Chapter 5: There's another boss

I turned and walked out, and she followed behind me.

The closer we got to the living room, the louder the voices became.

"She's coming," Veronica said.

"Good," a deep male voice replied.

My stomach tightened, my steps slowing down.

A second later, Clara walked straight into my back. "Why did you stop?"

I ignored her, my feet still rooted to the spot.

"Move." She shoved me forward.

I stumbled forward before gaining my balance.

The urge to turn around and break the fingers she used to shove me was tempting. But I didn't.

Taking a deep breath, I rounded the corner and entered the living room.

The first thing I noticed when I entered was the men. Two huge men dressed in black suits stood near the door.

Their expressions were blank and their faces stern.

Then my gaze shifted to the man sitting on the couch–the one my stepmom preserved for guests that mattered.

My heartbeat pounded so violently against my ribs that I was sure everyone in the room could hear it.

This couldn't be happening.

Not to me…not like this.

I was only twenty-five, I still had dreams, and a life I wanted to live.

How had everything fallen apart so quickly?

The man was old…very old.

He had grey hair, and his face was wrinkled. He looked old enough to even be my father. Probably in his late 60s. He wore an expensive charcoal suit tailored perfectly to his body, the kind only wealthy men could afford. Even so, nothing could hide the fact that he was old.

I stared at him, waiting for someone to laugh and tell me this was some kind of sick joke. But no one did.

My chest tightened.

The room suddenly felt too small.

No.

No, no, no.

This couldn't be happening. This was the man? The one Veronica had sold me to?

My stepmother stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder with that fake, sweet smile she always wore in front of guests.

“This is your husband, dear,” she announced smoothly. “Mr. Harrington. You’ll be leaving with him today.”

Husband.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

A wave of nausea hit me. I suddenly couldn't breathe properly.

“Oh my God… he’s so old,” Clara whispered, failing miserably at hiding her amusement. “Can't believe you're actually marrying him.”

The old man slowly stood up, his eyes studying me from head to toe.

Like he was inspecting something he was about to purchase.

My skin crawled because of the way he stared at me.

"Beautiful," he said. His lips curled into a faint smile, the one that made my skin crawl.

I instinctively took a small step backward, but Veronica's hand tightened around my shoulder, silently warning me not to embarrass her.

Veronica smiled proudly, walking back to where she sat."I told you she would be."

The old man nodded.

Then one of the men in black stepped forward and placed a folder on the table.

"Sign."

I stared at the papers blankly. I could barely focus on it.

The only thing I could make out of it was; Marriage, transfer, agreement.

I didn't sign yet. I just stared at the paper blankly

Veronica cleared her throat.

I looked up at her.

She was holding my wooden box, the one containing the things my parents left for me. The sight of it made my chest ache.

"You know the deal," she said.

My fingers tightened around the pen.

I hated her.

God, I hated her.

I couldn't agree to marry an old man, but I wanted those things back. I needed them back.

Slowly, I lowered the pen, and signed at the required spaces.

The moment my signature touched the paper, Veronica's smile widened.

The old man nodded in satisfaction. “It’s done.”

Veronica stood and walked over to me. For a second, I thought she was going to say something cruel, instead, she held out the box.

I stared at it.

Then carefully took it from her hands, my fingers trembling as I opened it.

The necklace, and the ring were inside, they were really in there.

Without wasting another second, I slipped the necklace around my neck. Then I slid the ring onto my finger.

It fit perfectly, like it had been waiting for me all these years.

For a moment, I closed my eyes.

My fingers lingered on the necklace resting against my chest.

"Mom... Dad..." The words never made it past my lips.

But somehow, wearing the necklace and ring again made me feel like they were still with me.

Like they hadn't completely left me in this cruel world.

Tears threatened to fall, but I blinked them away.

I couldn't cry. Not in front of Veronica or any of them, because they didn't deserve my tears.

Mr. Harrington stood up slowly. “We should leave.”

Clara grinned as she followed us outside. She opened the back door of the waiting black car and shoved me in. Mr. Harrington slid in beside me, and shut the door.

I shifted slightly away from him, disgust creeping into my entire being from staying right beside him.

Neither of us spoke.

I kept my eyes fixed on the passing streets outside the window.

People walked along the sidewalks, some were laughing, while some were arguing, and others were probably on their way home.

None of them knew that a woman was sitting inside this black SUV after being sold like she was nothing more than a possession.

I wondered if anyone would've stopped this if they knew.

A few minutes later, the old man's phone rang, and he answered almost immediately.

“Yes, I have the girl… She’s prepared and ready. The deal is complete.”

My stomach twisted.

He continued, “Tell the boss she’s exactly what he wanted. Young, presentable… She’ll satisfy him perfectly.”

I frowned.

Boss?

The old man chuckled. "Understood."

Then he ended the call.

My heartbeat quickened, my pulse racing.

Boss?

I stared at the back of his seat, confusion flooding my mind.

If he had a boss, that meant that…

I wasn't sold to him.

If he wasn't the one who bought me…

Then who was?