Divorce and Freedom No More Homemaker for Him novel Chapter 311

Divorce and Freedom: No More Homemaker for Him

Chapter 311 Outbid

Finisher

Herman wasn’t as loud or energetic as James. When Draven didn’t feel like talking, Herman would just find something to do on his own and stay quiet. The silence between them felt comfortable.

Draven didn’t know how long he had been lingering on his chat with Ayla. The chat background was a photo he had taken of her when they went shopping together.

He had forgotten to take off his mask when he took the photo, and he remembered thinking that next time, he would make sure his face was in the picture.

But right now, he didn’t have the energy to care.

Draven had been gone for two or three days, and Ayla hadn’t sent him a single message. They were living together, even pretending to be a couple. By any standard, that should have counted as being close.

Yet it felt no different from before.

When there was no need to act, there was no contact at all. She treated him like a stranger.

When Ayla and Troy were still married, Draven had wanted nothing. Now, after the divorce, he found himself wanting more and more.

His thumb brushed over Ayla’s masked face on the screen and paused at her eyes.

Slowly, Draven tightened his grip on the phone.

“Is that … Troy?” The auction house’s private VIP boxes had large floor–to–ceiling windows made of one–way glass. The clients could see the items up for auction, but outsiders couldn’t see in.

Draven heard Herman’s voice and turned his head.

Troy and Max walked into the auction hall together, then headed toward the VI on.

Herman looked surprised. “Redmont isn’t that big. You can even run into each other here?” He glanced at Draven and nudged his silver–rimmed glasses. “You two can’t stand each other, but the timing is kind of perfect.

Draven’s gaze darkened. It was only after he moved into Ayla’s place that he found out she had her own art studio. He hadn’t seen what she painted, but since she had an interest in art, he wanted to buy a few pieces and give them to her.

Troy showing up here wasn’t a coincidence.

Draven’s expression grew colder.

Herman asked, “Draven, what’s going on with you?”

“Let’s go

Draven didn’t want to compete with Troy over a painting.

Just as he was about to stand up, his phone vibrated.

Tu Jan 1

Chapter 311 Outbid

Was it Ayla?

Draven picked it up to check.

The moment he thought it might be Ayla, his heart tightened.

When he looked down, it was a work message.

Not Ayla

ith no word from Ayla over the past few days, Draven’s mood had already soured.

Now, running into Troy on top of that, and having his expectations fall flat, only made it worse.

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The tension around him dropped even lower. Herman felt it immediately. He had no idea what was going on with Draven. Since Draven wasn’t talking. Herman didn’t feel it was his place to ask. He figured leaving might actually be a good idea.

But Draven didn’t leave after all.

Herman stayed silent.

The auction began.

The first major piece was an oil painting by a twentieth–century artist, also the most expensive item in the lineup.

The opening bid was five hundred thousand dollars.

Draven didn’t bid right away. After several rounds, the VIP box where Troy was sitting finally called our a price.

Only then did it rise to 700 thousand dollars.

At 700 thousand, most people no longer dared to compete.

In the neighboring box, Max couldn’t help his curiosity..

He studied Troy and said, “I didn’t know you were into collecting paintings.”

“Just a whim,” Troy replied, still not telling the truth.

Lowering himself for Ayla was embarrassing enough. It was best if no one else knew.

Max glanced around the room. No one else was bidding anymore.

“Looks like this one’s yours.”

“Yeah. Once it’s done, let’s go,” Troy said. He didn’t want to waste any more time on this.

Seeing that he really wasn’t that interested, Max didn’t ask any more questions.

The two of them waited as the auctioneer raised the gavel, just about to bring things to a close.

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15:22 Thu, Jan 15 GG ·

Chapter 311 Outbid

Then, from another VIP box, the bid suddenly jumped to one million dollars.

Troy’s movement as he stood froze.

Gasps rippled through the main hall as well.

Finished

The painting’s collectible value topped out at around one million at most. Anything higher than that was overpaying.

Someone had actually shown up with more money than sense to spare.

Herman was just as shocked. “Went straight to a clean number…”

He gave Draven a thumbs–up.

Draven didn’t react.

Next door. Troy frowned. He had planned to take the painting for 700 thousand, keep things simple, and leave. This sudden increase annoyed him. He hated losing control. He raised the bid by another hundred thousand.

The other side immediately called one point five million.

This time, even Troy was caught off guard.

Was this guy deliberately competing with him?

“They clearly want it no matter what. There’s no point following.” Max said.

Both Max and Troy were wealthy. A few million dollars meant nothing to them, but throwing money around for no reason wasn’t a good habit.

Troy’s expression darkened. The other bidder’s jumps were aggressive and left no room for compromise. Continuing would be meaningless.

Troy stopped bidding.

Still, the feeling was awful–like something he was certain he’d get, something already within reach, had suddenly been snatched away at the last second.

When the gavel finally came down, the painting sold for one point five million dollars. It went to Draven.

After the artwork was packaged and delivered to their private box, Draven didn’t even look at it. He let Herman carry it, then stood up and left.

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