Him

One year and nine months ago....

"Olivia, you lazy bitch. Come down here in this instance" Olivia woke up to the screeching of her step mother, Catherine. This is the way her step mother wakes her up every morning.

Olivia, lazily sat up on her bed. She could still hear her step mothers voice from downstairs. But she ignored the screaming. There was a time when the used to be scared of her step mother. But not anymore. She used to think that her step mother is the biggest monster in her life. But her opinion changed after she was sold to Alessandro. Now, he is her biggest fear and the cause of her nightmares.

She quickly finished her morning routine and got ready for school before going downstairs. Her fathers house in this small town is a three storey building with five bedrooms. The house is lavishly decorated and there are maids to do everything. But Catherine insists that Olivia should do everything in the kitchen. Like cooking breakfast and making dinner apart from doing her own laundry and cleaning. Maids are only hired to work at the beck and call of Catherine.

Catherine is fuming with anger by the time Olivia makes her way downstairs. Rose, Catherine's daughter, who is an year older than Olivia is sipping her coffee while enjoying the drama that is about to go down in the Rae house.

"You bitch, I have been calling you for the half an hour and you are coming now? What do you think about yourself? You think that you are a queen? Don't forget that you were a maid here and now a slave there" Catherine sneered with fury.

Olivia gritted her teeth with anger. How could she forget that they sold her like cattle. She thought staying here would be better than staying with Alessandro. But she was wrong. No one used to treat her like this in Russia, but she was still scared of Alessandro. Usually Olivia stays quiet and would prefer not to get into a verbal battle with Catherine. It would be similar to slapping herself. But is is becoming increasingly hard to control her anger these days.

"Do you want anything Catherine?" she asked evenly, trying hard to hide her anger.

Catherine huffed with displeasure and glared at Olivia. The older woman is not at all pleased with the way her step daughter is behaving with her. She always controlled Olivia, who is the biological daughter of her husband.

"You forgot to respect your elders. But don't worry. I will teach you again" she said with a smirk. She raised her hand to slap the young girl, but Olivia had enough. She caught her step mothers hand and stopped her from hitting, which only infuriated Catherine more. Even Rose is shocked to see the rebellious side of her step sister.

"How dare you?" Catherine sneered and roughly pulled her hand away from Olivia's grasp before pushing her down with all her might. Olivia is caught off guard and fell down when Catherine pushed her down. She was not prepared. Before she could gather herself, a hissing sound is heard and a scream erupted from her lips when the whip landed on her legs.

"Ahh..." Olivia screamed with pain. This is the worst. Being whipped would leave marks on her body for a long time, and it is painful. She prepared for another blow, but it never came. Tentatively she raised her head to see none other than Alessandro, who is glaring daggers at Catherine.

"I warned you to treat her properly. But you dared to hurt her like this?" he asked in a tone that would scare any grown man.

Catherine is now shaking with fear. Even Rose stood up from her chair and looked scared. Everyone in the vicinity stopped what they are doing. They are all scared of Alessandro.

"I am sorry boss. Please forgive me. I am just trying to keep her in line for you. She is talking back. I don't want her do the same with you" Catherine lied. But Alessandro all but ignored her. He turned towards Olivia with a blank face and offered his hand to Olivia and helped her to her feet. Olivia didn't dare to meet his gaze. If she does, she is worried that they would get lost in those dark orbs which seems to hide so many things. All the while Catherine is on her knees in front of him.

"Take the whip" he commanded Olivia, who obeyed without any delay. She is scared of him. Her heart is pounding with fear.

Alessandro took a step back.

"Now whip her until she begs you for forgiveness " he instructed.

Olivia is taken aback. She met his blank gaze with her confused ones. But immediately averted her eyes, too scared to maintain eye contact for longer.

"You will be late for school. Start" he reminded her.

Olivia remembered how much Catherine tortured her in all those years. Those slaps, whips, starving, yelling and the household chores she was forced to do after coming from school and the worst of all, Catherine sold her to a mafia man.

Olivia started whipping Catherine with anger and for ruining her life. She whipping Catherine until the latter started begging for mercy. Olivia wanted to kill Catherine for what she did. But she stopped. She is breathing hard. Czar, whom she recognized as Alessandro's underboss took the whip from her.

"Let's go" Alessandro said and turned away from the bleeding and weeping woman on the ground. Olivia followed after him.

Alessandro sped away from the driveway after Olivia buckled her seatbelt.

"You begged me to come back to these people? You didn't learn your lesson when she bartered you for your father's life? And where is your father? Looks like he is conveniently absent" Alessandro asked with an edge in his voice.

A shiver of fear ran down her spine when she noticed that he is upset. This is the last thing she wanted to do. She is worried that he might change his mind and drag her back to Russia. She knows it might not take him longer to shed his restrictions and take her virginity if she stays there. Men are men and he is a mafia man. Dangerous of them all. Anywhere is better than there. She knows that it's inevitable for her to become his mistress, but she is trying to stretch her luck as far as she can.

"I saved up some money. I am planning to move out soon" she confessed in a small voice with out looking at him.

The car came to a sudden stop. Her body is pushed forward by the momentum. She quickly regained her composure and looked at him with wide fear filled eyes.

"I told you to use the card I gave you. Why are you not using it?" he demanded with a dangerous edge in his tone.

Her heart is pounding like a drum. She is scared out of her mind. But despite her fear, she couldn't bring herself to use his money. That will make everything real. She will officially become his whore the moment she touches his money.

"I.. I..." she stuttered, unable to tell him why she is not using his card.

But she is not an idiot. She cannot keep mum and make him ever more angry.

"Please. You gave me five years of time. I am begging you, let me live my life the way I want it to in these five years. Giving me this small concession will not change anything. I will forever belong to you" she said softly, gathering all of her courage. She is not meeting his gaze out of fear.

He was quiet for a moment. She can feel his eyes on her, observing and calculating. But she refused to meet his gaze. Her eyes are firmly fixed on her fisted palms.

"I am not an idiot, Livi. I know why you are not touching my money. But like you just said, you belong to me. Don't you ever forget that fact. As long as you remember whom you belong to, you can live your five years like you want. But the moment I feel like you are going out of line, you will find yourself locked in my bedroom. Now go" he said evenly.

Belatedly she realised that his car is parked in front of her school. She ran away from him as fast as she can.

For some reason he always calls he Livi. Not Olivia like everyone else. She never thought much about it though.