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CHAPTER 1

TAYLOR

I sneezed first when my consciousness returned, and then I groaned in pain as I felt a sharp ache in the back of my head. 

Immediately, the dryness in my throat completely woke me up, and all I could think about was getting myself a glass of water, but I couldn't move when I tried to.

I'd never felt so painfully heavy in my life. My body felt like lead, and no matter how many times I tried to get up from my knees, I couldn't. It was like I'd been drugged to stay put, and I panicked internally. 

Realizing my hands were bound together with chains, I tried to cry out for help, but there was a piece of clothing in my mouth. Then I attempted to open my eyes, but they were blindfolded, and my heart sank upon the discovery that I'd been held hostage.

My breaths suddenly became shallow. Fear seeped into my veins and filled my head with horrific images as each second passed, and tears stung my eyes the longer I struggled with the clattering chains that held my hands in bondage.

“Hello? Is anyone there? Help me. Please!” I tried to scream out for help, but my words were muffled, and I sobbed even harder as I realized I won't be able to find help. 

The last thing I remembered was going to a party with my boyfriend, Malcolm. Then I told him I was thirsty and he got me a drink. I cluelessly drank it all… only to pass out cold. Now, here I was, tied down against my will in a place I didn't know.

Suddenly, I began to hear loud footsteps coming closer to me. Then the clothes used to blindfold and gag me were yanked off my face, and I gasped when I saw Malcolm looking down at me with very empty eyes.

A part of me still doubted he was the one who got me into this state. So I asked just to be sure. Just to relieve my heart in hopes that he wouldn't do such to me.

“Malcolm. What's going on? If this is part of the party tricks, I don't like it. So get these chains off me immediately. I want to go home” I told him while I wept profusely, and slowly, I saw his mouth curve into a sneer.

“This isn't a party trick, Taylor. It's reality. Though I didn't have much of a choice when they made me do this to you” he replied, and I frowned in confusion. What was he talking about?

“What are you talking about?  I want to know why I'm all tied up here. Why?” I yelled when I got impatient, and he smiled so coldly that it sent cold waves through my skin.

Then he squatted before me and gently ran his finger through my hair while looking me right in the eyes, and I'd never seen his eyes look so blank and emotionless. He wasn't the Malcolm I knew.

“I've been broke these days, and I needed my usual drugs to calm my nerves. So I was asked for a substitute in exchange for three months' worth of drugs, and there you were. The very loyal girlfriend who loves me to the moon. You were the perfect substitute, Taylor, so I gave you away, and now, I have my drugs. Isn't that perfect?”

He answered so shamelessly, without an ounce of remorse on his face and blind rage, took over me as I struggled to free myself and wring his neck in return for what he'd done to me.

“What have you done to me? What have you done, Malcolm?” I sobbed while I still struggled even though the chains bit into my skin, and he just shrugged.

“I only did what was necessary to get what I wanted. You're replaceable, Taylor. I can get a new girl whenever I want” he retorted, and that broke me.

“You addict bastard! You gave me away for drugs? You gave me away for your selfish wants? How dare you! How could you? What did I do to deserve this?” 

I screamed at the top of my lungs before I began to sob again, and he stood up before taking a step away from me.

“I hope this is the last time we see each other, Taylor. Goodbye… And good luck, I guess” he said, and a man handed him a luggage, which was obviously filled with drugs judging from the excitement on his face.

I couldn't believe he gave me away for that. 

Then he started to walk away, and I'd never been so terrified in my life. 

I screamed and cried for him to come back and save me. I hoped he was going to turn around and tell me it was a prank, but he didn't look back. He just walked out the door and left me behind, and I couldn't stop weeping hard as the sting of his betrayal tore my heart to shreds.

At that moment, a microphone was suddenly turned on while I was still sobbing nonstop, and I gasped immediately. I realized I wasn't alone. 

“Is anyone there? Can you hear me? Please say something, I beg you” I called out in desperation, but there was no response. 

All I heard next was the click clack of heels against the hard cemented floor coming closer to me. Then the scent of lavender perfume filled my nose, and a woman appeared.

She just stared at me in silence before she bent, and using her soft hand, she caught my chin and turned my face to the left and then to the right like I was being examined.

Then she pressed a gun to my temple, and the cold metal made my body go cold with fear.

“Make a sound again, and I'm going to send a bullet through your forehead” she spoke to me in a hostile tone, and a shiver ran down my spine as she threatened to kill me.

With that, she pulled away from me and snapped her fingers. Then a man walked up to me, and before I could say anything, he blindfolded and gagged me again.

Then I heard the loud sound of curtains flapping like they were being pulled apart and judging from how close it sounded, I could guess I was on a stage with the woman who just threatened me. Upon having that thought, she began to talk into the microphone. 

“Good evening, gentlemen. Welcome to once again, another exciting night at Madam Hortons home for lovely dolls. Tonight, I have quite the doll for you hungry men, and I bet that anyone who takes this beautiful doll home would have a great time… so shall we begin bidding our prices from 50 thousand?” 

My body turned rigid when I heard her intro speech followed by the loud cheer of the voices of many many men, and I felt my blood freeze as I understood what was happening. This was a trafficking scheme, and thanks to Malcolm, I'd sadly fallen a victim.

“Sixty thousand” the first man yelled, and the woman chuckled into the microphone.

“Sixty thousand from Mr Pataski… anyone who wants to bid a higher price?” She asked while I knelt beside her like I was some commodity, and I wondered how in good conscience she could easily sell off her fellow woman.

“Seventy thousand, Madam Horton” another man who sounded older called, and immediately, another yelled a hundred thousand.

It became a noisy competition as they bidded one after the other, and soon, someone was calling out three hundred thousand to buy me.

Silence followed when the price of five hundred thousand was bidded to buy me, and I heard Madam Horton chuckle again, this time, her voice livelier as she spoke into the microphone. 

“I guess we have a winner for the auction tonight. Five hundred thousand from Mr Lewiston for the d…”

“Two million” a very deep, cold, and unexplainably spine chilling voice unexpectedly called out from the crowd, and loud murmurs exploded in the crowd when that amount was bidded over my head.

“Does anyone want to take over from the two million? Gentlemen?” Madam Horton asked, her voice also filled with shock, and when I heard the men sighing in defeat, I knew it was game over. I'd been sold off.

“That's it for the auction. Two million from Mr Rover for the doll” she announced to end the night, and with that, I heard the click clack of her heels again before it faded away.

Then, a hand grabbed my neck from behind without warning, and I felt a sting when a needle pricked my skin. Hissing in pain, I soon began to feel lightheaded, and before I could decipher what was happening, I'd blacked out.