Page 50 of Broken Princess
“Can I help you, sir?”
I whirled around. A man in a suit was standing by an accent table with a polite smile on his face. “Can I help you?” he repeated.
“Yes, you can,” I said, straightening my shoulders. “I’m here for the auction, but I think I’m lost. Can you take me there?”
He frowned. “Sorry, sir. I can’t do that.”
I narrowed my eyes and let out a derisive snort, figuring I’d have to play the arrogant ‘do you know who I am?’ card again. “You must be joking,” I said, voice dripping with condescension. “Do you have any idea who the fuck you’re dealing wi—”
The man held up his hands and cut in. “Please, sir, I didn’t mean any disrespect. I only meant that I can’t take you to the auction because it’s already ended.”
“What?” My brows shot up. “It’s over?”
He nodded. “Yes, sir. It ended a few hours ago.”
My heart sank. I rubbed my chin and affected a mildly frustrated expression. “I see. I must’ve been confused about the time.”
“That’s a shame,” the man said with another polite smile. “You can still participate in the parties, if you want. Would you like me to take you to select a girl or boy?”
“No, thank you. I was only here for the auction,” I replied, chest tightening. “How did it go, anyway?”
“Very well, sir. The girl sold for almost a hundred million dollars.”
Jesus fucking Christ…
I swallowed the hard lump that had formed in my throat. “That’s a spectacular price,” I said, arching a brow. “Who was the lucky man?”
“I believe it was the Keshari Crown Prince.”
“Ah, I see,” I said, nodding slowly. “I’d love to pay him a quick visit to congratulate him on the acquisition. Is he staying here at the mansion tonight, or did he head back to the resort?”
“He actually left, sir.”
My eyes widened. “Already?”
“Yes. I believe he was quite excited to take his prize home. He took off on his private plane a couple of hours ago.”
It felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over my head and shoulders, a paralyzing flood of pure fear that left me unable to do anything but stand there staring with my mouth open.
“Are you all right, sir?” the man asked, forehead creasing.
“I… yes. I’m fine. I’m just disappointed that I didn’t get the chance to see the auction or congratulate the buyer,” I said. “Are you absolutely sure they left?”
“I’m afraid so,” he said, stealing my last fragment of hope.
My mouth went slack as heat rose behind my eyelids. I mumbled something unintelligible to the man and stumbled back down the hall before ducking into the first empty room I came across. Then I crumpled to my knees and closed my eyes, chest shaking with violent shudders.
I failed Willow.
Again.
She was probably halfway across the Atlantic by now, terror-stricken as the Crown Prince loomed over her with a sadistic gleam in his eyes. There was nowhere for her to run. No chance of escape.
I was too late.
