Fiance

Serene found herself being pulled inside His car. She didn't resist, because she knows its futile. She cannot escape from someone like Dante Volcov. She is scared to the point where she could feel her own heart pounding frantically. She didn't say a word, because that's what her father taught her in a bad way, not to speak unless spoken. If she ever spoke when she was not expected to, then he would beat her with in an inch of her life. But he always made sure not to scar her body.

'Scars would reduce your value' he used to say, as if she is not a person but a commodity.

Rough fingers grabbed her cheeks and turned her head, so that she had no other option but to face the man beside her, her fiance, Dante Volcov. His dark gaze which felt like the pools of hell made her even more scared. His eyes are cold without any ounce of emotion there. Not even anger because of how she ran away.

"Look at me when I am talking to you Princess, looks like Alexander didn't teach you well" Dante demanded coldly. She flinched at the mention of how Alexander used to discipline her. Dante didn't raise his tone, but the fact that he is displeased is clear. For whatever reason, he always called her 'Princess', even though its clear that she is just a mere puppet to her father, who is raising her to sell her off to the highest bidder.

She shuddered with fear. This is the reason she ran away, because she doesn't want to marry a man who is whispered to be the devil himself. A man whom she saw pulling out a heart out of a living person. A man who is worst than her father Alexander Rivera, a man who scares the entire country with just a single glance.

He pulled her head closer to his. Their faces are just a mere breath away from each other. She could see how dark his orbs are, and it only made her feel even more scared. Despite her fear, she still managed to speak, may be because she had a death wish, or she felt like its better to die than marry someone like her father, cruel and heartless.

"I don't want to marry you Dante" she whispered softly. Her fear is clear in her eyes for him to see. May be he was not expecting her to speak at all, because she saw a flicker of something pass in his other wise cold eyes.

"Too bad princess, you don't have a choice. Do you think you managed to stay hidden for so long? No, I allowed you to feel like you did. I found you just under a week. Times up Princess. Now we are going home. Take care of your stuff here. In one week, I will come back to take you away" he murmured with finality.

Her eyes turned misty with unshed tears. She knows this man for the last fifteen years. Her father brought him home when he was just 16 years old. She saw him transform into a handsome man right infront of her eyes. His ruthlessness grow along with him, until he turned into the most feared man, whom even her father fears. He rose in ranks in the outfit, from a normal thug to the underboss and now the boss of the outfit. But she barely spoke with him. She was not allowed to speak with the opposite gender.

He leaned closer and pressed his lips with hers. She wanted to push him away, she wanted to slap him. He is stealing her first kiss. But she stayed as still as a doll. Woman lack power or opinion in the outfit. They are just a means to an end.

....

Serene walked back to her apartment which she shares with her friend Christy, looking as pale as a ghost.

"Serene, where have you been? Do you know for how long i have been waiting for you here?" her Ex boyfriend Boris complained. He grabbed her hand, but she shook him off.

"I thought i made it clear that we are done. Looks like you didn't understand. I am breaking up with you. We are done. Don't come here again" she spoke camly, but with finality in her words. After witnessing a man like Dante, dealing with Boris felt like child's play. While Dante scares her, Boris disgusts her.

She remembered how she used to care for him, how she used to give him almost fifty percent of her salary to support his family when he didn't had a job. She was there to take care of him when he met with an accident and was hospitalized. She covered his hospital bills. Yet, despite all that, Boris cheated on her. One thing Serene hates is cheating. Her father cheated on her mother, the reason why her mother lost her life. Now, there is absolutely nothing left between her and Boris to discuss.

"Serene, I know you are upset. But I was trying to secure our future. Do you know who she is? She is the daughter of Nelson Rivera. Do you know how powerful Alexander Rivera is? Nelson Rivera is his step brother, and Alexander Rivera adores Cindy Rivera. If we could make Cindy fall for me, we no longer have to live in this dump. We can live happily in luxury" he tried to justify what he did.

But Serene couldn't help but smile sarcastically. While Boris was vying for fortune, she wanted peace. She never thought Boris is this kind of person.

'So Cindy is back' she thought.

While growing up, Cindy never liked Serene, because Cindy always wanted to be in the limelight, but Serene unintentionally was always the center of attention. Alexander trained Serene to become his perfect puppet. And dear God, did she become perfect.

Serene left ignoring Boris.

"Serene, you are going to regret this" Boris muttered angrily before storming off.