Chapter 4 : I'm still a virgin.

He pulled me as we walked through the long hallway. His grip on my arm was rough, my skin almost scraping with every tug.

He stopped in front of a door and knocked.

I immediately felt panic explode in my chest. What was waiting for me behind that door this time?

My hand trembled at my side. He glanced at me, his eyes cold and empty, showing no emotion at all.

“W-what’s going to happen?” I asked quietly when his grip loosened slightly.

Agad niya akong sinamaan ng tingin.

“Just do as you’re told,” he said at last, his voice rough.

“When you go in there, stand still. If they ask you something, answer. Don’t lie. This is probably the last time we’ll be able to talk.”

Nanlamig ako.

Last time?

Parang may humigpit sa dibdib ko.

“A-are you one of the men… that took me?” bulong kong tanong.

Umirap siya, parang matatawa pero hindi—yung itsura na do you really think I’m gonna answer that? type.

“You said it yourself,” mahina kong sagot. “Never na tayong magkakausap ulit. I just need answers.”

Umigting ang panga niya. Bumagsak ang mga kilay niya habang diretso ang tingin sa’kin.

“Yeah. I was.”

“You do know…” halos mabasag yung boses ko. “That I’m not a prostitute. I was just walking home… from m-my birthday party…”

Saglit siyang napatingin sa akin. Nanlaki yung mata niya—just for a second.

Then it was gone.

Bigla na lang bumalik yung lamig sa tingin niya, parang switch lang na pinatay. Wala siyang sinabi. Hindi niya ako matitigan nang diretso—umiwas siya, tumingin sa ibang direksyon.

"Wow. So may konsensya kapa salagay na yan ah" ani ko sa aking isip

That’s when I noticed the faint scar on his chin—old, almost hidden unless you really looked. His arms and neck were covered in tattoos. Black ink. Symbols and markings I couldn’t understand—like they had their own language.

I frowned as I stared at the one on his neck.

What even is that…?

“вы ложь , и я правда”

Old Russian. You are a lie, and I am the truth.

Sinubukan kong i-process yung meaning, pero ang labo na ng utak ko. Parang lahat sabay-sabay—takot, kaba, pagod.

Gusto ko umiyak.

Pero hindi pwede. Hindi sa harap niya. Men like him don’t care about crying girls anyway.

They’re killers. Cold. Walang pakialam.

“What’s your name?” bigla kong tanong.

Napairap ako sa sarili ko ng marialize ko na ang bobo pala nung tanong ko.

Wow. That’s what you asked? Name lang?

Pero wala na, nasabi ko na. Kahit gaano pa ka-stupid pakinggan.

Gusto ko lang may makuha akong kahit isang totoong sagot sa kanya.

Even if he was the same guy who almost hurt me in that dirty bathroom just an hour ago, I still wanted to know.

Because if they sold me off to someone worse—another rapist, another killer, whoever—at least I’d have one name to remember from this hell.

He looked at me.

Nagdikit yung kilay niya, lalo pang tumalim yung panga niya. Nakakatakot pa rin yung mga mata niya—parang hindi pa rin nagbabago kahit ilang beses ko nang tinitingnan.

Biglang bumukas yung pinto.

He grabbed me again, but this time… more controlled. Softer. Not like before. His grip was lighter, like something inside him shifted and I couldn’t quite read it. Before pushing me through the door, he leaned in slightly and whispered near my ear.

“Sebastian. My name is Sebastian.”

At doon niya ako itinulak papasok.

I stepped inside, and the harsh, almost unforgiving lighting hit me right away. The whole room was dead quiet, the kind of silence that makes your skin crawl.

In front of me was a one-way mirror. I couldn’t see them, but I felt it people on the other side, watching, studying me like I was some experiment.

What kind of questions are they going to throw at me…

I forced my eyes away from the mirror. Because honestly? Yeah. I look like a wreck. I barely recognize myself anymore.

Biglang umingay yung intercom. Isang malamig, emotionless na boses ng babae ang umalingawngaw sa buong room.

“Calla Evans?”

Nanginginig ako pero tumango.

“Age?”

“

Eighteen…” I managed to whisper, my voice already breaking halfway through.

“Where were you born?”

“Russia—” I swallowed hard. “N-New York.”

There was a pause. Too long. Like they were weighing me, not listening to me.

“Approximately how many times have you had sexual intercourse?”

My stomach dropped so fast it felt unreal. My whole body just froze.

I couldn’t breathe for a second.

“I… I’m a virgin.”

Tahimik. Pero hindi yung simpleng tahimik lang—yung klase na parang lahat ng tao sa kabila ng glass nagpipigil lang ng reaction, naghihintay kung ano mangyayari.

Nakatingin ako sa reflection ko. Nanginginig yung buong katawan ko, obvious na obvious sa salamin. Wala na akong maikakaila.

Pathetic…

“The auction is about to take place. Stay quiet and do what you’re told.”

Napakunot ako ng noo, pero bago pa ako makapag-isip—

Biglang sumabog yung ilaw. Sobrang liwanag, nakakasilaw, parang kinain lahat ng nasa paligid ko. Napapikit ako agad, napaatras nang konti habang sinusubukang huminga ng maayos.

Tapos bumalik yung boses.

“Introducing Calla Evans, or as most of you know her as… the runner.”

“The runner?”

Napanganga ako, hindi ko napigilan.

What the hell did they just call me…?

“Calla is 18 years old, around 5'7 and about 120 pounds. Natural black hair, light blue eyes, and she’s known for being… a bit unpredictable.”

The voice didn’t even sound like they were talking about a person. More like inventory.

“Calla is a virgin, which increases her value. With her exotic beauty and untouched appearance, she will be our most expensive item tonight.”

Item.

Parang may something na bumagsak sa loob ko.

Hindi na ako tao sa paningin nila.

“The bidding will start at ₱2,800,000.”

Beep.

And just like that, it started.

Every raise in price echoed like a punch I couldn’t block—each one stripping something off me, piece by piece, until I didn’t even know what was left.

₱5,000,000.

₱10,000,000.

Gusto kong sumuka. Parang umiikot yung buong paligid ko, kahit nakatayo lang ako.

Hanggang sa tumigil.

₱775,000.

“Sold, for ₱775,000. Mr. Velkov, your purchase will be delivered immediately.”

Doon na ako bumigay.

Napaupo ako bigla sa sahig, tinakpan yung mukha ko, and I just broke down. Hindi ko na napigilan. Umiyak ako nang umiyak, parang lahat ng naipon kanina sabay-sabay lumabas.

Velkov.

That name… it sticks in my head like I’ve heard it somewhere before, but I can’t quite place it.

Then the lights cut out again.

Next thing I know, I’m being pulled out—fast. No warning.

When I step into the hallway, I see Afanas again. Sebastian. He’s with another man, and that guy looks at me like I’m nothing. No hesitation, no shame—just a quick scan, like I’m an object being checked off a list.

“vzyat' yeye k bossu.”

Take her to the boss.

Boss?

Oh my God. The Mafia Boss.

Okay… that just got a whole lot worse.

Doon ko naalala kung saan ko narinig ang pangalang Velkov.

Afanas pulled out a black cloth and shoved it over my head. Everything went dark instantly.

I struggled right away. Kicking, hitting, doing anything I could to get free—but it was useless. He was too strong, and I couldn’t even get a clean grip on him.

Ramdam kong buhat nila ako, isa sa bewang ko, isa sa mga hita ko. At yung isang manyakis, enjoy na enjoy pang pinapadulas ang kamay niya sa katawan ko.

"ona ognennaya , kak trakhayutsya. Bozhe, chto ya khotel by..." (She's fiery as fuck, what I would do to pound this little virgin pussy.)

I swallowed my tears, my crying only getting worse.

But then I heard Afanas, his voice cold but clear, this time in English—like he wanted to make sure I understood every word:

“No. The Boss would know.”

Parang gusto niyang ipamukha na may utang na loob ako sa ginawa niya. Na dapat maging grateful ako kasi “tinulungan” niya ako.

Pero wala na talaga akong pake. Sobrang pagod na yung utak ko para mag-isip pa ng ganon.

Dinala nila ako sa isang masikip na lugar na may amoy ng alikabok at bakal mukhang lumang garage. Doon ako basta na lang binuhat ni Afanas at inihagis sa loob ng sasakyan na parang wala akong timbang.

I wrapped my arms around myself as the car kept moving, picking up speed as everything familiar disappeared further and further behind us.

And that’s when it really hit me—this kind of pain doesn’t just fade, no matter how hard you try. It stays. Like you’re stuck in it with no way out, no reset button, nothing.

I’m not Calla who escaped Russia anymore.

I’m not Calla with crazy but happy friends anymore.

I’m not even the innocent, carefree Calla I used to be.

Now I’m the girl who was sold for ₱775,000.

But one thing stays clear in my mind as I stare into the darkness under the cloth:

I’m going to make Velkov’s life a living hell.

Kung gumastos siya ng halos isang milyon para sa’kin—at hindi niya ako magustuhan after all of this—then screw it. Problema niya na ‘yon.

Hindi na ako yung dating ako.

At kung sakaling makalabas pa ako dito… I’m not staying the same.

Mas matigas. Mas malamig.

If.

Hindi when.

Just… if.

Yun na lang yung natitira sa’kin.