Page 151 of Knox

Tae noticed I was feeling like crap and sent me something to feel better.

Awww.

Who knew Tae is a closet softie?

— ¤ —

I follow Astrid back upstairs to meet the guests.

Today is the final day before the auction, so everyone has an annoying number of questions and needs.

I talk to five guests, then ten, then twenty… until the rest of the evening blurs into everything and nothing all at once.

The blur is so intense that I have no idea when Damián arrived or how long he’s been standing beside me.

Now… I am in the main garden with the fakest smile, barely processing what anyone is saying.

“—and the provenance on the eighteenth-century sketch is—” the Russian ambassador says to my left.

“—I heard the reserve price was raised by two million—” Serafina whispers to my right.

And I just nod along to all of it.

After five hours of this, the truth finally hits me: I wasn’t running away from Knox; I was running away from myself.

And apparently, I’ve caught up.

Ugh…

Knox finds me disgusting.

The man I’ve fallen for despises the thought that I’d use my money to buy him… but if only he knew that I would give every last bit of it away just to be loved by him.

To live a simple life, just the two of us, like we did back in the cabin.

I am lost in thought when a hand wraps around my wrist, dragging me out of my daze.

I blink, focusing my eyes to see Aurelio standing right beside me.

He’s beaming, pulling me closer to his side in front of a couple of my VIPs.

“—and just like the other day, when Cillian and I were on a date and tried the most exquisite red wine,” he lies, but I feel too drained to care. “Isn’t that right, muffin?”

“Oh, how charming!” an older woman says with a smile. “Are you two back together?”

“We were never truly apart. We love each other too much.” Aurelio grins, tightening his grip on my waist, causing a wave of revulsion.

A feeling so unpleasant that it finally snaps me out of my trance.

I yank his hand off my hip and smile at my guests. “Excuse us for a moment.” I turn to Aurelio. “We need to talk.”

Aurelio’s eyes light up with satisfaction.

“Finally,” he says, and I want to gag.

Ugh…

How the fuck did I ever like this man?