Owned by Gabriel Cole

Chapter 1: The Collateral

Noah dropped to his knees on the office floor, holding onto the hem of Gabriel’s trousers. "Please, Gabriel, do not destroy my family! Give us more time!"

Gabriel looked down at him with a cold face and pulled his leg back, stepping out of reach. "Your sister ran away on her wedding morning, Noah. The deal is off."

Noah scrambled up off the ground, his chest heaving as panic took over his mind. 

If Gabriel sue them, the fourteen million dollar debt would crush his family, sending his uncle straight to prison and leaving them broke on the streets as he would take over their remaining assets.

Gabriel turned his back and walked toward his wide desk. "I am calling my legal team right now to seize your family assets."

Noah’s head spun as he tried to think of anything to stop him. Before he could stop himself, he yelled out, "Take me instead! Do not destroy my family!"

Gabriel stopped in his tracks and turned around slowly. His eyes locked onto Noah with surprise. "Take you? Why on earth would I take you?"

"I am the only thing left," Noah said, his voice shaking as he took a step forward. "Take me in place of my sister and clear off the debt. Use me however you want."

Gabriel walked closer, his eyes scanning Noah's small, slender frame. "What could I possibly gain from a boy like you?"

"I will obey whatever you command," Noah said, looking straight into Gabriel's eyes. "I will stay under your roof, and I will not run away like my sister."

Gabriel reached out and clamped his hand around Noah’s jaw, tilting his head back forcefully. "You think you can take your sister's place?"

"Yes," Noah forced out through his teeth, wincing at the tight grip on his face. "Just do not ruin my family."

Gabriel stared at him for a long moment before letting go of his jaw. He walked back to his desk, pulled a clean document out of his drawer, and threw it onto the desk.

"Read the back page and sign your name," Gabriel said coldly. "If you sign this, you belong to me until I say otherwise."

Noah moved to the edge of the desk and picked up the pen. His hand trembled, but he flipped straight to the final line and signed his full name.

Gabriel took the paper back, checked the signature, and put it back inside the drawer . "Go home and wait. My driver will come to pick you up at seven o'clock tonight."

Noah turned around without saying another word, opened the door, and walked out into the hallway.

His uncle Arthur ran out from around the corner, his face pale as he grabbed Noah’s shoulders. "What happened in there? Did Gabriel stop the lawsuit against me?"

Noah shoved his uncle’s hands off his body with full force. "He stopped it because I gave myself to him!"

Arthur gasped pretensionly, but happiness filled his eyes. "What are you talking about? What did you do, Noah?" He continued, asking as if he cared.

"I signed a contract with Gabriel Cole to pay off your fourteen million dollar mess!" Noah shouted, tears burning the corners of his eyes. "You ruined us, Uncle Arthur!"

"Noah, wait!" Arthur called out, his voice full of fake sympathy. "Come let's talk this out, there might be another way!"

Noah ignored him completely, walking straight into the open elevator doors. The doors slid shut, hiding his uncle's face, and Noah rode the lift all the way down to the main lobby.

He walked out of the massive company building towards their house on the other side of town.

He followed down the sidewalk with a heavy head. His mind was in complete chaos as he tried to process what he had just done.

Then his phone vibrated in his pocket, making him jump. He pulled the device out and saw an international number flashing on the screen.

Noah pressed the green button and raised the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Noah?" a woman's trembling voice came through the speaker. "Is that you?"

Noah froze right in the middle of the sidewalk, recognizing the voice instantly. "Nora? Is that you? Where are you? What happened?" Noah asked all at once.

"I am so sorry, Noah," Nora sobbed into the line. "I am at an airport overseas. I could not do it, Noah. I could not marry Gabriel Cole."

"Was that why you turned off your main phone? Why didn't you explain this to us so that we all can figure it out?" Noah asked, his voice breaking. "Do you have any idea what is happening here right now?"

"I was terrified!" Nora cried out. "Uncle Arthur told me Gabriel was a dangerous man, so I used my last savings to buy a flight and run away."

"Gabriel was going to send Uncle Arthur to prison today, Nora," Noah said, gripping the phone tight against his ear. "He was going to take our house and destroy everything we own."

"I know, I know!" Nora wept. "That's why I called, I need you to hide, Noah! Leave the house right now before Gabriel comes looking for revenge!"

"It is too late for that," Noah said quietly, looking down at his own trembling hands. "I went to his office this morning."

"You did what?" Nora gasped through the speaker, her breathing turning fast and shallow. "Why would you go see him?"

"I signed a personal contract with him," Noah answered, tears finally spilling over his eyelashes. "I took your place so he would leave our family alone."

"No, Noah! No!" Nora screamed into the phone. "You cannot do that! Tear up that paper right now!"

"I cannot tear it up, Nora," Noah said, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "A car is coming to take me to his compound at seven o'clock tonight."

"Noah, listen to me!" Nora pleaded, her voice shaking violently. "Gabriel Cole will break you! You do not know what kind of man he really is!"

"You left me with no choice when you got on that plane," Noah said, his tone turning cold. "Stay where you are and do not call me again."

Noah ended the call before his sister could respond and blocked the unknown number immediately as he wiped his tears. 

He put the phone back in his pocket and hailed a taxi at the curb to take him back home, as he was too weak to even walk properly.

He sat in the back of the cab, staring out the window at the passing city buildings. He had until seven o'clock tonight to say goodbye to his old life, and there was no turning back now.