Chapter 3

Early in the morning, sun rays shone through the curtains. Estelle lay in bed, looking as white as a sheet. Suddenly, she heard a husky voice asking, "Are you awake now?" With a towel wrapped loosely around his waist, Dillon emerged from the bathroom. The water that was still dripping off his hair trickled down onto his well-defined abdomen, giving him an inexplicably sensual appearance. A glint flickered through Estelle's otherwise-dull eyes. As she got up in bed, the covers slipped off her body. The reddish-purple spots on her fair skin that could be seen on the parts of her body that were uncovered reminded them of what a wild night it was last night. Yet, all that unrestrained fervor was only because of Alison. Dillon knitted his brows together when he noticed how Estelle was keeping to herself and staying silent. He pursed his lips tightly, especially after he saw the marks on Estelle's body. For some reason, his chest felt stuffy. But once he thought of the things that happened with Estelle in the past, his heartache died down instantly. "Isn't this what you've always been yearning for?" Dillon strode to the couch and sat down. Then, he retrieved a cigarette from the drawer and lit it like he always did. Clouds of smoke obscured the frigidity on his face. He continued, "To use your body to secure your position as Mrs. Waverly. So, you don't have to act so miserable." Estelle's numb heart wrenched again. Smiling bitterly, she bore with the soreness in her body as she picked up the divorce agreement. "Let's get a divorce, Dillon," she said in a soft yet clear voice. The look in Dillon's eyes turned dark. After a long time, he took a puff of his cigarette slowly. Forcing a sarcastic smile, he asked, "Do you know what you're saying?" "I do." The cold and sharp gaze in Dillon's eyes seemed to gaze right through Estelle's soul. "Is it because you feel like it was of no use for you to fight relentlessly, so you're now planning to play hard-to-get?" Estelle took a deep breath and replied in a firm tone, "No. I'm serious about it. If you have nothing to say about the divorce agreement, you can sign it right now." Once he signed it, everything that kept them entangled with one another would come to an end. The smile disappeared from Dillon's face gradually as he put his cigarette out in the ashtray. Then, he strode to Estelle and leaned into her from above, invading her space. "You put in so much effort in the first place, only to say that you want to get a divorce now that you've got everything you wanted? Did you think that I'd believe you, Estelle?" Like a sharp blade, his frosty gaze pierced through her heart. Even so, she was not going to be sad or hurt by his words like she used to be in the past. Looking straight into his eyes, she replied, "Whether you believe me or not, I had no hand in what happened back then. All you need to do is to sign this, and I will never pester you again in the future. "Isn't this what you have been hoping for, too?" Dillon studied the look in Estelle's eyes deeply, as if he was trying to find even the slightest hint that she was pulling his leg. But there was none. She was serious about this. Logically speaking, he should be happy. However, for some reason, he felt extremely frustrated. Estelle put in so much effort to marry him in the first place. How could she be the one asking for a divorce now? She had to be having some trick up her sleeve. "You have no right to decide this!" Estelle opened her mouth to speak, but Dillon's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID, then answered the call immediately. He softened his tone and asked, "What's up, Al?" Alison's soft voice sounded in the empty room, and the expression on Dillon's face became tense instantly. "Okay. Wait for me. I'll be right there." Upon saying that, he strode off hurriedly. Looking at the agreement in her hands, Estelle let out a mocking scoff. He wasn't even giving her the chance to free herself, was he? … That same afternoon, Estelle put on a simple-looking strap dress along with light makeup that covered the complexion of her face. Then, she flagged a cab to go to a charity auction. Everyone assumed she was a weak woman who had to rely on Dillon in order to survive. Nevertheless, what they didn't know was the fact that she was not only a famous collector in the country but also a top appraiser who had unique taste and was capable of identifying the genuineness of an item with just one look. Everything she was capable of doing and everything she had was far more than what people perceived of her. The chandeliers at the charity auction gave off a brilliance that shone down on everything beneath them. Distinguished individuals of various fields sat in their seats as they chatted with one another in low voices. "I heard the world-famous, first-rate collector will be coming, too." "Are you referring to the mysterious Alex?" "Damn! If she's here, it means there'll be some mysterious treasure today!" None of them were aware that the person they referred to as "Alex" had just walked past them in a baggy T-shirt. Estelle curled her lips upward slightly while she listened to the chatter between them. She was the so-called "Alex". Aurora was the daughter of a museum's head curator. Everyone assumed she had cut ties with her family because she insisted on being together with Bobby. However, that was not the case. The reason why Estelle was able to have such achievements was thanks to the support of her maternal grandfather, Carlson Green, who created a platform for her. At the same time, she was a natural talent who had great memory and high appraisal standards toward the materials, workmanship, and history of every work of art. For five years, using her identity as "Alex", Estelle would create waves in the market each time she took action. With just one word from her, she would be able to cause the price of an artwork to fluctuate. Whenever auctions had items of significance to be auctioned, they would send her an invitation months in advance. A description of her had been spreading throughout the world of collectors. The moment Alex nodded her head, she would be able to make even the most inconspicuous of art pieces shoot to fame overnight. Everyone here had heard of Alex. But she wasn't here because of some treasure. Instead, it was for those useless shards. She sat in a corner, waiting quietly. The auction went on in an organized manner, with the auction items being bid for one by one. When that piece of art that was carefully made out of shards of crystals was presented, Estelle's eyes lit up immediately. The crystals reflected a mystical gleam under the light. The moment it was introduced, it caught the attention of many. However, the amazement was brief. The excitement died down soon enough. "Why is some glass being auctioned?" "You're not aware, are you? This piece used to be extremely valuable. If I'm not mistaken, it became flawed because of a fire." "An imperfect piece of art is worthless." The auctioneer and a staff member backstage were rendered speechless as they shot one another a look. The latter shook his head helplessly, so the former could only speed up the auction progress. "If this item doesn't appeal to all of you, we will continue—" Right at this moment, someone called out through the noise in a bright and crisp voice, "Five million dollars."