A date worst than fate

Aurora sat alone in the cold, dark room, the walls bare and the air thick with the stench of cigarettes and stale perfume. Her mother was gone—she had sold her like she was nothing more than a broken object, a quick escape from the debt and bitterness that had marked her mother’s life. Aurora had known for years that her mother didn't care much for her, but never thought it would come to this.

The woman who had bought her, Madam Elena, was cold and strict, looking at Aurora as if she were just an item to be inspected. “Take her to the back,” Madam Elena ordered a big guard, who grabbed Aurora’s arm and pulled her down a hallway. The smell of cigarettes and cheap perfume was thick, making Aurora feel sick. The guard pushed her into a small, bare room with only a metal bed. He threw a torn blanket at her and locked the door behind her with a loud, final sound.

Aurora sat on the bed, her mind spinning with anger and fear. She felt a deep hatred for her mother, but the fear of what was ahead was even stronger. The walls felt like they were closing in, but she knew there was no escape. She was now a part of someone else’s dark world.

Madam Elena’s footsteps echoed down the hall, getting closer and closer. She stopped outside Aurora’s cell, the sound of the key turning making Aurora’s heart race. The door opened, and Madam Elena stepped in, looking at Aurora’s scared face with a hard, unforgiving expression. “You’re the new seductress,” she said coldly. “Get cleaned up.”

Aurora looked up, her face full of fear but also defiance. Madam Elena gave a mocking smile and threw a bundle of clothes at her feet. “Put this on. You’re meeting Damian tonight,” she said. The name was heavy with fear, and Aurora’s stomach twisted as she remembered the whispers about Damian—a powerful and feared man who liked young girls like her.

With trembling hands, Aurora picked up the clothes: a dress that barely covered her and a pair of heels. She put them on, feeling exposed and vulnerable. The dress was tight and uncomfortable, leaving little to the imagination. As she changed, she felt like she was shedding her innocence.

Aurora’s mind was filled with the reasons she was here. Her mother had gotten pregnant without a husband, and her father had left them. Her grandparents, who had once loved and supported her mother, abandoned them both. Alone and struggling, Aurora’s mother had grown bitter, blaming Aurora for her misery. The bills piled up, and the shame grew until her mother decided to sell her daughter for a quick escape from her problems.

When Aurora entered the main room, other girls looked at her with pity. They all knew what it meant to be called to see Damian. Rumors said he was brutal and unkind, but that girls who survived his attention were treated better. Aurora felt sick realizing she was about to face this terrifying man.

Madam Elena looked Aurora over with a cruel smile. “You’ll do,” she said before signaling a guard to take her. They climbed a staircase, and Aurora’s legs felt weak. The guard knocked on a thick, heavy door, and a deep voice from inside allowed them to enter. The door opened, revealing a room filled with luxury and the scent of cigars.

Damian sat in a grand chair, his sharp eyes studying Aurora like she was a mere possession. He was both handsome and intimidating, with a look that could freeze anyone in place. The room was filled with rich decorations, a sharp contrast to the bleak cell Aurora had just left. He didn’t get up as she was led in, and his power filled the space.

“Take off your dress,” he ordered, his voice quiet but commanding.

One guard hesitated and tried to speak, “But, sir—”

Damian’s cold stare silenced him immediately. “I said take it off,” he repeated, this time with no room for argument.

The guards exchanged nervous looks and then left the room, closing the door with a chilling finality. Aurora was now alone with this man, the one who had bought her like an object. Her dress felt heavy, her heels like chains. Taking a shaky step toward him, her breathing echoed in the silence.

“Please,” Aurora whispered, dropping to her knees. “I’m only eighteen. Don’t do this.” Her voice was small, trembling, but she knew he held all the power.