ManyWriters

Skye's Perspective
At the auction, Mr. Number 1 successfully acquired a diamond ring valued at 100 million through bidding. I offered him a warm smile and congratulations.
Partway through the event, he departed, nonchalantly instructing me to bid as I saw fit. Shortly after, his phone, left on the seat beside me, began receiving numerous private messages.
[Mr. Carlson is quite the romantic—purchasing a birthday present for his first love with his 'pet bird' in attendance. He's setting an example for us all.]
[Come on, the pet bird is just for amusement. His true affection lies with his first love.]
[Indeed. Seven years have passed, and Alanna still occupies his thoughts. But doesn't the woman who's stood by him for seven years hold any significance?]
[Hey now! Don't criticize his love, mate. Just wait until Alanna returns. Then you'll witness genuine love.]
After perusing these messages, I set his phone aside and sent a message to my sibling abroad.
[Hey, is your laboratory still seeking employees?]

Love's Auction, Bidding on a Broken Promise

"Derick, I'm not comfortable with you having a female assistant." With that, he promptly switched all his secretaries to males.


"Derick, I'm craving Parisian pastries." He'd rise early to queue up and purchase them for me.


"Derick, I wish I could see you right after I finish at the lab." The following day, he was waiting at the school entrance to collect me.


My fellow students were envious. In their eyes, I had the ideal boyfriend who always knew how to cater to my needs.


However, when it came to matrimony, that particular request suddenly made me appear "unreasonable."


For the first time, I noticed irritation flash across Derick's face when he looked at me. I realized then—I had overstepped.


I let out a cynical chuckle. "Derick, I was only kidding. I just completed my studies! There's still so much I want to accomplish. Marriage? I'm not prepared either."


He exhaled gradually, his tension easing, and gently held my face in his warm hands.


"Skye, don't fret. I'll honor my commitments to you."


I nodded, and we tacitly agreed to drop the subject.


But I was aware. Seven years had elapsed, and he'd tolerated it all. Once his former sweetheart returned, he could discard me without hesitation.


Derick, this time, I'll be the one to leave you first.


We sat together on the sofa in silence for an extended period, the unease between us palpable.


Suddenly, his phone chimed, breaking the quiet.


Surprised, he glanced at the display, then smiled warmly and retreated to his office to answer.


Discreetly, I followed and stood outside the door. For the first time in seven years, I heard a woman's voice on one of Derick's calls.


"Derick, do you resent me for leaving all those years ago?"


"I still love you. Do you still love me?"


The man inside remained quiet for what seemed like forever. At that moment, I felt more anxious than Derick himself. I found myself pleading—imploring the heavens—for him to reject her.


But destiny had other plans. Even the gods must have grown weary of my foolishness.


His response finally came, completely devastating me.


Those three words—what I had yearned to hear for seven years—were not intended for me.


Derick had never uttered "I love you" to me. The closest he ever came was, "Skye, I like you."


Even during our most intimate moments, when I whispered, "Derick, I love you," all I received in return was his husky, "Skye, I like you too."


I had once quarreled with him over it and moved back to my dorm in a fit of anger. That night, he waited outside my dorm building until dawn. Looking disheveled, he implored me not to leave him and reiterated that he liked me a lot.


Seeing the man who appeared so heartbroken, I couldn't bring myself to abandon him.


Now, it finally dawned on me. Derick was capable of loving someone. Just not me.


When he emerged from the office, I was already in bed, feigning sleep.


He leaned close and murmured softly in my ear, "Skye, Paris has some new pastries. I'll go fetch them for you."


When I heard the door shut behind him, I sat up immediately, fully alert. I then hastily dressed and trailed after him.


He drove to an upscale restaurant, where his friends were already waiting at the entrance. Upon seeing him, they couldn't resist teasing.


"Derick, have you already settled Skye in for the night?"


"You're now arranging Miss Alanna's birthday celebration, eh? You certainly have energy to spare."


"Miss Snee is returning soon. Better conceal Skye before she discovers!"


"Derick, treating Skye like this—do you think Piers will let you off easily?"


Derick's expression darkened with annoyance. "Enough. Stop wasting time and get to work. Skye's been acting irrational, insisting on marriage. It took me ages to shut her down. Don't let anything slip, understood?"


Chapter 2