CHAPTER TWO: MEETING THE BOSS

     

She woke up to unfamiliar sounds of clattering metals, echoing noises,down the long hallways.

Somewhere close, wheels being rolled slowly looking like a routine. The smell of food passed afterwards, her stomach grumbled in annoyance, another reminder of her sorrows.

Aria's eyes fluttered open to the extreme darkness surrounding her and the streaks of lights shining through the window panes.

For a moment her mind went foggy not remembering where she was or what happened but the cold immediately kissed her face as she raised her head, reality set in as she remembered her father's debt and now her own agony.

She inhaled sharply as she sat on the cold floor, little movements sending jolts of pain around her joints—everywhere she moved caused pain.

Her shoulders, ankles, kneecap, neck region and spine all screaming pain.

The dungeon was damp and smelled of rust and decayed chains sitting close to her. She wasn't fastened to the chains anymore, that was one good thing today.

She pushed herself upright, back on the wall and knees hugging her chest.

Memories of last night began to flood in as she flashed back to when she was being brought into the clan.

It was at midnight and the roaring engine suddenly went silent sending chills into her soul, the silence more deafening than the engine. She was pushed out of the vehicle as the night air once again hit her face reminding her that she wasn't alone.

She gazed at the moon saying silent prayers as her mother had taught her to.

Bound by the chains behind her back, she was pushed forward into the clan. The demeanor in the place screamed horror to her. The gates opened with a loud groan welcoming her into the torture zone of her life, dragged inside with her bare feet scraping the gravel and stones.

The compound endlessly stretched to its maximum, the buildings high enough to block out both the enemies and stars in the sky.

Even at this hour where the world was peaceful, men were scattered around—fighting, training in combat, guarding the clan. Bodies slammed on the ground, guns and knives, others with nothing but raw strength and power.

The brutality here was in another realm, Aria vividly remembered a man falling with blood gushing out of his mouth and another passing over him without a second glance… the guard barking commands of how the bosses despised weakness.

She couldn't walk straight and almost stumbled but was pushed forward again.

“Walk,” a guard had snapped at her.

Then came the flower room, she stood in awe as it stole her breath. This time the guard didn't push her, everybody found it amazing. The only problem was that only the boss or his cleaner Lala was allowed.

Aria stood as tears once more gushed down her bony cheeks, the glass walls surrounding it, the softly glowing lanterns inside casting warm light-like protection over the flowers arranged in row–delicate jasmines, pale roses and beautiful lilies.

It reminded her of the days when she and her mother would wake up at early hours to water the plants together and then… the boy who once said they could have a flower house together, just like this. The tears rushed more and then it returned.

Rough hands. Harsh voices. The dungeon.

The door closed with a sharp sound, like it was telling her she had no means of escape.

Now, morning, the bustling of the maids and guards moving about like tiny ants in a hill.

Everybody trying to get things perfect and ready. All she could hear were whispers and echoes of voices.

“He’s coming today.”

“Make sure everything’s perfect.”

“Don’t mess this up.”

Aria’s stomach dropped.

The boss.

That word alone made her world spin. She stood abruptly, dizziness suddenly washing over her as she recalled all she heard about the boss being ruthless and fearsome.

She steadied herself and held the iron bars and froze.

It was open. Was it a trap?A test? She didn't know neither did she care.

All she wanted was freedom before the Boss arrived.

Guards flooded the hallways adjusting jackets and standing in position for an arrival. No one was looking at her, everyone was so busy they didn't notice her slip into the darkness.

As for Aria, she knew this was it when she saw the narrow passage, dark, hidden… most importantly free and open.

She ran.

Without second thoughts she ran to her escape.

Heart pounding in her ears, ribcages, breath quickening she kept telling herself not to think of anything.

Engines rumbled, doors opened, whispers turned down, voices rose in greetings and all activities stopped but still she kept running.

All she wanted was to leave this place.

At last, she ran into the crowd thinking she was going to be inconspicuous and unseen.

She looked around seeing the men with serious and cold expressions, fake smiles and handshakes.

She ran again this time, she was running for the gate… to where she thought freedom lay.

Almost there.

Then she collided into a strong muscular body, something solid that gripped her by the shoulders immediately, steadying her before she could fall. The impact of her fall knocked breath out of her, her butt hitting the ground in the hardest way possible.

She froze.

She had been caught, she would be punished. The cold floors and damp smell.

The whole world went silent, no whispers or footsteps.

She raised her head trembling and met the coldest eyes she ever saw.

Mesmerizing yet cold.

She met his eyes. Those piercing blue eyes pinned her to the ground, dark, unmoving, sharp enough to cut through her soul and destroy her.

This was him.

The boss. He stood unmoving and solid with men bowed to him.

She trembled and tears shimmered in her eyes.

But in the midst of all these, these eyes felt familiar and when he straightened,she saw it.

Dominic.

The boy who she loved.

The boy who promised to protect her till death.

She swallowed hard, as she opened her mouth to whisper. A guard quickly apologized to the boss and signaled two men to carry her back to the dungeon.

She couldn't stop staring, was this Dominic or his replica??

The Dominic she knew wouldn't let other hands touch her.

All she did was stare at him as she was being taken away.

The longing and past meeting up with her present and maybe, just maybe her future.