared at the spoon without opening my mouth.Â
“Gavin.” I kept my eyes fixed on his. “I had a terribleÂ
dream tonight.”Â
His hand paused, and a drop of oatmeal spilledÂ
from the spoon.Â
“What did you dream about?” he asked, his smile.Â
flawless.Â
“I dreamed someone kidnapped me and threw meÂ
onto a dark stage. They sold me as though I wereÂ
nothing more than an object.”Â
I studied every flicker of emotion on his face.Â
“And the man who put me up for sale… his voice.Â
sounded a lot like yours.”Â
The porcelain spoon struck the edge of the bowlÂ
with a sharp clink. Gavin’s pupils contracted, butÂ
he hid the reaction almost instantly and reachedÂ
out to touch my forehead.Â
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said with manufacturedÂ
affection. “Pregnancy makes your senses andÂ
emotions more sensitive. Don’t let yourÂ
imagination run wild. I’m your husband. How couldÂ
I ever sell you? Besides, who would dare touch theÂ
Cole Alpha’s wife?”Â
He gently pinched my cheek.Â
“Come on, eat. Then get some rest. Vera said she’sÂ
coming to see you tomorrow. She even broughtÂ
some supplements back from Canada.”Â
Vera was coming.Â
I lowered my eyes so he would not see myÂ
reaction.Â
“All right. I haven’t seen her in a long time either.”Â
Since they intended to keep deceiving me, I wouldÂ
pretend I knew nothing until I had collected everyÂ
piece of evidence I needed.
