Catherine's POV
The slap that landed across my face wasn't painful but the shock numbed me for a few seconds.
But what happened next shocked me.
From the corner of my eyes, I saw another figure hurried inside the restroom and a fist landed heavily on Dane's face.
I gasped and turned to see Gerald just at the doorway and Dane on the floor beside his lovely wife passed out cold.
Gerald's expression tightened and he frowned at me.
I was too stunned to speak and he looked like he was trying his best to remain calm.
Some people were beginning to gather, I guess the commotion was getting worse than I expected.
Anna decided to use that moment to get back at us.
"Someone please help us, these people are hitting us!" She wailed pitifully at the camera of a phone that was pointed towards her.
Gerald turned to the person and took the phone out her hand and deleted everything she had been recording.
"Get out!" He barked at her and she scrambled off with some people standing by the doorway.
A few security personnel arrived and Dane was immediately carried away with Anna following closely behind them. Her eyes glared at me in hatred and full of promise to revenge.
Gerald gestured at me and I walked out of the restroom to join him by the doorway.
His finger gently touched my face where I had been slapped.
It was nothing but I would have a hard time explaining that to him.
"Are you alright? I should have acted faster". He said with a frown.
"Were you here the whole time?" I asked in disbelief.
"I heard the scream and I was afraid that you might be in trouble". He explained, the frown still etched upon his face.
We returned to the hall and after an hour the event started as it should have an hour ago.
I wasn't expecting to see Anna and Dane return to the hall but they did both of them in new outfits.
Gerald also noticed and simply looked over at Dane, disdain clear as day in his eyes at him.
The event went on without another problem and soon it was time for the auction.
Which was planned to take place for just an hour.
"The first item for tonight's auction is a Victorian mirror used by the Queen of England". He started and the image of the mirror showed on the wall behind him.
People bid on for about twenty minutes and I was waiting to see something that I wanted.
I was getting bored when he announced the next object to be a diamond ring, the last work of a renowned Jeweler before he retired.
"I want it". I said, suddenly looking at Gerald.
He nodded and got ready to bid for it when a familiar voice called out their bid and I looked over to see if I was hearing right.
Dane and Anna were also bidding for it.
He had called out his price which was ten thousand dollars.
"Fifty thousand dollars". Gerald said calmly beside me.
All eyes turned towards us, Dane and Anna also did and a look of hatred crossed their faces.
"One hundred thousand". Dane yelled loudly as if sure that Gerald would give it up.
"One million dollars". He countered without a shift in expression.
"Hey, that is too much. I think we should just let them have it". I leaned over to whisper to him but only smiled at me.
"One million and fifty thousand" Dane yelled again but his confidence had faltered.
Everyone gasped, "Mr Ferdinando is really rich, the only heir to the Ferdinando Group to think he wants to spend that much on a ring to satisfy his wife". Someone said not far from us.
I groaned at the words and just turned to Gerald to let it go. It is a pretty ring but that much money was ridiculously high to spend on a ring.
"Two million dollars". Gerald bid again.
This time everyone went into total silence. They were all thinking the same thing, that amount on a ring is insane.
Who could afford to waste that much on a ring.
They all waited but no response came from Dane again. The host was very excited at the high amount they had pulled and hurriedly hit that hammer three times to confirm that Gerald had successfully gotten the ring.
"That amount is absurd, there are many things one could do with that money". I complained in disbelief.
"If you need money, let me know. Whereas that would be going to the orphanage". He replied and the former part of his sentence made me look away in embarrassment.
"The last ring by Alfonso has been successfully purchased by Mr Gerald Dalkeith Wells" The host announced and for the second time in the last thirty minutes everyone went quiet.
"Wells?" I frowned and looked at Gerald in shock.
Wells was an old and well-known family in the country. Their influence spans across several sectors of the country and that put them on the same level with the royal family and the government as a whole.
The Wells' power is unimaginable that people at some point believe they are the original settlers of the country but right now all that didn't matter to me except that the man I had gotten married to thinking was a nobody was actually from the strongest family in the country.
"You look pale, are you alright?" Gerald asked with a frown and moved to touch my face but just when he got close enough, I moved back. Subconsciously, or maybe because of my confusion.
"Catherine". He called with a frown.
"No, don't call my name" I said in a strained voice and I stood up and hurried out of the hall with everyone looking at us with their mouths agape in disbelief and amazement.
"Catherine, wait". He called as he hurried after me.
Maybe I should have listened to him because a scream tore out of my throat in the next few seconds.