I Dropped The Bidder To Keep My Empire Chapter 05
I sat in the car for two hours.
My left shoulder had gone completely numb. I used my right hand to dial a number I hadn’t called in a long time.
He picked up fast. His voice was low, steady, and calm. Beckett Hale.
He was Derek’s only rival in business. And the current head of the Hale family.
Six months ago, he’d hinted at a marriage alliance. But back then, my head was full of Derek. I’d shut him down flat.
“Mr. Hale,” I said. “Is that offer from six months ago still on the table?”
Three seconds of silence on the other end.
“Miss Vance in trouble?”
“I need a groom. In three days.” I watched the streetlights blur past the window. “In exchange, I’ll convince my grandfather to give you the North Harbor land plot as my dowry.”
“My grandfather gets back tomorrow. Can you convince him?” Beckett’s voice gave nothing away.
“Once I’m married, he has to hand over the plot. That’s the Vance family inheritance rule.”
“Deal. I’ll pick you up tomorrow. We’ll go see your grandfather.”
I hung up. A wave of exhaustion hit me.
When I got home, Derek was sitting in the living room. Of all places.
He’d changed his clothes. He looked terrible. There was an unlit cigarette between his fingers.
Ashley wasn’t there. Neither were the three guys.
“Sierra, I checked the tapes from last night.” He stood up and walked toward me.
I didn’t say anything. I just looked at him.
“Lucas doesn’t know when to stop. I’ll ground him.” He reached for my shoulder. I stepped aside.
“Don’t bother. He was right. I’m a street kid. I’m tough. It doesn’t hurt.”
Derek’s hand froze in midair.
He stared at the sling around my neck. His voice got rougher. “Sierra, I’ll figure out a way to get that tiara back from Ashley. And stop talking about this wedding.”
“Forget it. That thing looks good on Ashley. All that stolen guilt suits her.”
I walked straight upstairs and pushed open my door.
Derek followed me and grabbed my right wrist.
“You really have to talk to me like that? Are you really going to die on this hill?”
I stopped.
I turned around and locked my eyes on his.
“Dead woman?”
I backhanded him across the face with my right hand.
I put every ounce of strength I had into it. My whole hand went numb, right down to my thumb.
Derek’s head snapped to the side. Red fingerprints bloomed on his cheek.
Rage burned in his eyes. His pride—never insulted like this before—screamed for revenge.
“Sierra, did you just hit me?”
“You deserved it.” I looked at him, my eyes completely flat. “Respect? You wouldn’t recognize it if it bit you in the ass, Derek. Get out of my room.”
He laughed coldly, turned around, and stormed out.
“You’ll regret this. Without me, Harrison Vance will sell you off tomorrow.”
The door slammed so hard the ceiling shook.
I sat on the edge of my bed and looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes were dry. No tears left.
The anniversary card I’d made for Derek—our third engagement anniversary—went into the paper shredder.
The sound of it chewing up the paper was crisp and clean.
That was the end of three years.