Temptation

Chapter 98 - buy my heart

A fake smile was plastered on my face, I wanted nothing but to run away from here. Shaking hands and hugging people didn't seem right, this is all for a good cause and I had to remember that. "Well if it isn't the infamous Esmerelda santos." That voice sounded to familiar to me and I immediately turned my head around, too bad all I saw was disappointment. "I'm sorry, do we know each other?" I asked and he chuckled, hands in pockets. "You don't remember me? You and me went way back... May I even say 4th grade?" I rolled my eyes as soon as I remembered who he was.

"What do you want Noah? It's been years since we last saw each other, although I wouldn't expect you to mature." I crossed my arms, I wanted nothing more but to slap that smirk off of his face. "Someone's pearls became rusty, I usually don't come to these things but once I heard the infamous name then I knew I had to show up. You really haven't changed one bit. So tell me whats it like being in charged of the largest cartel in the U.S." he takes a sip of his champagne. "Illuminating and don't forget about Mexico. I get anything I want and I make my own money, what more could a lady want?"

"Has a lady like you settle down yet?" I already knew where this was going. "Why are you asking? What? You wanna throw your hat into the ring?" He nervously laughed. "Humble as ever, isn't that right esme?" I shook my head. "I'm just being honest, you're a guy who usually knows what he wants." I was annoyed. "Trust me, you don't want to know what I want right now." Now I felt uncomfortable, I looked over at my uncle and he nods his head. "I sure as hell don't. I have to go, it's showtime." I walked away and couldn't help but feel his eyes trailing my every move. "Y quien es eso muchacho?" I couldn't stand my uncle right now, especially what he said earlier. "Why do you care?" I spat and he gave me a disapproving look.

I stood there tall and with a the smile on my face, "ladies and gentlemen, so far we have raised over 50 million dollars for children's hospital research. I would like to thank the buyers, the hospital and of course the santos family for donating all of this money to help kids in need and the contribution to cancer research. This last item is the rare tidal blue diamond necklace at 17.62 carats, worn by the beautiful and kind, Esmerelda santos. We will now start the bidding, 10 million?" 5 people raised their hand. I quickly make eye contact with Noah, cocky that son of a bitch is. "Am I hearing 15?" Noah was not playing around with this shit. "18?" Two people including him were still bidding.

"20? Anyone?" Just Noah and another man but he was much older. "23?" It was the two of them until it was finally up to 30 million, it was only him left. "30? Going once, going twice-" he gets interrupted and there he goes, Marcus walking in through the door. "30!" Marcus yelled and everyone snapped their heads to look at him. "33!" Noah said. "37!" Made me wonder how much longer would marcus go. I looked at Noah and he rolled his eyes. "Going once, going twice. Sold to the young man in black. Thats it for the auction, thank you so much and an around of applause of the santos family." I stepped off the stage and walked towards Marcus but I wasn't the only one, so did Billy, Lex, and Maria.

"Mate, you did all of that for one necklace? Blimey, this is what happens when people get rich." Lex says dramatically. "Marcus are you crazy? Where'd you come up with the money for the necklace?" I said it quietly. "Relax, I have my ways. I involved myself in the bidding so you can keep the necklace... and because it was a good cause." My mind was blown, how could I be mad at him when he bided 37 million for me to keep the necklace. "Ay que romántico." María said and then went back to yelling at servers. "CAREFUL WITH THAT!" We all laughed and immediately checked my phone. "Shit, you called me and I didn't answer, I'm sorry." I told Marcus and the boys. "It's all good but you were right when they lose they get... aggressive."

"I caught one of them trying to cut our brakes." Billy said. "I've seen worse but thanks for being there tonight. I believe these are yours." I took two pairs of keys out of my purse. "No you didn't." Billy gasped. "Yeah I did, their both parked in the garage. Don't crash it right now." I give them the keys. "Thanks boss lady. If you ever need us to save the day again, we're at your service. Shall we brother?" Lex asks as they both go running off. "What kind of guy doesn't like cars." I laughed. "Now I really want to know what my prize it." He pulls me in by my waist. "Oh I think you know by now." We laughed and from the corner I see Noah making his way out with his parents. "I'll be back" I told Marcus and walked quickly towards Noah .

"I get it, you have a boyfriend, you don't have apologize." I look down at my nails. "I wasn't going to but I was gonna ask why you were bidding for the necklace?" I asked curiously. "Same reason why your boyfriend bid on it, he beat me to it. You know I always knew we were all gonna be working for you one day. After all, that was the dream you wrote on the lantern we lit up all those years ago. Sorry about your folks, by the way. Glad to see you ruling the world." He smiles and walks away, "hopefully this isn't the last time we cross paths." I remember writing on the lantern, wishing I could run my uncle's cartel. I just didn't know he saw what I was writing especially when I was so secretive back then.
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As Marcus was filling me in on poker night I hear a knock on my door. I opened the door and saw my uncles face, "can I talk to you? I want to apologize about what I said earlier." I looked down at the ground. "How many times are you going to keep apologizing about the same thing over and over again- it's late and I really don't want to talk about it right now." He nods his head and I closed the door. "What happened?" Marcus asked and I laid back on my bed. "He thinks I'm a joke. I don't know how much of this is I can take. I don't give a shit what everyone else thinks but it's bad enough when my uncle is the one saying it. He has trained me my whole life to be like him and I'm doing my best but apparently it's not good enough."

"Screw him and what everyone else thinks, you're gonna go down in history as the best cartel leader there ever was. History books will have your name in them, law students will learn about your life and study how you became this amazing business woman. Who gives a shit, you deserve the world and no one can ever take that away from you, even if they tried." I laughed. "You're right, I've been so desperate his approval that I've been trying to go through his path but I should've been creating mines." I pulled him in but his tie and place a rough kiss on his face.

"If you don't mind me asking, who was that guy you were talking to?" I laughed while I got changed for bed. "Jealous aren't we?" He immediately shook his head no. "I did just out bid him for the necklace." I sighed. "Fair enough. His name is Noah, he used to tease me in school when I went back for a year. You know the deal, I'm everyone's recurring nightmare. They hear my last name and come back to see what I'm made of and figure me out. Like I said before, I wasn't the most pretty girl. I looked rough around the edges and that certainly didn't help with the teasing but it did allow me to start getting into fights... constantly." I crossed my arms. "So he's a jerk, I got feeling from him. But it did look like he was trying to make a move on you."

"That's why he was bidding for the necklace, to give it to me. Even if he did win it... I wouldn't have accepted it because I can't be bought, hell he doesn't get to show up and try to impress me with money. With you it's different because your intentions came from the heart."