"Sebastian." She sighs. "We've known each other since we were six years old. I know when you're plotting something. Just... be careful. Whatever you're planning for that auction."
"I'm not planning anything."
"Then you're a better liar than I thought." She finishes her drink. "For what it's worth? I think she got to you. I think she's the first real thing you've ever wanted that you couldn't have and it terrifies you."
She walks away before I can deny it.
The party continues around me. Music, laughter, the sound of money being spent on nothing that matters and all I can think about is Tuesday night. The auction. Five dates. Two weeks.
Isla Monroe trapped in a contract she can't escape.
And me with a chance to either destroy her completely or figure out what the hell I'm actually trying to do.
Tuesday arrives faster than I expect.
The gala is being held in the Ashworth Ballroom and yes, named after Cecilia's family, a massive space with crystal chandeliers and marble floors. By the time I arrive at six, it's already transformed. Valentine's decorations everywhere, red and pink and gold. A stage at one end. Tables arranged for dinner and a nervous energy in the air as people arrive in formal wear.
I'm wearing a suit my father's tailor made. It costs more than most people's cars. I feel like a fraud in it.
The Legacy Council is backstage, managing logistics. Participants are being prepped. The auction starts at eight.
"You're bidding tonight?" Harrison asks, adjusting his tie.
"Maybe."
"On anyone in particular?"
"Maybe."
He grins. "This is going to be entertaining."
At 7:45, I take my seat in the audience. The ballroom is packed, students, faculty, local donors. Everyone loves a spectacle, the lights dim. Vivienne takes the stage as emcee.
"Welcome to Thornhill University's Annual Valentine's Charity Gala," she begins, her voice smooth and practiced. "Tonight, we're doing something special. Our date auction will feature students from across campus, and all proceeds go to local organizations supporting education and community development."
She continues explaining the rules. Five dates over two weeks. Social media documentation. The whole production.
Then the auction begins.
The first few participants are athletes. Football players, soccer stars. Bidding is enthusiastic. Hundreds of dollars per person. The audience is engaged, laughing, having fun.
I don't bid on any of them.
Then participant seven takes the stage and everything else disappears.
Isla Monroe stands in the spotlight wearing a simple black dress that probably came from a thrift store but looks stunning on her. Her dark hair is down for once, falling past her shoulders. She looks terrified and furious and so beautiful it actually hurts to look at her.
She doesn't scan the crowd. Keeps her eyes fixed somewhere above everyone's heads.
"This is Isla Monroe," Vivienne announces. "Junior, English Literature major. Isla works two campus jobs and maintains a 4.0 GPA. For your date package, Isla has selected ice skating, a cooking class, a movie marathon, dinner, and attending the Valentine's Day gala together."
The bidding starts at one hundred dollars.
Someone in the back raises their paddle. "One-fifty."
Another voice. "Two hundred."
I don't move yet. Just watch her face as the bids climb. She's keeping it together, but I can see the tension in her shoulders. The way her hands are clenched at her sides.
