Chapter 5: The Truth

Daisy's POV

  People often say — In life, you only get to make two choices: the right choice or the wrong choice.

  And I have to admit — That's a freaking lie.

  Because right now, I also have two choices.

  Either I sit peacefully and go with this masked man sitting beside me who just bought me for a hundred million dollars without batting an eyelid — well not technically because his face is hidden beneath that mask — to wherever he is heading, which can't be  good.

  Or I quickly unlock the door and jump out from the moving vehicle — which would end up with my skull getting splattered on the road, or getting a bullet imprinted in my skull before I could even land on the ground.

  And neither of them is right.

  So I only sit, and watch as the driver  speeds up the car,  taking me farther away from home. From Brittany. And maybe even from Chicago.

  Heck… I don't even know what day it is.

 If it's still the day I was kidnapped or the next.

  The only thing I know is that it’s really late.

  I should be tearing up right now, begging my buyer to release me and that I'll do anything if he could just let me go, but I don't. 

  The silence in the car is pressing in on me, and the dangerous aura emanating from the two men — my masked buyer and his driver — gives me a mind check not to make any stupid move.

  Even though my hands are aching to yank the mask off his face and slam his head on the car window.

  If I want to see Brittany and go back home — even though I no longer see it as a home anymore, I need to live.

   I need to survive.

  I press myself further against the door and close my eyes.

  Disgust burns in my throat as all the statements I heard at the auction replays in my head.

  ‘Mr. Vireli likes to get the best of them for himself.’

  ‘Still. A hundred million dollars is too much for just a girl.’

  ‘It’s Vireli after all.’

  ‘It’s a shame he doesn't share. I would have loved to have her when he’s bored and done with her.’

  The car suddenly stops, pulling me out of my thoughts and my eyes snap open.

  The driver cuts off the engine, and walks out of the car. 

 The door to my left opens up, and my buyer steps out, the door closing behind him.

  Leaving me all alone in the car. 

  Probably for me to let the thought about my current situation sink in, but he would need to have a decent bone in his body to do that — I highly doubt that though.

  I put my hands to my chest, and exhale.

  This is it. 

   I really have been

sold.

  The sound of the door opening up again, sends me jerking up in shock and a wince escapes my mouth as I bump my head.

  “Are you waiting for a special invitation to get out?"

   His voice sends a shiver down my spine, and it feels like I just fell face flat into snow with only a t-shirt on.

  I quickly open up the door by my right and get out of the car.

  The grandeur of a huge mansion greets me… no, calling it a mansion would be an understatement— 

  It's a freaking castle.

  I've seen huge mansions before.

  Brittany Papi's being the top but this house… It beats everything.

  The bright light coming from the house spills on the garden, illuminating the bright flowers.

  Pretty. Expensive. Luxury.

  But at what cost was this house built on? How many girls’ souls?

 My heart coils in revulsion and I stop gawking, tearing my gaze off the house, annoyed at myself for even getting carried away.

  “Master, you are back. And you've brought…another girl?” 

  My eyes turn to a much older woman walking towards us… or more specifically, my buyer and his driver, she stops mid step when she notices me.

  Another girl. 

  Another property. 

  Another toy.

  I clench my fist tight. I hate him already—if I didn't already do that at the auction or during the entire ride.

  “Yes. Please arrange a room for her.” 

  That's all he says before he walks off, his driver following behind him.

  I eye the old woman who has her gaze on him as he walks away, suspicion swirling in my eyes.

   She works for him so she's definitely no good too.

  Unless she was also bought too.

  I hear the old woman sigh, and I quickly turn my gaze back to the floor before she reverts her gaze back on me.

   I don't want to stand out. Not yet.

  “Come with me, dear.” She turns and walks in the opposite direction of my buyer.

  I let my gaze linger on the direction he went before I tag along behind the woman.

  Sketchy creepiness crawls over my skin as we enter the completely silent house.

  My mouth falls open when I spot the staircase.

  The stairs splits in two, forming a double staircase —

  “I would say you could keep staring but you need to rest now." 

  I turn to the old woman on the staircase, delight swimming in her eyes as she watches me.

  I press my teeth to my bottom lip, and walk up the stairs.

  Get it together, Daisy. This is not a fairytale. You just got sold. And to a monster who has a reputation for buying girls.

 The older woman finally pulls up to a door.

  She yanks the door open and walks inside, I follow.

  The room is blank, safe for a bed that lay on one side of the room, a single blanket draped across it and boxes stacked over on the other end, covering the entrance of another door.

  Moonlight spills in from the small space left open by the curtain.

 “You may sleep here tonight. There's a—” 

  Her words fly off my ear as I look around the room.

 A simple bed with no extra bedding.

 Plain.

  “That should be all. Good night…." Her voice trails, and I turn to look at her.

  Her eyes are expectant as she watches me.

  “Goodnight." I mumble, setting my gaze back to my feet.

  If she's expecting a thank you from me... she's never going to get one.

  And there is no way in hell I'm going to give her my name.

  I feel her gaze linger on me for a while, before she finally walks out, closing the door behind her.

  I raise my head, and move closer to the door. 

  My fingers skim the surface of the door and I hold my breath as I make a silent prayer.

   The knot in my chest untangles when my hand brushes something metallic, and I turn it slowly before I hear a quiet click.

  Even though it's practically useless.

  Since the owner of the house would definitely have a spare key to the rooms in his mansion— it still wouldn’t hurt for me to be careful.

  I know why he bought me. He'd eventually come for me.

  But before then, I should have a plan.

  He could spend four hundred million dollars for all I care. I won’t let him take my virginity that easily.

  I might not believe in true love or wedding night shit but I sure as hell won’t let any random man just take it without my consent.

   Even if I end up dying while resisting, I'll make sure to drag him to the pits of hell with me.

  I walk back to the bed, letting my hands run through it carefully before I sit.

   I let my gaze fall on the shadow in the room cast by the moonlight spilling in.

  If this was a better situation… I'd have enjoyed the view.

 But it's not, so I just stare at it blankly.

  I head over to the window, my hands pull the curtains to one side, and I stare at the moon.

   Brittany would be worried when she is not able to reach me.

  All the exhaustion that has been piling up on me for weeks crashes into me. 

  Rome's betrayal. Zyla's smug grin. 

My knees buckle, and I collapse on the floor as my legs give way, my hand clenching the curtain.

Would Dad be looking for me right now? 

 Would he even care that his daughter is gone?

   Mom.

  I reach out to my necklace for comfort , only…it isn't there.

  My eyes widen in panic, and I release my hold on the curtain and feel my neck for it.

  Nothing.

 The only thing of my mum…the only thing I have left to remind me of her, to remind me to stay strong is gone.

  Wetness slide down my cheeks.

   I cup my cheeks, staring at the blank white walls of the room.

   My new room.

  And I cry.

All the tears I've been holding in, I let it out.

********

___

*Night of the kidnapping*

___

Third Person POV

  Ben is pacing back and forth in the room, his eyes glancing at the clock constantly, before he turns to check if his phone lights up.

  Nothing.

  This goes on for a while, until the phone screen finally lightens and a ringtone plays out.

 He rushes to his desk and picks up his phone, a smile gracing his lips when he sees the caller id.

 “How did it go?" His voice is filled with urgency, like he could pass out any moment if he doesn't get a reply.

  A cold reply comes from the other end.

    "We already have her. We handled her files so you just have to finish it up on your end. No linkage must be found." 

  Ben's eyes gleam with satisfaction, and he chuckles.

 “You don't have to worry. I already did that. I hope she wasn't too much of a hassle? She is—” 

  The man on the receiver's hand doesn't wait for Ben to end his sentence before interrupting.

  "The boss asked if you received the invite for the party." 

 Ben's smile falls, before he glances at the crimson-purple colored invite laying casually on his desk. “Yes, I received it already." 

  “Okay then. We'll meet at the party." 

 The call ends and Ben drops his phone back on the desk, his shoulders slump down in relief.

  The door to the room suddenly opens up, Ben's face hardens when he sees the person.

  “Why are you here? You said you were spending the night with Rome.”

  Zyla draws out a long sigh. "He had to attend an emergency meeting. I don't know… but I think he's not really over Daisy yet." 

  “You have to fix that. You promised that once Daisy is out of the picture, you can get him.” His eyes narrow, a threat simmering beneath. 

   "That wasn't an empty talk, no?”

  Zyla turns down her gaze to the ground, lowering her voice down to a whisper. "Of course not, Father. I'll get him.”

  "You had better.” There is an underlying edge in his words before he waves her off dismissively, and turns to sit back in his chair.

  Zyla turns towards the door, a dark glint visible in her eyes.

 

‘Finally Daisy, you are out of my life forever. I hope you enjoy being sold…by your own father.’

  Ben's gaze lingers on Zyla as she walks out.

   A framed picture on his desk catches his attention and he picks it up with a smirk.

  “Merilda, our daughter really takes after you a lot. A shame. I'll really seem like an evil father now for selling off my own daughter.

“But it's her fault… for poking her nose into my business and trying to know too much.”