Ch. 1: Auction

Astrella's point of view

I sat at my desk, my eyes fixed on the pages of my latest novel, drinking coffee with my aesthetic cup. Each sentence carried a piece of me, and I found myself lost in the passion and mystery of my characters. But as much as I loved my work, I knew I needed a break—to clear my head and breathe for a moment.

I yawned, stretching my arms before lazily glancing at my buzzing phone. I didn’t need to check the screen to know who it was; of course, Gaia was the only one knowing my number. She was relentless, and tonight, I wouldn’t ignore her. The peace and quiet of my apartment would soon be replaced by flashing lights and the electric pulse of the city’s nightlife.

Our nights out had become a sacred escape. For me, it wasn’t just about taking a break from writing; the chaos of the city was a distraction from the weight of my father’s enemies. Being entangled in the mafia underground had left my family scarred and constantly looking over our shoulders.

My father had tried to leave that world behind, but powerful connections don’t just disappear. The dangers that lurked in the shadows were always there, unseen but never forgotten.

Still, I refused to let fear control me. After hours of writing, I wasted no time getting ready, slipping into a figure-hugging black dress that made me feel unstoppable and slipping on a pair of stilettos to complete the look.

Outside my building, Gaia was already waiting, her grin infectious.

“Girl, let’s get wasted tonight,” she chuckled, nudging me playfully.

I smirked. “Naah.”

Her eyes widened. “Wait... what do you mean, Naah? Let's go! Don’t ruin it!” she huffed, rolling her eyes.

I burst out laughing. "I’m just messing with you. We both know our alcohol tolerance is way too high. We can’t get wasted that easily."

Gaia laughed, and soon, our laughter filled the air like we were already drunk.

✧✧✧

Stepping into the nightclub felt like entering a whole new world, a neon jungle pulsing with energy. The music thumped through my body, and the vibrant lights painted everything in wild, shifting colors. For the first time in a while, I felt my worries start to melt away.

“Hey,” Gaia leaned in, grinning. “You see that hawty at the bar? He’s totally eyeing you. Maybe he’s trying to gauge your level of commitment?”

Curious, I glanced over. The man was undeniably attractive, sharp features softened by the warm glow of the lights, a certain confidence in the way he carried himself.

“Hmm,” I murmured, a playful smile curling at my lips. “Maybe I should give him a little nudge.”

“God bless, chuppii! I’ll find my own daddy, then,” Gaia laughed, giving me a little push.

Oh, absolutely. Still, I’ll let him think he’s in charge for now. With that thought whispering in the back of my mind, I made my way to the bar, swaying my hips to the beat of the music. I could feel his gaze trailing after me, drinking in every move. Leaning casually against the bar, I made sure to catch his attention, without making it too obvious.

“You look like someone with a lot on your mind,” I tell the man, my voice light, teasing. The man smiled, his eyes gleaming with interest. “Just wondering if I should buy you a drink or let you take the lead.”

Tilting my head, I smirked. “I usually prefer being in charge, but I might let you try.”

Then I winced internally. Alright, that was terrible. What the fuck was that? Damn, this flirting thing.

He chuckled, amused like I was some kind of a new thing on his radar. "Let's dance first; let's see how far you’re willing to go."

"Come on, bring it on!" I squealed, grabbing the shot glass of vodka waiting at the counter before following Gaia onto the dance floor.

For a while, we let loose, dancing, laughing, and drinking to the club’s electrifying beat. The weight of reality faded, drowned in the chaos of the moment. But even in the excitement, I couldn’t shake the unease creeping at the edges of my mind. Every so often, I caught glimpses of dark figures lingering at the edge of the dance floor, watching. A familiar dread curled in my stomach. My father’s enemies were never far away, always waiting for the right moment to strike. I forced the feeling away, focusing instead on the man beside me, on Gaia’s laughter, on the music pounding through my veins.

At about two in the morning, Gaia and I decided to call it a night. The streets had quieted, but the city still buzzed with life in the background. As we made our way toward the cars parked along the sidewalk, I pulled out my phone, remembering the email I had received earlier from a publishing company I’d been looking into.

I hadn’t replied yet, but now, with the night winding down, excitement surged through me. My fingers trembled a bit as I opened the email.

“Congratulations! We are pleased to say that your writing matches our needs. To proceed, please fill out the attached form with your information. Let’s discuss your manuscript further.”

A smile tugged at my lips. This is it. My dream is finally coming true. Without hesitation, I clicked the link, eager to learn more.

"What? No. There's no way I'm ignoring this big opportunity. I won’t be able to fill it out tomorrow. I’m not even that wasted... I think." I mumbled to myself, brushing off any lingering doubt.

I started filling in my details: name, address, phone number, and social security number, my heart pounding with excitement. But then, something felt off.

The form asked for information that didn’t quite make sense. Bank account numbers. Passwords. Personal identifiers that no legitimate publisher would need.

"Wait,  is this normal? Should I contact my manager about this? Ughhh—no." I shook my head. My mind felt hazy, but not from alcohol, just exhaustion and the rush of opportunity clouding my judgment.

It struck me as odd, but I reasoned that maybe it was part of a thorough background check. I bit my lip, hesitating for only a moment before pressing submit.

"This is it," I whispered, my excitement overriding logic.

Ahead of me, Gaia turned back, catching me staring at my phone. “You alright?” she asked, her voice laced with concern. “You look a little distracted. You aren't drunk, right?"

Snapping out of my daze, I hurriedly shoved my phone back into my bag. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just excited. I’ll tell you more later.”

We continued walking, laughing softly as the cool night air wrapped around us.

✧✧✧

I jolted awake, looking at the clock. It's 3:45 AM, and my chest is tight with unease. The room was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that felt wrong. My hand fumbled for my phone, and as soon as the screen lit up, my stomach dropped.

A barrage of notifications. Emails. Missed calls. Messages from Gaia asking if I was okay. Then, one alert stood out, bold and unforgiving: "Unusual activity detected on your account."

My fingers trembled as I opened an email from my bank. Multiple unauthorized transfers. I felt sick. The publishing company isn’t real. It was a scam. My heart pounded in my ears, it was so loud that I was about to lose my hearing. Gosh, it’s the alcohol’s fault. I got too excited, too overwhelmed. Fuck. My manager is going to kill me.

Before I could even process my next move, a loud crash shattered the stillness of my apartment. The door burst open. Dark figures stormed in, their movements swift and ruthless. My breath hitched as strong arms seized me, muffling my screams before they could properly form. I thrashed, but they were too strong. Too many.

My vision blurred as they yanked me from my bed, my mind struggling to catch up to the nightmare unfolding around me.

"Don’t resist," a cold voice hissed. "It’s too late. You’ve already signed your fate."

A sharp slap burned across my cheek, snapping me into harsh reality. This wasn’t just a scam anymore. This was my father’s enemy. One that is a pretty big catch. And he’d found me. Damn. The new mafia ruler svcks.

'Of course.' I thought bitterly. Can’t a girl catch a break? One night of fun, and now I’m the grand prize in some villain’s twisted game.

My hangover came with a side of doom. Cold steel bit into my wrists as they tied me up. A sickly sweet scent filled my nose, and I barely had time to struggle before darkness swallowed me whole.

✧✧✧

A spooky stillness greeted my return to consciousness. My body ached, and my head throbbed like I’d been hit by a truck. But worse than the pain was the realization. I wasn’t home. The stifling smell of metal and grease filled my lungs, and the air felt heavy, and suffocating.

Déjà vu?

I blinked hard, trying to focus. My mind was a mess, but one thing was clear, this wasn’t some random abduction. Shutangina. Of course. An auction?

A bitter laugh almost escaped me. My father’s fvckedup were at it again, operating in the dark underworld like they always had. A wave of helplessness tried to creep in, but I shoved it back. What should I do? My thoughts raced as my gaze darted around, searching for anything, any clue, any way out.

And then I saw something. My breath caught, as if I had forgotten to breathe, as a sharp object poked my heart. What the freaking hell?

The room suddenly felt colder than ever.