Chapter 1

Noah's POV

Darkness, that was the only word that describe my life. I sat with my back against the wall, wrapped in a blanket that smelled of mildew and dust. On the floor of the attic, there was a tiny bed and a bed side lamp and a tiny bathroom in front. I have lived in this attic for ten years now. My parents own a big mansion with five bedrooms and toilet but they decided to lock me up in here. Everyone thinks my parents only has one child which is my younger sister Jade because no one in the outside world knows of my existence.

I haven't eaten since yesterday, I made a little mistake then I was punished. The abuse started when my father remarried ten years ago, it was like he became another person entirely. My father never loved my mother, their marriage was an arranged marriage so there was no love in their marriage. When my mother got pregnant, he forced her to abort me but my mother wanted to keep me.

Since I was born, I have never felt a fatherly love, while my mother was still alive my father did not abuse me but after she died, the abuse started. I was twelve when my father first raised his hands on me and that was because my stepmother blamed me on something I did not do. He and my stepmother were having an affair when my father married my mother.

That was when they had my step sister Jade. Jade had everything she ever wanted, whatever she wants, she gets and because of that, she is always getting in trouble.

The attic had been my prison for as long as i could remember, this mansion itself too has been my prison. When my mother was still alive, it was bearable because I still had a motherly love but now that she was gone, I was all alone.

At first, when my stepmother and step sister moved in, it was cold shoulders and tight smiles. Then came the orders: “Eat after we’ve finished,” “Don’t talk to your sister,” “Keep to your room.” Eventually, i was removed from the family register. Told not to answer the door or come downstairs when guests were over.

But i didn’t protest. I became invisible, just like they wanted. I saved money to send myself to college because my father decided not to pay my school fees, so I worked part time and saved enough to send myself to college. I thought I would be free from them when I go to college but no, they made sure I came home every weekend.

I got up from my bed and went straight to the bathroom to have a shower, I undressed and saw myself in the mirror. The mirror has always been my enemy because it shows just how broken I am. Bruises from yesterday night were already turning red and black, then my back were full of scars.

Whenever my stepmother or stepsister blamed me for something I didn't do, my father uses his belt to whip me. My cries were never heard, I was all alone, no one to take my side. 

I wiped the tears rolling down my face and went to the shower. When I was done, I took a sweater and a trouser and wore them then a knock came through. I opened the door and saw the maid

"You father is asking of you" she said 

"Okay, where is he?" I asked her

"He is at his study" she replied then she left.

As I headed to his study, my heart was pounding loud, I did not know why my father decided to see me, he does not even light the sight of me, or did I do something wrong? I asked myself till I got to the front of his study.

With my Shakey hands, I brought them up to knock on his door, I waited till I heard a "Come in", then I took a deep breath and entered his office. My father was sitting on his chair working on something.

"You asked to see me father" I said with my head low.

"You are getting married next week to Damian Moretti" he said . I looked at my father as if he just cracked a joke with me.

"What?" I asked 

"You heard me" he replied 

"But how can you do this to me? Selling me off like I am some pawn" I said with tears 

"You think I give a damn about your feelings, Damian Moretti is the most powerful Mafia boss in the underworld and I owe him a lot of money so I sold you to him in exchange of the money" his father said 

"But I am a guy, why can't you marry Jade off to him instead " he said. His father stood up with anger in his eyes and matched up to him and slapped him hard.

"You think I will send my daughter off to live with a ruthless and heartless killer?" He asked 

"What about me? I am your son, what have I ever did to you to deserve this? He said 

"I never wanted a child like you, I never loved you and I never will" he said and went back to sit down

"Damian will be here tomorrow so you better behave" his father said.

Noah did not say anything, he just left his father study, on his way to his room, he passed his stepmother and step sister.

"Finally getting raid of the trash" his step mother Vivian said and laughed with Jade.

"Have fun being a punching bag for the Mob boss that is if you survive one week" they both laughed and went upstairs. 

I just went straight to my room and broke down, I cried and cried, I took the pendant my mother left me and hugged it to my chest.

"Mom, why did you leave me, I am tired" I said. All I ever wanted was freedom but now, that won't be possible.

The next morning, I woke up with my face all swollen and red, I did not even care about anything at this point. I went to the bathroom and freshen up then I waited in my room till I was needed. I was not allowed to leave my room without permission. 

So after a few hours, the maid came to tell me that my father was expecting me in the living room. I stood up and went downstairs. As I was going downstairs, each step felt like hell because I was getting closer to being sold off by my own father.

When he got to the living room, he saw his father, his step mother and his step sister, then he saw two other men sitting on the couch.

"Here he is, as Mr Damian Moretti requested" my father shoved me in front of the men. They just looked at me and nodded to each other. Then they brought out a brief case filled with money and handed it to my father. My stepmother jumbed with joy.

"Go and pack, you are leaving today" my father told me

"What? I thought the wedding was still later" I questioned 

"Well Mr Damian Moretti requested you come in today and who am I to oppose him" my father said. That was when I lost all the hope I had. I went straight to my room and packed my stuff, I did not have a lot so it was easy.

I took the pendant my mother had left me, I always thought of the pendant as a good luck charm. Then I said goodbye to the prison I called room and walked downstairs. My father did not even say goodbye, they were busy planning on what to buy with the money they just received.

The two men I saw lead me outside to the car, I took one last look at my father's house and entered the car then we drove off.

I stared out into the night, heart pounding. Fear curled like smoke inside me. This wasn’t a new type of fear just an evolved version of the one i had always lived with.

What if this was it? The escape? The end of hiding? Maybe the person i was being sent to this mafia boss would be worse. But maybe not.

Maybe… just maybe…

“Where are we going?” I whispered, not even sure anyone would answer.

One of the men met my eyes in the rearview mirror. “To your new home.”

I looked down at the duffle bag and clenched my hands tight.

I didn’t know who i was going to meet. I don't know if I would survive it.

But as the city lights faded behind me and the car swallowed the road ahead, i made a vow.

“I want peace,” i whispered to the dark. “I want love. I want to be free.”

I don't know if the universe heard me.

But i said it anyway.

And in the silence that followed, i closed my eyes and began to dream, not of escape this time, but of becoming someone no one could ever ignore again.