Chapter 27 Impulse Buying
That day, Daisy and I talked for hours. I'd been to college too. Had even gotten the chance to study abroad once. But that was... well, that ship had sailed.
I told Daisy to sit tight and contact me immediately if anything went down. I'd come for her, no matter what. She trusted me completely, thanking me over and over for being willing to help. Several times during our conversation, I caught her hesitating, like there was something else she wanted to say. My guess? It had something to do with that boss of hers. I didn't push her. Just told her to stay alert.
After reassuring Daisy, the knot of anxiety in my chest finally loosened.
When I woke up again, it was to my phone ringing.
"Hello?"
"Catherine, don't tell me you're still asleep?"
Blake's voice jolted me awake faster than any alarm. He rarely contacted me during off-hours. Had to be work-related, right?
I sat up straight. "What happened?"
His voice dropped to a near-whisper. "There's this auction happening at the XX Gallery on XX Street, and Nicholas has completely lost his mind. He's planning to drop insane money on some oil painting!"
My brain snapped to full attention. Auction? Oil painting? Was it Michael's?
"Catherine, can you get down here? I can't talk him out of it. I mean, I know the Harrington family's loaded, but this is ridiculous!"
Blake's complaints kept coming as I scrambled out of bed, throwing on clothes and making myself presentable.
"Has the auction started yet?"
Blake paused. "Not yet. We were just scrolling through the catalog on his tablet when Nicholas spotted this painting and declared he's getting it no matter what."
I breathed a small sigh of relief. Good. The walking wallet hadn't blown his cash yet.
"You're coming, right? You better hurry. The starting bid's already at three hundred thousand."
Blake had snuck away to call me. He'd seen the painting's artist, and knowing everything the Rosewood family had put me through, he genuinely thought this was a terrible idea. But Nicholas was acting possessed, absolutely determined to win the bid. Blake had no choice but to reach out to me. He explained all this via text while I was en route.
I could only shake my head in exasperation. Deep down, I had a sinking feeling Nicholas was doing this for me. But whether from an artistic value standpoint or personal grudge perspective, I had to stop him. This was basically funding Sabrina's medical bills, wasn't it? Handing the Rosewood family free money? Yeah, in their dreams.
I texted Blake back.
[Stall Nicholas for me. I'm already on my way.]
[No problem. Just hurry.]
I rushed to the auction house. As I slipped into the hall, the auctioneer was introducing a new piece.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this painting, titled 'Spring,' is the work of renowned Artist Association prodigy Michael Rosewood..."
I glanced up. Blake was waving me over frantically. I crouched low and hurried toward them. The second I reached their row, Nicholas raised his paddle to bid.
"Nicholas!" I grabbed his hand.
The warm contact sent tingles racing across my skin. I yanked my hand back. Nicholas stared at the spot where I'd touched him, something like disappointment flickering across his handsome features. Heat crept into my cheeks unbidden, but I couldn't forget why I was here.
"Are you insane? Got too much money burning a hole in your pocket?"
Nicholas looked at me in confusion, then at Blake, who suddenly found the floor very interesting. Ignoring Blake entirely, Nicholas turned back to me. "Catherine, how did you... why are you here?"
"Is there something in the catalog you like?" He held out his tablet.
I had zero doubt that if I said I wanted anything, he'd buy it for me on the spot.
On stage, the bidding for 'Spring' had begun.
"Three hundred and ten thousand from the gentleman in the back!"
"Three hundred and thirty thousand."
"Do I hear any higher bids?"
Nicholas moved to raise his paddle again. I shot him a glare and snatched it right out of his hand. "You are NOT buying that."
Nicholas didn't look remotely upset. He just watched me. "Don't you want to destroy it yourself?"
I froze.
Blake, sensing gossip potential, perked up. "Wait, what? There's a story here?"
Nicholas ignored him, reaching for the paddle again. I jerked it away reflexively. His hand caught my wrist instead. I pulled back even further.
"Nicholas, you want to buy this painting for me so I can personally destroy it?" My tone turned serious.
Nicholas nodded earnestly. That was exactly his plan.
I stared at him, incredulous. "You're going to drop hundreds of thousands just to destroy it? Do you have a fever or something?" Without thinking, I pressed my palm to his forehead. "You don't feel warm..."
Nicholas pulled my hand away but didn't let go. "Catherine, you hate it."
Just because I hate something means it needs to be destroyed? I glanced at the other bidders still competing. I didn't like it, but someone else did. Other people were willing to pay for Michael's work. I wasn't.
Somewhere along the line, I'd started thinking of Nicholas as... mine.
"Nicholas, thank you, but Michael doesn't deserve it. Do you understand?"
"What?"
"I despise this painting. It should have me in it, but Michael deliberately left me out. So even if I destroyed it, what would that accomplish?" Whether the painting existed or not, I still couldn't be part of that scene. If I couldn't change anything, why waste money and energy dealing with a piece that meant nothing to me?
Nicholas understood immediately. He stopped trying to reclaim the paddle and started scrolling through the tablet catalog again, asking if there were any other pieces I liked.
Blake watched this exchange with growing bewilderment. But smart as he was, he quickly pieced together the situation. The painting depicted Michael and Sabrina. Catherine had originally been there too, but Michael had deliberately excluded her. Nicholas, trying to win her heart, planned to buy the painting as a gift. Unfortunately, Catherine couldn't care less.
Blake felt genuinely moved. Just weeks ago, Nicholas had been asking him for dating advice. Look how fast he'd developed game! And he'd been keeping secrets from Blake this whole time.
I caught his entire thought process playing out across his face and made a mental note to buy him afternoon tea at work as a thank-you.
By the end of the auction, I still hadn't purchased anything. All the inspiration I'd absorbed at the gallery exhibition, I'd already documented and organized when I got home. For me, they'd already served their purpose.
As we left together, two figures approached from the auction house's other exit. I remembered Melissa's earlier text.
[Heard Michael's painting made it to auction. Sabrina begged him to take her out after she found out.]
I'd been too focused on stopping Nicholas to reply. Talk about awkward timing.
[Already ran into them.]
I fired off a quick response and locked my phone. Sabrina and Michael had spotted me. Sabrina's eyes gleamed with calculation as she tugged Michael toward us.
"Catherine! What a coincidence! You came to the auction too?"