Chapter 5: His Property

(Angela's POV)

I sat tensely in the chair as Agnes arranged her tattoo equipment. She was about to brand my beautiful, fair skin with Richard’s name.

I had never imagined this day would come.

How had I ended up like this?

In just one night, I had been sold off to my elder sister’s boyfriend.

Tears welled up in my blue eyes, but Agnes didn’t say a word. She focused on her work, determined not to make a mistake. She handled the equipment so carefully that it seemed as if Richard would kill her if she did the job incorrectly.

“You don’t have to cry. Master Richard has never allowed anyone to wear his brand before,” Agnes said, keeping her gaze fixed on my chest.

I winced as the tattoo needle pierced my skin and drew Richard Henshaw’s name across it.

Once Agnes finished, she smiled and stepped away from me.

“Take a look at it,” she said.

The room was brightly lit, and a full-length mirror stood in front of me. I gazed at my reflection and felt stunned when I saw Richard’s name written in an italic font on my chest.

It sat at the top of my chest, just above my cleavage.

“Do you love it? Do you wish to add anything to it?” Agnes asked, grinning from cheek to cheek.

“No, I’m fine,” I replied coldly, though my voice trembled with pain.

“You don’t have to pretend. Master Richard wants you. No woman in Top Hills City has ever worn her master’s name so boldly. You should consider yourself lucky,” Agnes said as she cleaned her tools and packed them into her bag.

I didn’t reply. I had no words for her, and I didn’t feel like thanking her.

I had never had a tattoo on my body before. Now I wore Richard’s brand on my chest, in a place where everyone could see it.

A knock resonated through the room. Before I could respond, the door unlocked, and Richard entered with a cold expression on his face.

He wore a white shirt and black trousers. He had taken off his coat.

“I’m done, Master Richard,” Agnes said with a smile.

Richard glanced at my chest to confirm that she had tattooed his name properly.

He stepped closer to me.

“You did a good job,.Agnes. You branded her well. Meet Derek. He will settle your payment and escort you home safely.”

“All right, Master Richard. Thank you.” Agnes bowed to Richard and immediately left the room.

I lowered my face. I hadn’t expected to fall into such a deep mess.

“What are you thinking about?” Richard asked as he strolled away from the door and approached me.

He paused.

“Are you thinking about your parents?”

I didn’t look at him.

“Speak when I’m talking to you,” Richard ordered as he came to stand in front of me.

He was the son of the mafia lord. How dare I disobey him when I already knew he had no intention of letting me go?

“Why did you purchase me? What do you want from me? Please, let me go. I promise to pay you back once I graduate and start working,” I begged as I looked at his handsome, dark face.

Richard laughed coldly.

“Haha! What kind of job do you plan to get so you can pay me back? Do you intend to sell this beautiful body of yours to men to raise the money?” he asked, trailing a finger along my arm.

The coldness of his touch made my skin crawl.

“No. I’m not saying I will do that now. But maybe, in the coming years, I will be able to pay you back. Or I can speak with my father. Please, let me call him,” I begged as tears welled in my eyes.

“Fine. Go ahead and call your father. Let me see what he can do to help you,” Richard said.

He pulled out his phone and handed it to me.

My hands trembled as I accepted the iPhone.

“I can call my parents?” I asked in disbelief.

Richard smiled, leaned against the dressing table, and replied, “Yes. Let me see how they can pay me back. You still don’t understand that your duty is to serve me now.”

Richard wore a bored expression as I opened his call log and contacted my father.

My hands trembled while the phone rang.

“Hello, Father,” I said as soon as he answered.

“Angela, what’s wrong? What happened to you? Your mother has been trying to reach you, but she hasn’t been able to. Where are you now, and who asked you to leave home?” my father demanded. His voice sounded loud and filled with anger.

“Dad, Isabella took me to Richard’s party, and she sold me off tonight.”

“What? How dare Isabella do this? Are you sure? Where are you? Whose phone are you using? Who bought you?” Dad demanded.

Richard stepped forward and took the phone from my ear.

“Please, let me speak with my father,” I begged.

Richard smiled.

“Hello, Mr. Moraga,” he said in his icy voice.

“Yes. Who is this?” my father asked.

“Richard Henshaw. Your daughter belongs to me now.”

“What? No, Richard. You cannot do this. Angela isn’t for sale. She is innocent. She didn’t willingly offer herself to be sold at the Dark Realm. Please, let go of my second daughter. I will pay you. Don’t touch her,” my father pleaded.

I stared at Richard in shock. My father knew about the auction.

“You know the rules, Mr. Moraga,” Richard replied, calmly. “I already bought your second daughter, and I don’t need a refund. If I hadn’t purchased her tonight, another mafia lord might have. Then you wouldn’t be negotiating with me right now. You should blame your first daughter, Isabella.”

I sat in the chair, staring at Richard in disbelief.

Did he know that my sister had taken me to the Dark Realm to be sold?

Had Richard planned with Isabella to have me kidnapped and brought there so he could purchase me?

“Dad, don’t listen to Richard!” I screamed, hoping he could hear me even though Richard held the phone. “He planned it with Isabella! Richard kept looking at me at his birthday party, and Isabella took me there against my will. Call the police, Dad! I cannot be locked up here!”

Richard laughed.

“Haha. Mr. Moraga, I would appreciate it if you called the police. But you know the rules. Even the Dark Realm has the government’s backing. I will only return your second daughter after I have kept her for a while and finished with her.”

“No, Master Richard. Please…Angela is innocent. She is not like Isabella. Let us make an exchange. Isabella loves you, and I know that you are her boyfriend.”

I wondered why my father was so afraid of Richard.

Was it because Richard’s father was the number-one mafia boss in the city?

“I have nothing more to say to you. What I choose to do with your second daughter is my business.”

Richard paused and glanced at my face.

“As for Isabella…” He hesitated. “I never wanted her. I only used her to chase other young women away from me and to prevent my father from arranging a marriage for me. I will continue the relationship with Angela until I find a wife.”

“What?” I gasped, staring at Richard with disbelief.