Chapter 21 - THE AUCTION OF MY MOTHER'S DREAMS
The announcement appeared online the following morning.
PRIVATE AUCTION: THE ORIGINAL BELLAMERE COUTURE COLLECTION.
I stared at the screen.
The auction was scheduled for Saturday evening at the prestigious Whitmore Auction House.
Twenty-three original designs were listed.
Every single one had been created by my mother.
Some had never been publicly displayed.
Others had been sold decades earlier under licensing arrangements that never transferred ownership.
I immediately contacted Daniel.
“Can they legally sell these?”
“Not if the ownership documents are authentic.”
“Then why is the auction happening?”
“Adrian is probably trying to establish a competing claim before the court freezes the assets.”
I closed the website.
“We're going.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Madison, this could be a trap.”
“Then we'll go prepared.”
On Saturday evening, I arrived at Whitmore Auction House wearing a black tailored gown.
Daniel accompanied me.
Brittany had also agreed to provide a statement to the investigators.
She sat quietly near the back of the room.
Adrian stood beside the auctioneer.
He looked pleased with himself.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the auctioneer announced, “tonight we have an extraordinary opportunity to acquire pieces from the historic Bellamere collection.”
The first design appeared on the screen.
I recognized it immediately.
It was a gown my mother had created for a charity gala in 1994.
Adrian raised his hand.
“Before we begin, I'd like to confirm that all pieces have been legally authenticated.”
I stood.
“That's incorrect.”
The room fell silent.
Adrian turned.
“Miss Hayes. I wondered whether you would attend.”
I walked toward the front.
“These designs were created by Eleanor Hayes. Their ownership was never transferred to you.”
Adrian smiled.
“Your mother signed agreements.”
“Agreements granting limited licensing rights.”
“That's your interpretation.”
I turned toward the auctioneer.
“I have the original contracts, copyright registrations, and independent witness statements.”
Daniel placed a certified legal notice on the table.
“The auction house has been formally notified of the ownership dispute. Continuing the sale could expose the company to substantial legal liability.”
The auctioneer immediately stopped.
Adrian's expression changed.
“You cannot interrupt a private auction.”
I looked at him.
“You cannot sell what you don't own.”
Several guests began taking photographs.
Then Brittany stood.
“I have something to say.”
Adrian turned sharply.
“Sit down.”
She ignored him.
“I worked with Victoria Caldwell. I helped her take Madison's wedding dress. I know how this family operated. And I know Adrian Cross was involved.”
She handed her statement to the investigator standing near the entrance.
Adrian's smile disappeared.
“This is ridiculous.”
The investigator stepped forward.
“Mr. Cross, we'd like to speak with you regarding the ownership records and the financial transactions connected to this collection.”
For the first time, Adrian looked uncertain.
He turned toward the exit.
But two investigators were already waiting.
The auction was suspended.
And every design belonging to my mother was removed from the sale catalogue.
I looked at the photographs on the screen.
May you like
For thirty years, someone had tried to sell my mother's dreams as though they were ordinary merchandise.
That night, it finally stopped.
