CHAPTER 1: Emily

     “You look exquisitely beautiful Em” Anne says air kissing me with a very proud look on her face. 

    “Thanks Anne” I reply feeling like a Princess. Anne doesn’t like me calling her mom. She prefers I just call her Anne. 

It’s my eighteenth birthday, Anne had planned an outlandish party. The garden was beautiful decorated. It’s an all white party all for me. I could barely recognize anyone considering I had no friends, they were all Anne’s friends. 

    “Come with me, let me introduce you to some friends” she says gently, pulling me along with her. “And put a smile on” 

I put up the fake smile as I’ve been taught. 

I’ve waited for this day all my life. When I finally get to make my own decisions and not follow Anne’s. 

    “Meet my daughter Emily” Anne says as I smile and hug and air kiss all in being introduced to. 

For an eighteen birthday party, these men seem out of place, too old to be precise, but who am I to question Anne. 

I was hoping to make a few friends at the party as Anne had forbidden me from having any friends, both male and female. 

    “Mr Stone, so good to see you here” Anne hugs the handsomely aging looking man. I feel his eyes rave over my body lustily, I try to adjust my dress. 

Anne didn’t seem to notice, her personal designer designed the dress in which my breasts were almost falling out as they were too revealing and hugging all the curves I have. 

For an eighteen years old I was beautifully curved, so no amount of tugging is going to make any difference. 

    “You must be Emily” he says, not removing his eyes from body.  

I nod, suddenly too conscious of him. 

    “You’re a real beaut!, no wonder Anne has been keeping you in hiding” he finally removes his eyes from me to Anne who wore a very proud look on her face. 

    “Oh! Of course she is. Besides I’ve invested a lot to have her looking like this” comes Anne’s reply. 

I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her right at that moment.

He smiles, then puts his hands into his pocket and brings out a small box. 

    “For the birthday girl. Happy birthday! Eighteen never looked better” He hands it over to me with a wide smile on his face. 

I return the smile, collecting the small box from him. 

    “You should open it” he commands. 

I look at Anne to get the go ahead and she gently nods her head. I open to see the most beautiful  earrings studs. 

    “Oh my god!” I exclaimed in excitement. “It’s beautiful! Thank you!”

Anne looks satisfied with them. I’m sure they’re real diamonds. These aren’t my first real diamonds but getting them on my birthday feels great. 

    “You’re welcome, I’m glad you like them”

    “Now, since we’re giving gifts, here’s a key to your own apartment” Anne says handing me a key. 

     “What!” I screamed, trying not to hug her as I know she’s not one to display affections. “Thanks Anne” I say suddenly, teary. 

I get to finally move in on my own, and do the things I like, without her hawking over me. How could she have been so thoughtful? 

    “Oh please! Not here. You shouldn’t smudge your makeup, the party just started” she says waving at some of the guests still arriving. 

That was just the beginning of my receiving gifts that evening, so many lavishing gifts were coming from Anne’s guests as I call them. 

Anne excuses herself from the party, I grab a drink from a nearby champagne tray and sips watching these old men mingle. Only a few women. 

I was becoming really bored as time went by. I wanted to get off these heels and stretch my legs. I keep the fake smile planted on my face for the guests. 

     “Happy birthdays” here and there. 

Where’s Anne? She had said she won’t be gone for long. It’s getting late already and the guests don't seem to be leaving. 

    “Have you seen Anne?” I ask Robert who has been my personal bodyguard since I was sixteen. 

    “No ma’am, she hasn’t returned back to the garden” 

I look around hoping to see her but the garden seems more crowded now than earlier. 

I gather up my dress to go look for her in the house. Making my way up to her office I hear moaning sounds. I peep through the slightly opened door to see her straddling……. What’s his name again?

Mr Stone. I should have known. 

As I make my way back, they both scream, I know I’m the only one who gets up this close to her office which is why the door was slightly open. 

    “What time is the auction starting?” Mr Stone asks. I pause and lean in to hear the conversation. 

    “In ten minutes time” she replies.

    “You’re really going to cash out on that one, she’s fresh and promising” Mr Stone says, smacking Anne’s ass.  

    “I know I made a right choice the day I picked her. I saw the way you were ogling over her” Anne says putting on her jewelry “just so you know, she’s off limits for you” 

Off limits for what? What exactly are they talking about? 

    “Of course, I’m only meant for you” he says. “Are you sure she’s still a virgin? As in tight?” He asks in a low voice. 

Anne seemed silent for a while before replying “Emily is a virgin, that I’m sure of” 

Mr Robert stands up “I wonder who’s going to be the highest bidder tonight” 

    “Anyone, as long as it’s not you” 

Me? Highest bidder? I took silent steps backwards and ran to find Robert. I have to get away from here. But where do I go? I trust Robert but does he know about Anne's plans?

I don't know who to trust right now. 

I ran to my room to pack some few clothes into my small gym bag, changed out of the elegant dress into something more comfortable, took a last look at the room and ran through the back stairs. 

I know Anne will be searching for me by now, I leaned against the wall, I had no idea where I was going or how to get past the security guards at the entrance as Anne had only one entrance and exit door.

    "Here you are!" I heard Anne shrill voice as she pulled me from the wall. "You think all these cameras aren't working or what?" She says pointing to the cameras.

Shit! 

     "You're supposed to be getting ready" she says pulling me with her. 

    "Ready for what?" I ask feigning ignorance.

Anne stops suddenly and looking me in the eyes. "I guess you know by now, or why else are you trying to runaway?"

On getting to my room, she brings out a box containing a skimpy white lace underwear, a garter belt and stocking.

     "There's no way I'm putting that on!" I screamed. 

Anne slapped me so hard I fell on the bed. 

    "All these years of grooming and you want to throw them all away?" Anne screamed. "You do as I say and any form of misconduct, you'll be severely punished"

I nod in shock.

"You had better start changing and stop keeping people waiting, no more joking around"

Whimpering, I changed into the outfit. And she dragged me out to the garden which is already dark by then. 

     "You put on you best smile as soon as the light shows on you" she whispered to me through gritted teeth. 

    "Please Anne" I whispered back hoping she'd change her mind.

Anne smiled coldly at me and moved aside as soon as the spotlight is on me.

I heard whistles of admiration from the crowd who I couldn't see.    

Anne begins parading me around in front of all the potential suitors, I felt naked and trying hard to hold back my tears. 

    “Turn around, bend low, shake your boobs” she commanded, I did like I was controlled.

It was the humiliating and degrading moment of my life, standing in under the light with old men ogling and drinking in my body with their eyes.

    “Please Anne, stop this” I whispered to her when she got close to me.

    “You had better behave!” She says in the coldest tone I’ve ever heard her. 

Once the men had their fill of ogling me, the bidding began.

    "A night to disvirgin her, can I get a one hundred dollars" Anne says smiling broadly. 

I heard my breathe watching the bidding go on, I couldn't help the tears streaming down my face. 

    "Three hundred dollars! Done!" Anne shrieked in the most irritating voice ever.

Three hundred thousand dollars was the amount of the highest bidder paid to strip me of my virtue, and all my self-worth. 

 The spot light came on the highest bidder, who else could it have been? The most horrible looking balding man in the garden!

Anne turned to face me with a big grin on her face "weldone Em! Now let's go get you ready"