11

But deep down, I knew I was crossing a line.

I was becoming the monster I had hunted down, the very image of my brother’s depravity.

The thrill of the auction wasn’t just about winning; it was about claiming what I believed was mine.

And with every passing moment, I felt my grip on my own morality slipping away.

I remembered how my brother had laughed when he dealt with his “merchandise.”

The way he dismissed their humanity, treating them like they were disposable.

I had vowed never to become that man, but standing here, feeling the energy of the crowd, I couldn’t help but feel that same excitement, that same rush of adrenaline.

It terrified me.

Amina Kadir stood in front of me, unaware of how closely I resembled the monster I had just put down.

I could see the fear in her eyes, and it made my blood boil with desire.

I wanted to break her, to control her, just as my brother had done to so many others.

It was a cycle I thought I could escape, but it was creeping back in, clawing at me like a shadow I couldn’t shake off.

As the auctioneer began to speak, I felt the weight of my choices crashing down on me.

I was playing a dangerous game, one that could consume me whole.

Yet, instead of stepping back, I leaned into it.

I was Arben Zefi, a man who thrived on power and dominance.

I had killed my brother to escape this life, but now I was diving right back in, driven by the very instincts I had sworn to fight against.

The moment I raised my hand to place my bid on Amina, I knew I was sealing my fate.

I was becoming just like him.

The darkness was whispering sweet nothings in my ear, and part of me welcomed it.

I was trapped in a cycle I thought I could control, but the truth was, I was already lost in the shadows.

9

AMINA

I sat in our tiny living room, the weight of my father’s words hanging in the air like a storm cloud.

The faint light from the flickering bulb cast shadows on the walls, making the small space feel even more cramped.

I could hardly breathe as I tried to process what he had just told me.

“Sell what?” I repeated, my voice trembling, almost desperate.

“Amina, it’s for the best. I have to clear the debts. There’s an auction…”

His voice trailed off, but I could hear the fear in his tone.

It sent chills down my spine.

An auction?

The word echoed in my mind, but the reality was too horrifying to grasp.

I felt my heart race, pounding loudly against my ribcage as if it were trying to escape.

My world spun as I tried to wrap my head around what he was saying.

“Dad, you can’t be serious.”

 My voice cracked, each word a plea.

“I don’t have a choice.”

His eyes were filled with regret, and for a moment, I saw the man I had known all my life—strong, protective, the one who had always shielded me from the world.

But now, he was breaking before me, and it was my heart that shattered as I witnessed his despair.

The air around us felt thick, heavy with unspoken fears and regrets.

I could feel my stomach twist in knots, a tightness that spread through me like poison.

The idea of being sold like some kind of object, a pawn to be exchanged for a price, made me feel sick.

I pressed my palms against my thighs, grounding myself, but the reality was too hard to face.

I was being asked to sign my life away, to sacrifice everything I had ever known just to save my father from his own mistakes.

“Dad, please, there has to be another way,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

I thought of the long hours I worked, the extra shifts at the café, and how I had poured every ounce of energy into trying to help him.

 I had done everything I could to keep us afloat, but it never seemed enough.