The Wife Auctioned For One Dollar Chapter 09
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.”
Vito stood center stage, microphone in hand.
The spotlight bathed him in its glow, making him look triumphant and self-assured.
“Tonight, in addition to thanking everyone for their support of Vitale Group, I’d like to make two announcements.”
He paused, turning a look of deep affection toward Lily in the audience.
“First, I will be establishing a charitable foundation named after Lily, with an initial endowment of ten million dollars.”
“This fund will support women who have experienced pregnancy-related tragedies.”
“Lily, you taught me what true kindness really means.”
Thunderous applause filled the room.
Lily’s eyes brimmed with tears of emotion. She pressed both hands to her chest, basking in the envious gazes surrounding her.
Even guests who knew nothing of the truth praised Vito for his loyalty and compassion.
I stood in the shadows below the stage, barely able to suppress a laugh.
Using marital assets—blood money earned by auctioning off his own wife on the black market—to set up a charity foundation for his mistress.
Talk about resourceful.
“Second.”
Vito continued.
“Regarding the South Brooklyn waterfront redevelopment project—”
“Regarding that project, I’m afraid Mr. Vitale is no longer qualified to participate.”
I cut him off, my voice cold, and walked toward the stage step by step.
Every eye in the room snapped to me.
Vito’s brow furrowed.
He dropped his voice to a volume only we could hear.
“Evelyn, what the hell are you doing?”
“Get off the stage.”
I ignored him.
I walked straight to the control console, yanked out the receiver for his microphone.
Then I plugged in the USB drive I’d prepared in advance.
“Vito, have you forgotten where the first ten million dollars for Lily’s foundation actually came from?”
The massive LED screen behind the stage blazed to life.
What appeared wasn’t a charity foundation promotional slideshow.
It was a piece of crystal-clear surveillance footage.
The frame showed the VIP section of the underground auction.
Vito sat on a leather sofa, wearing a silver mask.
Beside the video, a technically restored audio track played—the voice distortion stripped away, revealing his natural voice.
“My wife is a bit headstrong, I’ll admit, but she’s easy on the eyes. Once you take her home, you can handle her however you see fit. I won’t ask questions.”
“As long as you leave her breathing.”
“One dollar starting bid. Whoever takes her is responsible for the full seven days of discipline.”
Every cold, venomous word echoed through the ballroom.
The full scene from that night at the auction played out for all to see.
Every person in the room watched as a husband sold his own wife for his mistress’s sake.
Dead silence.
Not a soul could find words. The footage was too horrifying for speech.
Vito’s face went white as bone.
He lunged for the control console, trying to rip out the USB drive.
“Security!”
“Get this crazy woman off the stage!”
“The video is fabricated!”
He was screaming at the top of his lungs.
“Is it fabricated?”
A cold voice cut through from below the stage.
Damien walked up with several men in sharp suits, physically blocking the venue’s security team.
“Mr. Vitale, allow me to introduce myself.”
“I’m Special Agent Victor Hayes, FBI Organized Crime Investigation Unit.”
Victor Hayes displayed his credentials.
“Vito Vitale, we’ve received a formal complaint.”
“You are suspected of attempted human trafficking, embezzlement of corporate funds, malicious diversion of marital assets, and involvement in underground black-market transactions.”
“Please come with us.”
Vito fell apart completely.
He stumbled backward.
“No…”
“This isn’t real!”
“I never trafficked anyone! It was just… it was just a joke!”
“It was the auction host who set me up!”
He pointed wildly at me.
“It was her!”
“She framed me!”
I watched his hysteria with perfect calm. From my clutch, I produced a small black metal badge.
Engraved on its surface was a nightingale with wings outstretched.
I pinned it lightly to my chest.
“You’re absolutely right.”
I looked straight into his dilating pupils.
“I set the trap.”
“Because I am Nightingale.”
The room erupted.
Lily let out a shriek and crumpled to the floor.
Vito’s pupils shook violently.
He stared at the badge on my chest.
“You… how can you possibly be…”
He raised a trembling finger at me, unable to form a complete sentence.
“Did you really think I knew nothing?”
I advanced on him, one step at a time.
“You wanted to sell me into hell to avenge Lily.”
“But what you didn’t know—”
I stopped directly in front of him, tilting my face up to meet his ashen gaze.
“The auction house you walked into was my territory all along.”