Unwanted Blood (Harper) novel Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Ryder’s POV

Two days later. The afternoon of the auction.

The venue was set in the banquet hall of one of the city’s old-money hotels-crystal chandeliers, dark velvet seats, display tables draped in white cloth. The air carried a faint blend of perfume and the dry scent of old paper.

I walked into the hall leaning on a cane. My right leg hadn’t fully healed, but I could walk without anyone supporting me now.

Harper walked at my right side, half a step behind. She was wearing an evening gown, what was Grayson had someone rush. Dark fabric, clean lines, nothing excessive. It suited her.

Grayson and Logan followed behind. Colton brought up the rear.

The five of us walked in together, and the low/hum of conversation in the banquet hall fractured for just a second. Heads turned. Eyes landed on Harper.

“Who’s she? ” One of the guests turned to the man beside him and asked, puzzled.

“I don’t know. When did the Wilson family gain a woman like this? She’s beautiful.”

“Yeah. With looks like that, she’d have to be one of the most beautiful women in the city. Could she be the new girlfriend of one of the Wilson family CEOs?”

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Chapter 100

“Then he’s one lucky man.” He laughed. “Hahaha.”

I felt Harper shift slightly beside me, her posture stiffening under the attention. Without thinking, I reached out and lightly touched her elbow, guiding her a fraction closer to my side.

–

Before I’d even reached the seating area, a familiar voice came from the side.

“Ryder! What a surprise to see you here.” I stopped. I turned my head.

Victoria was walking out of the crowd, wearing a fitted black dress, her face carefully made up into a practiced smile. She came straight up to me and reached out, hooking her arm through my right one with a familiarity that made my jaw tighten.

The moment her fingers closed around my suit sleeve, I felt Harper step half an inch away from my side.

I looked at Victoria. A flash of displeasure crossed my face.

I dropped my gaze to the fingers gripping my arm, then pulled my arm free -decisively, and took half a step sideways, putting distance between us.

My voice cold. “Where I am has nothing to do with you.”

Victoria’s smile froze for a second. Then it came back, forced brighter. “How can you say that? I know I was wrong before. But I’ve thought it through now, you can’t just refuse to give me one more chance, can you?”

Her voice was pitched at just the right volume, loud enough for the nearby tables to hear.

I looked at her, sneered. “When you broke up with me and turned around

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to seduce my uncle, I don’t remember you having this attitude.”

The air went still for a second.

Victoria’s face went red from the ears down. Her lips moved, but no

sound came out.

Around us, a few people at nearby tables suddenly found their water glasses very interesting. One person turned their head away. Grayson stood beside me, expressionless. Logan stared straight ahead, as if studying a painting on the wall he couldn’t care less about. Colton didn’t even lift his eyes from his phone screen.

No one moved to save her.

I turned slightly toward Harper. “Our seats are over there. Let’s go.”

I didn’t look at Victoria again. I walked toward the reserved seating with Harper beside me. The other three followed.

Before Harper sat down, she glanced back instinctively.

Victoria was still standing where we’d left her, clutching her clutch bag, knuckles white. The people around her were already whispering.

Harper turned back. She didn’t say anything. She sat down in the seat

next to me.

Victoria’s POV

When I got back to my table, my heels sank into the carpet with a dull, heavy sound.

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