The Auction

Twelve.

Occasionally words can hurt more than actions, leave scars deeper than cuts, they have a way of lingering, floating inside one's head, and that's exactly what Angela's words did. Hugo tried his best to ignore them, move past them, but he couldn't, they just drifted around in his mind, painfully. Angela leaned against the counter and ordered a drink, Hugo just stood motionless and observed. He didn't understand how she of all people could judge him, how dare she he thought.
"You know you're not one to judge" he spat, quietly. Angela heard him, she sighed then pushed herself away from the cushioned edge and spun to face him.
"Maybe I'm not the most dedicated wife, but I am a dedicated mother, believe me!" she insisted, with a withering look. The bartender placed her drink on the counter top, she grasped the narrow spine and lifted it towards herself, Hugo watched.
"She's only sixteen, she's still a little girl, my little girl and not a woman like you want her to be, and you're too old for her!" she muttered as the glass hovered inches from her lips. Hugo looked away as the rim touched her bottom lip. She gave him one last stare before leaving. He'd forgotten about his age, or the age older women believe him to be. It's a perk of being wealthy and the son of a billionaire, all the bars at his father's hotels serve him, a seventeen year old. Of course he looks older but they serve him because in truth they feel sorry for him, all in all it plays in his favour. He wasn't entirely sure but if he had to guess he reckoned Anglia believed him to be at least eighteen, he never lied because she never asked him the question.
How old are you?

Hailey's mind had been spinning, ever since Hugo snapped up the painting she couldn't stop thinking about him, she wanted to thank him but didn't know what to make of his potential girlfriend. He never mentioned he was with anyone when they spoke, she always presumed his eyes were only on her, maybe she was wrong. Maybe the attention he gave her blinded her from reality.
Alex stood slouched beside her, like Hailey his mind was elsewhere.

He couldn't help but think about Daisy, he knew he was the one who didn't want to go public, he said they could still see other people, but seeing her with someone didn't sit right. He knew he needed to speak with her, but what if she only wanted friendship, he had no idea she and Hugo knew one another. It felt like Hugo, the billionaire bachelor was now a threat to both his relationships.

Both Alex and Hailey wanted to be somewhere else, but neither knew it. Hailey couldn't pretend anymore, in one night she felt more of a spark for Hugo than she ever had for Alex. She always believed Alex was her first true love, but the connection with Hugo made her doubt those feelings. "I need to freshen up, how about you get some drinks" she lied. The pair went their separate ways, each letting their inner lusts consume them.

Compliments are what Hugo is usually showered with, though he could count on one hand the amount he'd received from his father. However negative the comments were he was used to them, but with Angela's comments it took him a while to function, she'd gotten inside his head which isn't an easy thing to do.
A petite brunette bounded up to the bar beaming from ear to ear. She looked like she'd just won something, presumably a bidding war.
"A bottle of your finest champagne" she quipped, placing both hands down on the bar and leaning forward like an eager schoolgirl. She didn't look much past her eighteenth birthday, her short tanned legs caught Hugo's eye. For such a small character she had great breasts that bulged out the top of her dress, her cleavage was perfection. She turned and gazed at the dejected Hugo, her white teeth grinned his way.
"Care to join me, I'd be a mess if I had this bottle all to myself" she said. Hugo thought about Hailey, but Anglia's comments swarmed his mind, he needed to clear his head, take his mind off everything. "I prefer the term a handful" Hugo smirked, "though looking at you I'd say there's more than a handful there for me" he teased, then gave the girl a cheeky smile. The girl squirmed, her cheeks flushed red. "How about we take this celebration somewhere private" he suggested. The girl gritted her teeth, took a deep breath and watched as Hugo picked up the champagne bottle, he took her hand and almost dragged her out of the room.

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