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His words were meant as a compliment but felt more like chains being wrapped around me with every syllable.
“You must be delighted about your exclusive contract with the Sterling twins for the remainder of its duration,” he continued, oblivious to my inner turmoil.
Amanda and Nora's words crystallized into harsh reality at his statement. Lydia had used me—sold me—to these men like some prized object at an auction.
“Yes,” I managed to say when Trenton mentioned confirming the contract. My voice was barely more than a whisper, but it carried enough weight for him to proceed.
He laid out the contract on his desk and started going over it line by line. When he mentioned forty percent and two million dollars, my heart stuttered in shock. That Colton and Jaxon would pay such an amount for me was beyond comprehension.
And then he outlined Lydia's cut—thirty percent. Anger boiled within me as I realized she was making that much money off me.
“Is this bank account correct?” Trenton asked, pointing to a series of numbers on the page that meant nothing to me.
It wasn't mine. It had to be Lydia's other account. Rage mixed with betrayal as it dawned on me she never intended for me to see any of that money.
“No,” I said sharply, surprising even myself with the force behind the word. “That's not my account.”
Trenton looked taken aback but recovered quickly as he handed me a pen to make the correction.
I wrote down my bank account number with deliberate strokes—each digit a reclaiming of what was rightfully mine, or rather what I would return to Colton and Jaxon.
“Indeed, two million is a significant sum,” Trenton said. “I trust your grandfather's operation will be successful.”
My gaze shot upward, my eyes expanding in surprise.
A chuckle escaped Trenton. “Forgive me for prying. Lydia mentioned your reason for joining the club was to help fund your grandfather's operation.”
Silence was my response as I completed inscribing my banking details.
With that done, Trenton seemed satisfied. He shook my hand once more before escorting me out of his office with pleasantries that left a bitter taste in my mouth.
* * *
The opulence of Lydia's living room wrapped around me like a silk noose, each piece of furniture and decor screaming wealth and taste. It was a far cry from my tiny, humble apartment. As I sank into the plush velvet of her sofa, I couldn't help but marvel at how Lydia lived. Every surface shined, every fabric whispered luxury.
Lydia flitted around the room, chirping about the latest high society gossip and the upcoming events she was planning to attend. Her words flowed over me like a foreign language, names and places that meant nothing in my world. Once upon a time, she had been a lifeline—my rock through the darkest times, especially after I lost my parents. But sitting here now, in this shrine to her vanity, I wasn't sure I knew who she was anymore.
She finally turned her attention to me, her head tilting slightly. “You look awfully pale, Delcy. Everything all right?”
I cleared my throat, feeling the weight of deceit heavy on my tongue. “Just visited my grandfather. He's getting worse.”
Her response was as brisk as a winter chill. “Sorry to hear that. But he's getting old, it's to be expected.”
The coldness in her words struck me like a slap. This morning Trenton had let slip that Lydia had told him of my need for money to help Grandfather—and how the two million would do just fine for that. Except Lydia intended to pocket that money herself.
I decided it was time to confront her.
“Lydia, we need to talk,” I said. “What you did—putting me up as a treasure at the Alpha Gold Club without my consent. How could you?” My voice came out shaky, the words heavy on my tongue.
Lydia's face morphed into a mask of shock before hardening. “How did you...?”
“Amanda and Nora,” I said. “They saw me with Colton and Jaxon and couldn't wait to ask me how I snagged them and how much I was getting for signing an exclusive contract with them. When they realized I didn't know what they were talking about, they… You're their agent.” Each word was a struggle, my hands clenched tightly at my sides. “I saw Marcus Trenton this morning.”
“Those bitches!” Lydia hissed, eyes flashing dangerously. “This was none of their business.”
Anger surged in me, hot and fierce. “None of their business? You had me auctioned off like cattle without telling me!”
Lydia smirked, the expression sending a chill down my spine. “Oh, come on, Delcy. It's not a big deal. Think of it as a favor. You get to mingle with the high society, with real alphas—like Colton and Jaxon Sterling. And they pay handsomely, don't they?”
