Chapter 1

"Where are we going to, aunt Sophia?" Isabella asked as her aunty ushered her out of the apartment and into a waiting car.

"We have to meet with one of your uncles." The elderly woman replied. "He has promised to give us some money for your upkeep."

"Oh. Maybe I can finally go to college." Isabella said hopefully, but Sophia ignored her.

They got into the car and the driver sped off. Soon the dusty roads of the countryhome where they lived gave way to the bustling express of Las Vegas.

Isabella was just twenty two, young and totally dependent on her aunty, Sophia. Her parents had been murdered when she was just an infant, so the only family she relied on were her relatives.

According to Sophia, she had her mother's physical beauty, but her father's rebellious streak.

Isabella had midnight dark hair, a shade which was unlike any other. Her eyes were the darkest obsidian, sharp and filled with a million questions, with skin as pale as milk.

Growing up, she had been curious about everything. When she turned eight, she demanded to know how her parents were killed. Sophia had told her that a notorious mafia king had murdered them for refusing to pay back their debts.

Ever since, Isabella had harbored a deep hatred for every mafia gang out there, and she burned with vengeance whenever she thought about it.

She had been with Sophia since she turned three, and had managed to graduate from high school.

She had dreams of her own, and one of them was to own a dress shop someday. But due to lack of funds, she couldn't pay for the designer' school of fashion. Everything came down to going to college first.

"What are you thinking about, child?" Sophia asked after a while.

Isabella shrugged, then turned away from the window.

"I can't apply for fashion school because I don't have a degree." She explained. "You know how bad I want to own a dress shop."

"I told you, Isabella, you dream too big." Sophia chided her. "Your parents left back a huge amount of debt, some of which I'm still struggling to pay back. We can't afford tuition fees for college right now."

"But I don't get it." Isabella sighed exasperatedly. "Why do you have to pay back their debts? They're dead. You shouldn't have to be burdened with it."

"Isabella, don't talk that way."

"But it's the truth." Isabella said stubbornly. "My parents are dead, and it has been years. It's not like they're going to come back to life if we don't talk about it."

"Isabella!" Sophia snapped angrily. "That is no way to speak about the dead. Have some respect."

"Respect." Isabella scoffed and rolled her eyes. She totally despised the fact that her parents debts were preventing her from achieving her dreams.

The car sped on for hours, zooming past acres of lands and luxurious houses. As they drove through the wealthy neighborhood, Isabella's mood worsened.

The houses here were pure luxury, compared to the tiny apartment she shared with aunt Sophia.

Some people had all the luck, she thought.

Finally after several hours, the car slowed to a stop beside a large building which looked like an abandoned warehouse.

Isabella stepped out of the car beside her aunt, scrutinizing the building and surrounding.

"Where is this place?" She asked.

Sophia ignored her and dialed a number on her phone. She moved away, speaking softly so Isabella wouldn't hear. After a while, she came back and told the driver to leave.

"We're going to wait here for your uncle." She said. "He's running a bit late, but he will be here soon.'

Isabella nodded, watching the car they came in drive away. Then a thought occurred to her.

"Which of my uncle are we waiting for? Do I know him?"

Sophia shook her head, but her eyes were restless. She kept looking around, as if she was waiting for someone.

Another hour went by and Isabella grew impatient.

"How much longer?"

"For God's sake Isabella, let me be." Sophia snapped impatiently. "He'll get here when he gets here."

Sulking, Isabella turned away and leaned beside the building.

After another hour, Sophia's phone beep with an incoming message. She read the message, and the look on her face changed. Pocketing the phone, she turned to Isabella.

"Your uncle is on his way. Wait here for me."

"Where are you going?"

"I want to meet him halfway. He doesn't know where we are."

"Let me come with you then." Isabella suggested.

"You stay right there, Isabella Valdez." Sophia snapped. "I will return with your uncle."

Isabella watched her aunt walk down the long deserted road until she was out of sight. She mimicked her, then hissed and found a place to sit and wait.

A few cars drove past, but most of the time, the road was silent and empty. It seemed she was in a remote part of Vegas.

She looked up suddenly as a sleek dark limo drove by. The limo screamed of wealth, and Isabella couldn't help but imagine how her life would have turned out if she had been born to a wealthy family.

She expected the limo to drive on like the rest of the other cars, but it stopped. She watched, expecting her uncle to step down and call out to her.

Then she laughed at her own thought. There was no way on earth her relatives would have an ordinary car, not to talk of a luxurious limo.

She looked away, but for some reason, she kept looking back at the limo. She couldn't see a thing through the tinted windows, but she could feel someone's eyes on her. The feeling became so strong that she began to feel uncomfortable.

Fortunately, the limo continued and drove down the road until it disappeared.

Isabella breathed a sigh of relief, then jumped in fear when thunder crashed loudly.

There was no place to take shelter and soon, she was totally drenched by the rain.

Night fell and Isabella began to panic. Sophia hadn't returned and she was all alone, miles away from home.

As she thought of what to do next, she noticed someone walking towards her from the road.

Her first thought was her aunt, but the person approaching was a man. She thought it was her uncle and she dashed out to meet him.

"Isabella?" The man called her name.

"Yes. You are my uncle, right? You're late. My aunt and I have been waiting for you."

"Where is she?"

"She left to meet you. You must have missed her."

The man's expression changed suddenly. He ogled her body with hungry eyes, then sneered at her.

"She won't be coming back."

Isabella frowned, wondering what he meant. She suddenly felt uneasy.

"Maybe we should go find her then." She muttered and started to walk away. But the man grabbed her hand viciously. "Hey! Let me go!"

"Silly girl." He snarled. "I paid in full, and you're coming with me."

Adrenaline suddenly shot through Isabella's body. She wrenched her arm out of his grip and bolted into a run.

"HELP!" She screamed as she ran, slipping on the wet ground. "HELP ME!"

"Bitch!" The man snarled, chasing her. She could hear his footsteps getting closer and she began to cry. She knew he would catch her, but still she kept running.

"HELP ME!" She screamed one last time, and suddenly...

BAM!

Something heavy and sharp hit her head and she dropped to the ground, dazed. She saw the man crouch before her, grinning like a maniac, and she passed out.