THIRD PERSON POV
Ocean raised his hand. He casually picked up a tyrannical strand of hair that was refusing to stay in place. He gently tucked it behind Sky's ear, brushing his finger against her skin. The action was slow and meticulous.
With widened eyes, Amanda gasped before she could stop herself. She glared at Ocean, only to find him looking at her with a smirk on his face.
"Baby, are you okay? Are your friends here?" Blake asked in a doting voice.
Turning around, she gave her husband a docile smile and shook her head.
"No. I thought I heard a familiar voice, but it's the wrong person."
"You can look for them during the banquet. Look at that ring. The gem on it matches your eyes. Do you like it?" Blake asked her.
"No. Let's wait for the 'Neith of Egypt.' That's what I want. Blake, you must get it for me, Okay?"
Amanda placed her hand on Blake's chest. She pushed her index finger through the gap between his buttons. She started stroking his hairy chest affectionately. Thoroughly satisfied with this new wife, Blake nodded.
Amanda stole a glance at Ocean, and of course, the grin on his face was gone. He now looked grim and angry.
Two can play this, love. She smiled at him. Amanda knew Ocean more than anybody and she knew the effect she had on him. She knew how obsessed he was with her and sadly she couldn't relate with him.
She was only using him to pass time until she finally got the gold that she wanted. After leaving him they hadn't seen each other in person until three weeks ago.
"Even if they want to sell it for one billion, it will be yours, baby." Blake continued, oblivious to his wife's antics.
Amanda leaned forward. She gently brought out the tip of her tongue. She flickered it across his lower lip, before capturing his mouth in a kiss.
To say Sky was startled by Ocean's action would be an understatement. Her spirit nearly leaped out of her body. This was the first time he would be touching her intimately since they got married.
The moment she felt his hand coming towards her, her body stiffened. His hand touched her skin, and she understood the agony of getting steamed. Her face turned red, and her hands trembled. The action was so casual, yet it took her breath away. She fought to stay unaffected. She must not appear weak, else he would feel more disdain for her.
Knowing she must be looking sickly pale, she bent her head to hide her face. She wasn't just stimulated by his touches, she was also humiliated. She knew he was using her to show off to Amanda.
Forty minutes later.
"And here comes the moment we have all been waiting for. It is time to reveal the last item on our Auction list for this year." The MC exclaimed excitedly.
Two men appeared with a silver statue. It was the statue of Neith of Egypt, the owner of the restored dress. Looking graceful, and elegant in her pearly dress, Neith seemed to be looking down on all that was present in the hall.
"Donated by the Emerald Technology and investment company, I present to you, Louis Vuitton's most famous piece, The Neith of Egypt… "
Instantly, the silver statue started melting from the head, revealing a peachy mannequin of Neith.
At the same time, Everyone was caught in a daze. They were all mesmerized. Some started clapping while others just kept gazing, unwilling to miss any moment.
The statue kept melting until the pearly gown appeared. It was a dazzling, intertwined chain of pearls precious gems in all their colors and sizes. They were wrapped around Neith's curves and molds as if they were a part of her.
Since it couldn't be worn alone, the dress was paired with a black silk gown that reached down to the mannequin's toes. The gown had no adornment and was trailing the floor. With the pearly dress worn over it, the plain dress sparked lively.
The mannequin started turning around. As it turned, the color of the plain dress started switching from one color to the next. Red, Blue, White, Pink, Green and so on. With each switch, the aura changed and the appeal intensified.
"I do not need to tell you of the rarity of this dress. The opening bid is 200 thousand dollars, with an additional 20 thousand on every new bid."
"220 thousand." Blake raised his table plaque and yelled.
The moment Blake made a move, almost everyone in the hall gave up out of respect for him. When dealing with someone like Blake Torres, having money isn't enough. One must have the power that comes with it.
Everyone gave up except one.
Without a deadpan look, Ocean lifted his plaque and shouted, "1 million."
Instantly, there was an uproar. People turned towards Ocean's table, glaring and cursing at him.
"1.5 Million!" Blake raised the bid again.
"3 million." Ocean followed without missing a breath.
At this point, everyone realized that there was a bidding war going on. What they couldn't understand was why nobody like Ocean Woods would choose to offend a well-respected Multi-billionaire like Blake Torres.
Ocean's phone beeped and a message popped up.
"What are you doing?"
It was from an unknown number and he was going to ignore it, but another one followed almost immediately.
"Let me have this dress. I will make it up to you."
With a slight furrow of his brows, he looked up and glanced towards Amanda's table. Just as expected, she was looking at him.
Chuckling, Ocean bent his head again and responded to her messages.
"No."
Surprised by his response, she texted again.
"Why?"
"My Wife likes it."
"Then why donate it?"
"Business."
Amanda took a deep breath, trying to calm her stung nerves. Her husband must not suspect anything.
Ocean swung his arm across Sky's chair and leaned towards her.
"Look at me and smile." He whispered.
"Wh… "
Sky was caught off guard as her mind was far away, but the stern warning in his eyes brought her back to her senses.
Filled with indignation but unable to show it, Sky looked towards him and smiled. It was tight and awkward. But in her state, that was all she could do.
Once Ocean got the picture, he edited it on his phone and forwarded it to Amanda. The edited copy was a picture of a perfectly happy couple, with love radiating from their eyes. Sky's smile looked genuine and soft.
Seeing this, Amanda's smirked, she didn't seem to care at all.
"The two of you look good to her." She sent another text. "You deserve each other."
Ocean's smile vanished on seeing the text, in fact it got replaced with a frown. "Tell your husband to stop bidding. You will never get this dress." He added.
He snorted at her audacity to point accusations at him.
Ocean Woods! Amanda screamed in her head. She knew this man very well. If he said she wasn't getting the dress, then she wasn't getting the dress. It was as simple as that. What she couldn't figure out was what gave him the nerve to offend her husband. Did he not know whom she married?
Shaking her head, she reclined and laid her head on Blake's shoulder, watching as the bidding continued.
When the bidding rose to 7 million, Blake Torres lost his cool. He stood up and turned to Ocean.
"Mr Woods, can you just let it go? If this dress isn't important to me, I will not be this persistent. If you let it go, I will make sure you get well compensated."
A promissory note of compensation from Blake Torres is as valuable as a black card with infinite spending power. Everyone expected Ocean to accept it and step back, but to their surprise, Ocean shook his head. He then stood up and cleared his throat.
"Honorable elder," Ocean began, mockingly feeling the need to point out that Blake was quite older. "I am sorry, but I can't let this dress go. If you can let me have it, I will also compensate you generously."
"What? Is he okay? Does he know who he is talking to?"
"This is too much. How dare you speak to me in such a manner?"
Words of reprimands started flowing around, but Ocean just kept a straight face.
Not wanting the two men to embarrass her in public, Amanda seductively patted Blake on the chest.
"Let it go," whispered into his ear. "We don't want our faces all over the news for something as petty as this."
Shivering from the mix of warmth and cold she gave him, Blake shook his head, unwilling to let it go.
"You want this dress. I have to get it no matter what. He is only angry because our deal didn't pull through. How can a man be so petty?"
"I don't want it anymore." Amanda pouted coquettishly.
"You don't? Then what will you wear for your birthday?"
"I will not tell you. It's a surprise. Something you should look forward to." She replied with a giggling tone that made his blood hot.
"Really?" Blake turned around and gazed into her seductive eyes.
"Have I ever lied to you?"
"In that case, let him have it."
Not seeing the need to keep addressing Ocean, Blake lowered himself into his chair and Amanda continued to play with him, pressing his buttons in the right places.