Heaven or Hell: Loving My Twisted Billionaire novel Chapter 52

Heaven or Hell: Loving My Twisted Billionaire

Chapter 52

Hannah’s POV

A hush fell over the ballroom as Finn Sterling took the seat directly beside me. I felt every eye in the room turn toward us, conversations halting mid- sentence. The elegant charity auction, which moments ago had been filled with the gentle murmur of wealthy donors, now crackled with tension.

Across the room, Olivia’s perfectly made–up face contorted with surprise and confusion. Her eyes darted between us, then frantically sought out Brian Hawkins. She hurried over to him, whispers urgent and panicked. I couldn’t hear what she said, but her body language screamed distress.

Brian stepped forward, his practiced smile never faltering. “Everyone, please,” he announced smoothly, “let’s continue with our evening. Mr. Sterling simply wishes to enjoy the auction without interruption.”

The crowd reluctantly resumed their conversations, though their attention remained fixed on us. I caught snippets of Olivia’s hushed conversation with one of her friends.

“What’s happening?” she hissed. “Why would he sit with her?”

Her friend shook her head. “Maybe it’s about her family? The Lancasters were-

“A special education teacher,” Olivia scoffed. “The Sterlings couldn’t possibly be interested in someone like that.”

I kept my eyes forward, pretending not to hear. Beside me, Finn remained motionless, his presence like a gravitational force warping everything around him.

“Finn,” I whispered, careful to keep my voice from carrying, “Did you come for me?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” he replied, his voice low and cold. “I’m not here to rescue you from this den of wolves. You seem perfectly capable of throwing

yourself to them.”

Despite his harshness, something in his tone felt different–less hostile than before. I found myself smiling slightly.

“I didn’t think you were rescuing me,” I said. “But I’m glad to see you all the same.”

Finn’s jaw tightened. “Your naivety never ceases to amaze me. Does nothing frighten you?”

“Many things frighten me,” I admitted. “But you’re not one of them.”

His fingers drummed once on the tablecloth. The Grants are testing boundaries they shouldn’t. Perhaps they need a reminder of what happens when people challenge Sterling interests.”

The warning in his voice was unmistakable, yet instead of feeling alarmed, I felt strangely protected. “I understand,” I said simply.

That seemed to catch him off guard. He turned his head slightly toward me, as if reassessing me.

On my other side, Edward gave me a subtle nod. We had planned this carefully. As the auction began, Edward raised his number for every item, consistently bidding exactly $150,000 regardless of the item’s value. The crowd’s amusement grew with each bid, exactly as we’d anticipated.

“Look at that old man, someone whispered loudly enough for me to hear. Bidding the same amount for everything. Does he even understand how auctions

work?”

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Chapter 52

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Edward played his part perfectly, appearing confused but determined. I noticed Finn’s head tilt slightly, listening to our little performance with interest.

Then item forty–seven was announced.

‘Ladies and gentlemen,” Olivia said, her voice dripping with practiced elegance, our next item comes from Professor Henderson’s personal collection–a rare Lancaster family locket from the late 1800s.”

My breath caught as the spotlights illuminated the small gold pendant. Even from this distance, I could see the tiny dent on one side–the mark I’d made as a child when I’d accidentally dropped it while playing in my grandfather’s study. He hadn’t been angry; instead, he’d picked me up in his arms and told me that now the locket truly belonged to the family, marked by our history together.

Edward raised his paddle again. “One hundred and fifty thousand,” he called out, his voice steady.

Titters rippled through the crowd. A woman at the next table leaned over to her companion. “I think he’s trying to impress his little girlfriend,” she said with a smirk.

Something snapped inside me. Before Edward could stop me, I grabbed his bidding paddle and stood up.

“Three hundred thousand dollars,” I said clearly, my voice cutting through the murmurs.

Edward grabbed my arm. To any onlooker, his expression was one of genuine alarm. “Hannah,” he hissed, “what are you doing? We don’t have that kind of

money!”

“It’s my family’s locket,” I insisted, the emotion in my voice entirely genuine despite our rehearsed exchange. “I can’t just let it go!”

Edward’s face reddened as he shook his head frantically. “Three hundred thousand dollars? Have you lost your mind?*

I leaned toward him, pretending to whisper but intentionally speaking just loud enough for nearby tables to hear. “What do you want me to do? I already placed the bid! I can’t take it back now!” My voice trembled with feigned desperation. “Someone else will surely outbid me anyway!”

I ignored him, keeping my eyes fixed on the locket. The crowd’s amusement turned to surprise, then to anticipation. They were waiting for me to humiliate

myself.

Olivia recovered from her shock quickly, a predatory smile spreading across her face. “Three hundred thousand from Miss Lancaster, she announced, turning to Professor Henderson. “What do you say, Professor? Shall we accept this… generous offer?”

She turned to the crowd, raising her hand before anyone else could bid. “Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we should let Miss Lancaster have this piece of her family history. After all she’s been through, it seems only fair. Her saccharine voice dripped with false generosity, eyes gleaming with malice. “Any

objections?”

The elderly professor nodded, clearly confused by the sudden tension in the room. Before anyone could respond, Olivia’s gavel came down with unnecessary

she couldn’t wait to witness my force. “Sold! To Miss Lancaster for three hundred thousand dollars. Her haste to conclude the sale was obvious humiliation when I failed to produce the money.

My heart pounded in my chest. It worked. The plan actually worked.

A staff member approached with the locket in a velvet–hned box and a mobile payment terminal. The moment of truth had arrived. Lcould feel the collective anticipation of the crowd, waiting to see poor Hannah Lancaster embarrassed when she couldn’t pay.

I reached for my purse, my fingers trembling slightly. Thee hundred thousand dollars. For a piece of my past, my family, my identity.

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rwhelming. The entire room seemed to hold its breath.

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