She Entered an Auction… A Millionaire Paid for One Night with Her – And Discovered She Was a Virgin
Maria Santos pressed her forehead against the cold glass of the city bus, watching the glittering towers of downtown fade into the foggy distance. Her phone vibrated again, pulling her out of her thoughts. Another message from the hospital.
Her younger brother, Diego, needed surgery—and fast. Within three weeks, the doctors said, or they couldn’t guarantee he’d survive.
The number on the screen burned into her mind like a cruel joke: $200,000. She had sold everything she owned, worked double shifts at the art gallery, borrowed from friends who still picked up her calls… yet she had barely scraped together $20,000. The math was simple and merciless. There was no way forward. No miracle waiting.
“You look like someone carrying the weight of the world,” said a voice beside her.
Maria turned. Patricia Monroe, her coworker, slid into the seat next to her. Her older eyes were soft, sympathetic, almost too knowing.
“I heard about Diego. I’m so sorry,” Patricia said quietly.
Maria nodded, biting her lip to keep back the tears. Talking about it might make her collapse. Diego needed her to be strong.
Patricia hesitated, then pulled out her phone. “Listen… I know this sounds crazy. But I heard about something. An event. It’s… unusual. It could solve your problem in just one night.”
Maria shook her head. “Patricia, I can’t do anything illegal.”
“It’s not illegal. Just unconventional,” Patricia insisted, showing Maria a discreet website. “It’s a charity auction. Wealthy people bid for companions to take to social events. Everything is above board—contracts, security, complete discretion.”
Maria stared at the screen. Testimonials spoke of life-changing sums helping desperate people escape impossible situations. But the thought of being auctioned like an object made her stomach turn. “I… I can’t,” she whispered.
Three days later, Maria found herself standing outside the Grand View Hotel, its glittering glass and marble a world away from her modest apartment. She was greeted in a private suite by a woman with silver hair perfectly twisted into a knot. Her suit was immaculate.
“Miss Santos, I’m Catherine Wells,” the woman said, her voice crisp. “Thank you for coming. Let me explain exactly how tonight works.”
Catherine went through the details like a CEO briefing a new employee.
The auction was invitation-only, with verified wealthy attendees. Everything was legal, recorded, and protected by ironclad contracts. No intimacy was required—companions only needed to attend events with their bidder. The average bid ranged from $50,000 to $300,000.
“You would be perfect for our evening showcase,” Catherine said. “Natural beauty, genuine presence. These men can spot artifice from across a room.”
Maria’s hands shook as she signed the papers. Each signature felt like giving away a part of herself. But thinking of Diego—his small, pale face, the brave smile he always forced her to see—she signed anyway. She would do anything for him.
The auction hall was even more dazzling than she imagined. It didn’t feel like a marketplace; it felt like an exclusive gallery, with soft lighting, classical music, and impeccably dressed staff.
Backstage, other women prepared: elegant, confident, stunning. Maria wore a simple black dress, her hair falling in natural waves, minimal makeup. She couldn’t become someone she wasn’t.
When her name was called, her legs went to water. The lights were so bright, she could barely see the audience—just shadowy figures at elegant tables.
The bidding started at $50,000, numbers climbing quickly. Maria felt dizzy, disconnected from her own body. Then a voice cut sharply through the room:
“$500,000.”
The hall froze. The auctioneer blinked, caught off guard, then composed himself.
“Sold! Bidder number twelve, $500,000.”
Maria’s vision blurred. More than twice what she needed for Diego’s surgery. Impossible. Unreal.
Catherine guided her backstage. “Mr. Blackwood will meet you before we finalize the arrangement. This is unusual—he’s never attended one of these events, let alone bid.”
When Sebastian Blackwood turned, Maria’s breath caught. Younger than she expected, mid-thirties perhaps, with dark hair and piercing eyes that seemed to take in every detail of her. His suit was perfectly tailored, his posture commanding.
“Miss Santos,” he said in a calm, measured voice. “Please, sit.”
Maria perched on the edge of a leather sofa, too nervous to relax. Sebastian stayed standing, maintaining a polite distance.
“I need a companion for a series of business events over the next month,” he began. “Dinners, galas, one overseas trip. You would stay in a guest suite when necessary. Everything documented, professional.”
Maria, curiosity stronger than fear, asked, “Why did you bid so much?”
Sebastian’s jaw tightened. “The moment you walked on stage, I knew you didn’t belong there. I wanted to make sure you never had to go back.”
The unexpected kindness made tears sting her eyes. “I need the money for my brother. He has a rare heart condition.”
“I know,” he said softly. “I had you investigated after I decided to bid. Your brother will have surgery at Mercy General Hospital. I’ve already arranged it. The money goes into your account tomorrow morning.”
Maria stood, overwhelmed. “I don’t understand… you don’t even know me.”
“No, I don’t,” he admitted. “But I recognize desperation when I see it. And yours… is for someone else, not yourself.”
She whispered, “What do you want from me?”
“Honestly? I’m not entirely sure yet,” he said, handing her a business card. “Go home. Check on your brother. Tomorrow, a car will bring you to my office, and we’ll discuss everything. You’ll be treated with respect—I promise.”
Maria left the hotel in a daze. Who was Sebastian Blackwood, really? Why her? And why did she sense something broken beneath his flawless exterior?
The next morning, a sleek black car arrived, the driver silent and polite. They pulled up to Blackwood Technologies Tower, a towering glass-and-steel monument of wealth and power, everything she had never known.
Inside his office, Sebastian laid out the plan: five major events over six weeks. A technology conference in San Francisco, two charity galas, a private dinner with international investors, and a week-long business retreat in Barcelona. Maria would attend, presenting as his romantic partner to satisfy social expectations.
“Why pretend?” she asked. “Someone in your position could have anyone.”
Sebastian’s face darkened. “Everyone in my position wants something. Connection to my business. Access to my wealth. My name. Genuine relationships? Impossible when money and power are involved.”
“That sounds lonely,” Maria said softly.
“It’s safe,” he replied, and that was all.
Maria leaned forward. “But that’s no way to live. Hiding from pain, refusing to feel anything…”
For the first time, Sebastian’s eyes softened, a shadow crossing his perfect exterior. Vulnerable. Human.
And Maria realized, in that moment, she wasn’t the only one in need of saving.