Exposed to the Highest Bidder
Chapter 1 At the auction, I had my eyes on a diamond ring to use as our wedding band. But no matter how much I offered, the young girl Damian Tucker was sponsoring—Susan Monroe—would always outbid me by just one dollar.
Damian chuckled helplessly. “Darling, Susan is fond of these glittering things. Let her have it, alright? Be good.”
I raised my hand and made another bid, securing the purchase.
That night, Susan left in tears. Damian only kissed my forehead with a sigh and murmured, “You’re such a fiery little thing.”
He never went after Susan. After we got married, he spent the entire year indulging in me every single night. One day, I received an invitation to a private auction.
Displayed brazenly on the screen was a photo of me beneath Damian, eyes dazed with desire. It had been turned into a featured exhibit.
Damian sat in the front row with his arm around Susan’s waist.
“You like making bold moves, don’t you?” he said with a smirk. “365 intimate photos of you, Eleanor. If you don’t want them ending up in someone else’s hands, you’d better start bidding.”
…
I stood there in the auction hall, surrounded by men ogling the screen and discussing loudly.
“This woman’s a damn slut. I’ve seen it all, but this is the first time a single photo got me hard.”
“Who would’ve thought? Eleanor looks so prim and proper, but in bed? She’s filthier than the pros. It’s funny how she used to act like she was too good for us.”
“Mr. Tucker’s one lucky man. I bet he’s wrecked every inch of that classy little body.”
Someone winked at Damian, who was seated at the head of the room. I clenched my fists. Trembling, I turned to look at my husband, Damian.
Susan now sat in the seat that had been mine.
Damian didn’t even try to hide it. He chuckled and said, “Whoever buys the photo gets the full video from that night as a bonus.”
“Mr. Tucker, you’re the man!” The crowd erupted.
“Don’t look at me like that. As I said, you are free to place your bids. There are 365 photos. Take your time.”
Suddenly, a man chimed in mockingly, “Oh, come on, Mr. Tucker. Haven’t you heard? The Whitmores filed for bankruptcy. Ms. Whitmore probably doesn’t even have much left!”
“It takes at least 50 million dollars just to secure an item at the auction,” someone added with a laugh. “For her to even have 100 million in liquid assets? That’s the heavens being generous.”
Damian raised a brow, pretending to be surprised. “Oh? Is that so?”
“What a shame. All 365 photos are quite a sight. To be honest, I would not mind bidding on the entire set myself just to study them at leisure,” another man added with a sigh. “Unfortunately, Mr. Tucker is the only one here with the means to pull that off.”
Damian chuckled and raised his hand. “Gentlemen, for today’s auction, the Tucker Group will not place any bids on any of the items. All proceeds will be donated to charity. Please enjoy yourselves.”
The room erupted in applause.
“That’s a real businessman! Thank goodness the Tucker Group forced out the Whitmore Group’s partners. Otherwise, these photos might not be here tonight!”
“What are you worried about? There are a few dozen of us here. If we do not compete, everyone gets a piece.”
“Screw that! The third photo is way too wild. I must have it.”
I clenched my trembling fists, staring at Damian in disbelief. “Did you cause the collapse of the Whitmore Group?”
Damian simply looked at me with a faint smile.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I continued, “Why? Was it just because I placed that bid a year ago?”
Damian paid no attention to my distress. He picked up the microphone and said, “Time is limited, Ms. Whitmore. If you are not going to participate in the auction, I will let my friends begin.”
The men around the room stared at me with amusement.
Every one of them belonged to the upper elite circle, and the 100 million dollars in liquid assets I had left was probably no more than pocket change to them. It was probably only enough to cover a short vacation of theirs.
Chapter 2 How could I possibly compete with them?
“I need to use the restroom,” I whispered. I quickly wiped away my tears and turned to leave. If I stayed a second longer, I feared I might break down right then and there.
Laughter erupted behind me.
“It seems the ice queen is not entirely without shame after all.”
“Mr. Tucker, don’t wait for her. What can a woman with 100 million dollars do against us? She probably just needed an excuse to escape.”
“Shut up,” Damian said coldly. He stared toward the entrance with an expression so dark that everyone else quickly fell silent.
Moments later, I opened the door and walked back in. Under countless stares, I calmly resumed my seat. My eyes were still red.
“Let’s begin,” I said.
A flicker of surprise crossed Damian’s face as he glanced at me.
To fully showcase the images, the screen behind the host had been converted into a panoramic display. The photos surrounded the room, rotating in a continuous loop without blind spots, ensuring that every guest had an unobstructed view of my humiliation.
“Item No. 1. Starting bid: two million dollars,” the host announced with a smirk.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
“This is truly something. It is the perfect blend of elegance and depravity. Only someone born into high society like Ms. Whitmore could carry herself like such a whore with this much finesse.”
“Two million five hundred thousand dollars.”
The host remained silent and instead revealed a block of text beneath the photo. I got to my feet in horror. It was a graphic and detailed narrative of our wedding night. Only Damian and I could have known such specifics.
Trembling, I turned to look at him.
He sat in silence, smiling mockingly, as if none of it had anything to do with him. He only turned his head and softened his gaze when Susan leaned in to whisper something in his ear.
Around me, the murmurs were deafening.
“I thought the photos were already hot enough, but the footage is even more insane than I imagined. Forget it, I’m going all in. Five million dollars. I want the video.”
“Six million dollars.”
“If she could do that on the first night, I can’t imagine what comes after. Damn. Ten million dollars.”
“I will take it.” My voice was shaking, but firm.
All eyes turned toward me.
“Bidder 38 requests to purchase outright,” the host said. “Are you certain?”
I collapsed into my chair and weakly said, “Yes.”
“What a pity. That video must have been incredible.”
“What are you worried about? She will not last more than a few photos.”
“Exactly. The further it goes, the more intense it gets.”
“Bidder 38 confirms the purchase. Congratulations to Ms. Whitmore for acquiring the video footage.”
I closed my eyes as my fingernails dug deeply into my palms. The screen immediately changed to display the second photo, along with a new matching description.
“Item No. 2. Starting bid: two million dollars.”
The crowd burst into an uproar.
“Is this real? This puts everything I’ve studied to shame.”
Someone sitting near me poked me in the arm. “Who would’ve thought? You look so innocent, but you’re filthy behind closed doors.”
I glared at him. He burst out laughing. “That’s exactly my type. If Mr. Tucker no longer wants you, please come find me. I’ll even bid on a picture for you. How about that?”
“Don’t touch me,” I said with a chill that could slice through bone.
The man snorted and leaned back in his seat. “Stop pretending. You’re already used up. Ten million dollars!”
“20 million dollars!”
“25 million dollars!”
“I will take it.” I didn’t even know where I found the strength to say it.
The host looked at me with a knowing smile.
“Bidder 38 confirms the purchase.” The deal was finalized. With the same professional expression, the host looked my way again.
Chapter 3 “You’ve already bid twice. According to your asset verification, you have less than five million dollars in liquid funds remaining,” the host reminded politely.
I weakly said, “Let’s continue.”
The host couldn’t quite hide the disdain on his face as he revealed the third photo. “Item No. 3. Starting bid: two million dollars.”
“I’ll take it,” I said.
Everyone turned to look at me in surprise.
The host glanced my way. “Ms. Whitmore, your pre-auction verification showed you have assets totalling 143 million dollars. You’ve already bid twice—there’s not enough left.”
A man winked at me playfully. “You can beg me. I’ll take care of this one for you.”
I ignored them and turned my gaze to Damian. He was already looking at me. However, he had no intention of helping me. In fact, a trace of disdain crossed his face.
All eyes shifted to him. After all, he was still legally my husband.
“Why is everyone looking at me?” Damian asked with a smile. “I’ve already said—let everyone bid as they please.”
The men let out a collective sigh of relief.
“Thank you, Mr. Tucker!”
Just then, Susan, who had been sitting quietly at his side, raised her hand. “I’ll bid on this one for Eleanor.”
Damian turned to her. Surprise flickered across his face for a second, quickly replaced by an amused smile he didn’t bother to hide.
Susan looked at me and said, “Eleanor once paid for my study abroad. I can’t pretend I’ve forgotten how much I owe her.”
Damian smiled. Staring at Susan, the coldness in his expression seemed to melt for the first time. The crowd burst into laughter and teasing.
“It’s no wonder Mr. Tucker likes Susan. Who wouldn’t fall for someone so obedient?”
“Susan’s such a good girl. She blushes just from hearing a dirty joke, unlike that slut over there.”
Their loaded stares pierced through me like knives. A flash of smugness crossed Susan’s face. She looked at me and said, “Don’t worry, Eleanor.”
“You’re such a pretentious bitch,” I blurted out.
She paused, caught off guard. “What?”
“Is this how you repay me? By stealing my place and seducing my man?” I asked, leaning back in my chair. “Sorry, but I’m not so low that I need help from a slut and a piece of trash.”
“Eleanor.” Damian finally spoke to me, but his voice was so cold that it felt like I was nothing more than a stranger.
I gave him a frosty glance, then turned to the host. “It’s my bid. I’ll take it.”
The host looked troubled. “If you want to keep bidding, we’ll have to include the Whitmore Group’s real estate. But after the company’s bankruptcy, the value dropped significantly. Even then, it would barely reach 50 million dollars.”
“Just do it. Keep your comments to yourself,” I firmly said.
“This woman’s completely insane.”
The men shook their heads and looked at me with disdain.
“She’s willing to sacrifice even her last place of shelter, all for the sake of pride. What a pity. I had my eye on that third photo from the start.”
“It doesn’t matter. Barely a fraction of them have been sold. There are still over three hundred left. What could she possibly do?”
“Exactly. I took a quiet look earlier. The further they go, the more degrading they become. How pathetic.”
Mocking and pitying stares rained down on me from all sides.
“She’s like a trapped animal making its final, useless struggle.”
“Once the next photo comes up, she’ll be forced to watch as we claim it for ourselves.”
“I’m genuinely curious to see her face when that happens. Will it be the same expression she wore in Mr. Tucker’s bed?”
Their low, cruel laughter echoed endlessly through the room.
Chapter 4 I swallowed the tightness in my throat, clenched my fists in silence, and raised my head to look at the host. The fourth photo appeared on the screen shortly after.
“Item No. 4. Starting bid: two million dollars.”
“Damn, I like this one. 15 million dollars!”
“20 million dollars!”
“25 million dollars!”
“Lock it in,” I said. All eyes immediately turned to me.
The host’s smile was beginning to falter. “Ms. Whitmore, please do not disrupt the order. If you continue, we will have to ask you to leave.”
I replied coldly, “I’m not causing a disruption. I said I’ll take it, and not just this one. I intend to claim all 365 photos and videos tonight.”
The host exchanged a glance with the audience, and laughter broke out across the room. Even Susan couldn’t hold back a soft snort, resting her head playfully on Damian’s shoulder.
Damian’s gaze turned unusually gentle, and for the first time, the coldness in his expression seemed to melt ever so slightly.
“She’s lost her mind. Three hundred sixty-five items would cost at least 18 billion dollars. She didn’t have that kind of money even before she went bankrupt.”
“Who else but Mr. Tucker would even dare say something like that?”
It took the host several seconds to recover his professional smile. “Ms. Whitmore, in the previous round, you exhausted all of your assets. You are not qualified to place this bid.”
“Now, who was it that just bid 25 million dollars?”
“25 million dollars, going once!”
I grabbed the water glass from the table and flung it forward. It shattered loudly at the host’s feet, making him jump back in alarm. Then, I stared at him coldly.
“I said I’m taking it. Can’t you understand?”
“Eleanor!”
Someone grew impatient. “You’ve played along for three bids already. You’re broke now. Stop pretending!”
“Fake bids come with consequences. We’re showing you respect by bidding on your photos. Don’t be ungrateful.”
Even the host could no longer maintain his smile. “Ms. Whitmore, if not for Mr. Tucker, you wouldn’t even have been allowed to enter, let alone place a bid. If you continue causing trouble, don’t blame us for having security escort you out.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Who said I don’t have money?”
Damian glanced at me without changing his expression. Everyone froze in surprise.
“Stop joking. This may be a private auction, but do you think our asset verification is a joke? We know exactly how much money you have.”
I turned to the host. “As long as I still have funds, I’m allowed to place a bid, correct?”
“You are, but—”
“Reverify my assets,” I interrupted him.
The room fell silent as everyone exchanged uneasy glances. Even Damian furrowed his brows ever so slightly. I pulled the microphone a little closer.
“What? Are you afraid to play?”
“Fine, verify all you want. If we’re going to play, I want you to be convinced.”
On the big screen, all my photos were quickly withdrawn, replaced by my account balance.
The host took his place once more.
“Bidder 38, second round of asset verification.”
All eyes were locked on the numbers flashing across the screen. Tension crept into every face, no matter how composed they tried to appear. Whispers broke out across the room.
“How is she so calm? Could she still have money?”
“No way. Mr. Tucker has already shut down every one of Whitmore Group’s partnerships behind the scenes. Who in this circle could have more influence than him?”
“Has she lost her mind, putting on a show like this? Or is she actually hiding something we didn’t see coming?”
