"What's wrong, Alice? Is something bothering you?" Andrew held her face and asked gently.

Alice remained silent, burying her face in Andrew's chest, tears streaming down quietly. Andrew's heart sank as he felt her tears.

"You invited Alice's family? Do you not know how they treated her?" Asher's voice held a hint of frustration as he murmured near Andrew's ear.

"Alice's family? What the f**k?" Andrew was taken aback by the new revelation and turned to look at the bidder around his age, who had won because both Andrew and Asher were preoccupied by Alice's distressing state.

"Yes, that's Alice's brother, Jack Cooper," Asher indicated towards the successful bidder. "And...