Chapter thirteen

Nichole

"Miss Nichole has always loved giving to charity. So she agreed, of course after much persuasion from me… I mean who can resist," Caesar laughed and the crowd joined him, "she has agreed to do this. In addition to my grandfather's yacht, I'll be throwing in an evening dinner, a date, with Miss Nichole here."

"Fifty thousand dollars." A man shouted unapologetically from the crowd in an Irish accent not even a second after Caesar was done talking.

"Sixty thousand dollars." Another man said immediately.

As flattering and exciting as this was becoming, I couldn't help the anxiety that clothed me from being in the spotlight. I would never have agreed to do this. I still didn't want to do this. But Caesar and Christine on the same side was a deadly combination of convincing that borders around manipulative.

When Christine told me doing this would definitely make Drego see me maybe for the first time this evening, and Caesar had painted such a perfect picture of Drego and me in my head, I jumped on the crazy train.

It was no secret I was desperate. All night, he hadn't talked to me. No compliments, no noticing, no nothing.

I'd decided to go back for the green dress at the last minute only for Drego to, as usual, not notice how good and different I was looking. I mean, I'd caught a few men stealing glances at me. But not him. He wasn't interested. I should have given up then. But then Mr. Montane came, another one of Drego's close friends, and managed to convince me, and that's how I ended up being in the spotlight.

Unfortunately, as much as I enjoyed how much money I was making for charity, Drego was yet to place his bid. Which translates to 'I don't care.'

"Do I hear seventy thousand dollars?" Caesar couldn't stop smiling. And I couldn't wait for this stupid idea to end.

"Hundred." I heard someone shout.

"One ten." Another said immediately.

"Two hundred."

I almost gasped out loud which would have been major embarrassing.

Two hundred thousand dollars? For the yacht?

"Five hundred thousand dollars."

The entire room fell quiet, except a few whispers. Like me, they had also wondered who had placed such a high amount on a yatch. And me.

"Five hundred." He repeated, this time his voice was loud and I recognized it immediately. Every working pair of eyes was on the man who'd spoken. Only him could give out half a million dollars without thinking twice.

It was Drego. He'd finally placed his bid.

"Five hundred thousand dollars… going once," with every word, from the corner of my eyes I could see Caesar's smile growing. As much as the man standing beside me attracted so much attention in his green blazers and yummy physique, the minute my eyes found Drego, it refused to see anything else. "going twice… sold." Caesar announced and everybody clapped.

I was beyond excited at this point, barely keeping it in. Thank God for my poker face. It was giving impassive. The world didn't need to know about my crush too, enough people already knew. The entire billionaire boys club. And I'd like to keep it like that.

Caesar returned the mic to the spokesman, offering his hand to me as he led me down the stage to where his friends and my date stood.

The second I was in their midst, Drego held my hand and dragged me away. I followed him without protest, leaving the noisy hall to the quiet of the outside.

My stomach was filled with butterflies. I was too excited to hold it in anymore. I was smiling from ear to ear, and maybe that was the reason why I had failed to recognize the frown on Drego's face.

"What was that?" He barked the second we were outside away from the chaos and noise.

"What?" I blinked, my smile slowly dissipating.

"Why did you agree to stand up there? And looking like this for that matter."

I frowned. "Like what?"

"Did you enjoy the fact that men were bidding on you like some prost—"

My palm flew and landed on Drego's face before I could understand what I was doing. And I didn't feel sorry for doing it.

"You don't get to judge how I decide to look. Who the hell do you think you are to judge me? I did what I did for charity. You're my boss, don't cross any lines."

I turned around to leave.

"Wait. Nichole I'm sorry." He said more calmly.

I looked at him again. "Because I told you that I was in love with you doesn't make it okay for you to get involved in my personal life and decisions."

"It's not like—"

"Don't worry. The day I quit was my first day getting over you. You don't have to worry about that crazy talk. I'm over you. And I'll leave your company the second you find my replacement and you won't have to see me anymore."

"Nichole please listen—"

"Drego, you're up." Reid came outside. His facial expression changed. It was no surprise. The tension between Drego and I was palpable.

"Is everything okay?" Reid asked.

"Yeah." I replied, my eyes not leaving Drego's as I spoke. "We are done here."

I walked back inside the hall fuming.

Christine came to stand beside me, murmuring as she wiped her black dress.

"…he just had to pour his drink all over me. The jerk." She said upset.

Christine raised her head and looked at me. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"No! Are you ready to leave?" She must have sensed my mood. Not that I was trying hard enough to mask it. I was just too angry. Not just at Drego, but at myself. I'd done something foolish, again, for him, because of him.

"The night is still young, but yeah. Your friend managed to ruin my dress, so we can leave."

I wasn't the least bit interested in what she was saying else I'd have told her I had no friend here.

"Let's go then."

"Don't you have to tell your boss, though?"

"Nope. Let's go." I said and began to walk towards the exit.

"…Mr. Drego Ricardo…"

Was the last thing I heard before leaving the room.