1

SIERRA

“Alessandro Montrego wants a bride,” My father started. “Now that your sister’s gone… it has to be you.”

I confusedly stared at them, too stunned to speak.

Did I hear him wrong?

“You can’t be serious,” I whispered in disbelief. “You want me to marry a mafia lord instead of Airra who ran away? Because of what? Because of your debts?”

My mother sternly looked at me. “It’s the only way, Sierra. We owe him everything. If we don’t pay, we lose the house, the business, everything we have right now.”

I stood up abruptly. My heart was racing, my hands clenched, and the fact that I’m their payment for their debts was making me crazy.

“So sell me off instead? Is that it? I’m just… collateral now?”

“You’re being dramatic,” My father gritted his teeth.

“No, I’m being sane!” I snapped. “You raised us to be strong, to think for ourselves, and now you want me to throw my life away for a man who deals in blood and bullets?”

“Airra was always the selfish one. She left us to rot and now you want to follow her example? After everything we’ve done for you?!”

Her words hit like a slap.

Wow! Did I ask them to give birth to me and be a responsible parent?

“You think guilt will make this right?”

“You think we wanted this?” Her face twisted in fury. “We’re drowning, and you’re standing on the shore watching us sink, Sierra. We were left with no choice.”

Seriously? No choice? They have a choice to pay back the debt with money! Not with their own daughter!

I held my chest tightly as I couldn't breathe. I wanted to scream, to run, and to tear the room apart in madness. Two people standing in front of me with rage burning in their eyes made my stomach twist. They were supposed to protect me, but all I saw now were strangers with desperation in their eyes.

“I’m not Airra,” I uttered with my trembling voice. “But I’m not yours to barter either.”

I run to my room with tears running down my face. I slammed myself on the bed, crying silently at the fact that I'm a daughter trapped by the cruel twist of fate that made me the twin who stayed.

Is this my fate?

*****

My phone vibrates under my pillow. I immediately opened my eyes, carefully got out of my bed, and pulled the backpack hiding under my bed.

I need to leave this place. I am desperate to leave this place. A place called home. Or else, I will regret everything.

I already knew the safe route to the backyard without being seen by the CCTV. When I finally got out of the house, I let out a sigh of relief and hopped into the cab I had called an hour ago, which was parked two blocks away from home.

As the car was getting away from the mansion, my hands tightened at the strap of my bag, stopping myself from looking back.

I should not feel sorry for them. I should feel sorry for myself. Yeah, this f*cking arrangement was bullshit and I want to run away too. Away from my parents and the man whose name made my skin crawl.

Alessandro Montrego.

Suddenly, the car stopped.

My pulse thrummed. “Why did you stop? Is there something wrong?”

“Wait here.” The driver got out and checked what was wrong with his car. He came back after a second with apologetic eyes. “I’m sorry, miss, but the battery is dead. I can't drive you to the airport.”

My eyes widened in disbelief.

F*ck! Why does it have to be now? That name, Alessandro Montrego, was cursed!

I don't have any choice but to get out of the car. I felt goosebumps seeing the road in silence. I checked my phone, wondering if I could call another cab at this hour, but it was useless. There was no signal.

What should I do?

Walk, Sierra. I have no choice but to walk.

It's okay. I'm okay. I know it’s scary, but I will arrive at the airport safely.

All of a sudden, I felt a presence behind me that I think was following my tracks. I secretly glanced over my shoulder and saw a tall and muscular man wearing a leather jacket. His hands were in his pants pockets, and he was walking slowly as if matching my pace.

Panicked, I walked faster than I did earlier.

He's not following me, right? It's a coincidence, right? Please make me believe that it's just a coincidence, he was heading the same way, and I'm only being paranoid!

But my instinct was screaming differently.

I turned down the side street, hoping to lose him, but he still followed me. I bit my lower lip as I crossed the other side this time, but I still could feel his presence behind me.

I stopped walking and I tightly shut my eyes when he stopped too.

Shit!

I panicked and ducked into a narrow alley. I pressed myself against the wall and tried to disappear into the shadows.

Should I scream? Run? Call someone? But there's no signal!!

“Need help, young lady?”

A low, resonant baritone that cut through the silence startled my soul. Instinctively, I swung my bag at him, but he caught the bag before it hit him.

“I'm not young! I'm twenty-three! HELP!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

“Still young.”

I turned to him with a death glare. But my world stopped for some reason.

Oh, dear Lord! Why did you give me a hottie stalker?