Ch. 1: Auction

Third person's point of view

  Astrella Honey Salcedo was seated at her desk, gazing closely at the pages of her most recent novel without shifting her gaze. She had a deep appreciation for each and every word, completely submerging herself in the passion and mystery of her characters. However, at this point, she deserved a break, a time to put her thoughts in order and relax.

  She yawned and ignored her phone's constant buzzing; she knew that it was her best friend, Gaia. Tonight, she would leave her apartment's peace and quiet and dive right into the city's busy nightlife.

  The ritual of their nights out had become a cherished escape. For Astrella, it wasn’t just about taking a break from writing; the chaotic nightlife of the city served as an escape from the weight of her father's enemies. Years spent entangled in the mafia underground had left her family scarred and constantly on edge. Even though Astrella's father tried to put his history in the mafia underground behind him, he's a guy with influential connections who couldn't let go of his past. The endless, unseen danger was something Astrella had to deal with.

  Still, Astrella refused to let fear dictate her life. After hours of writing, she wasted no time getting ready, slipping into a figure-hugging black dress that accentuated her confidence and adding a pair of stilettos to complete the look.

  Standing outside her building, Astrella and Gaia grinned at each other, buzzing with anticipation.

  “Girl, let’s get wasted tonight,” Gaia chuckled, nudging her with playful excitement.

  “Naah,” Astrella teased.

  “Wait—what do you mean, ‘Naah?’ Let's go! Don’t ruin it!” Gaia snapped, rolling her eyes.

  "I'm just kidding; we have a high alcohol tolerance. We can't be that wasted easily." Astrella laughed, and soon, their laughter filled the air like they were already drunk.

  ✧✧✧

  Arriving at the nightclub was like stepping into a fantastic new world; a neon jungle pulsing with energy. The music thumped through their bodies, and the vibrant lights painted the room in wild colors. Astrella felt the weight of her worries melt away.

  “Hey,” Gaia leaned close, grinning. “You see that hawty at the bar? He’s totally eyeing you. Maybe he’s trying to gauge your level of commitment?”

  Astrella glanced over, her curiosity piqued. The man was undeniably attractive, his sharp features softened by the warm glow of the lights.

  “Hmm,” Astrella said, a playful smile curling her lips. “Maybe I should give him a little nudge.”

  “God bless, chuppii! I’ll find my own daddy, then,” Gaia chuckled, giving her a gentle push.

  'Oh, absolutely. Still, I'm going to give him the impression that he's in charge for the time being.' Whispering softly, with a sultry confidence, Astrella made her way to the bar, swaying her hips in time with the music. She could feel the man’s gaze on her, drinking in her every move. She leaned casually against the bar, drawing his attention without being obvious.

  “You look like someone with a lot on your mind,” she said, her voice light and teasing.

  The man smiled, his eyes gleaming with interest. “Just wondering if I should buy you a drink or let you take the lead.”

  Astrella tilted her head, smirking. “I usually prefer being in charge, but I might let you try.” She waits for him to do something next, her voice a combination of wince and ick. Alright, that was terrible. What the fuck?

  Damn, this flirt.

  "Let's dance first; let's see how far you’re willing to go."

  "Come on, let's bring it on!" Astrella squealed and grabbed the shot glass of vodka that was ready at the counter.

  With the man's encouragement, Astrella followed her best friend on the dance floor. For a while, they forgot about their problems as they danced, laughed, and drank to the club's crazy beat.

  Although the night was filled with excitement, a sense of unease continued to remain. Despite her best efforts, Astrella was unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong. Whenever she caught a glimpse of dark individuals watching them from the edge of the dance floor, she experienced a touch of dread. Those individuals who had the intention of causing harm to her and her father were never far away, waiting for the opportunity to hit them. In an effort to get the feeling out of her head, she concentrated on the man and laughed with her best friend.

  At about two in the morning, Astrella and Gaia made the decision to leave. The streets had quieted, though the city still buzzed with life. She reached for her phone as they made their way toward the cars on the sidewalk. She had received an email earlier in the day from a publishing company she was looking into.

  After neglecting to reply earlier, she eagerly opened the email, her heart racing with anticipation.

  “Congratulations! We are pleased to say that your writing matches our needs. To proceed, please fill out the attached form with your information. Let’s discuss your manuscript further.”

  Astrella's fingers hovered over the screen, a smile tugging at her lips. Her dream had come true. She clicked the link, eager to learn more.

  "What? No. I'm not going to ignore this big opportunity; I won't be able to fill it tomorrow. I'm not that wasted to feel this—I don't know." She murmurs to herself.

  As she filled out her details, name, address, phone number, and social security number, she felt a surge of optimism. It wasn’t until the form asked for more intricate details that her instincts started to kick in.

  The form wanted information that no legitimate publisher would ever need, things like bank account numbers, passwords, and personal identifiers.

  "Wait. Isn't it necessary? Do I have to contact my manager about this? Ughhh—no." Gosh, she's not that drunk, but it struck her as odd; however, she brushed it off, thinking it might be part of a more thorough background check.

  “This is it,” Astrella chattered to herself as she pressed submit. Her excitement clouded her judgment.

  Gaia, who had been walking ahead, turned back to see Astrella staring at her phone. “You alright?” she asked, her voice laced with concern. “You look a little distracted. You aren't drunk, right?"

  Coming out of her daze, Astrella hurriedly placed the phone back in her bag. “Yeah, I'm not. Just excited. I’ll tell you more later.”

  They kept on strolling, not realizing that someone was observing them from afar. Shadows hid a man's face as he observed them from behind a black coat. Now that he had seen the phone and the link click, he knew. He knew that a trap was about to unfold.

  ✧✧✧

  Astrella jolted awake at 3:45 AM, her chest tight with unease. The room was eerily quiet. She reached for her phone, the screen lighting up with a barrage of notifications.

  Her heart sank as she read them: Emails, messages from Gaia asking if she was okay, missed calls, and a message she hadn’t noticed earlier.

  An alert popped up from her banking app: "Unusual activity detected." Her fingers trembling as she opened the email from her bank. Her account had undergone multiple unauthorized transfers. As she came to terms with what had gone on, a sense of panic surged within her. The publishing company wasn’t legitimate, it had been a scam.

  Gosh, it's the alcohol's fault she got overwhelmed. Her manager surely will kill her.

  Before Astrella could act, the door to her apartment burst open with a loud crash. She had a brief moment to react. Figures dressed in black stormed in, their movements swift and precise. Large, powerful arms muffled her cries, causing her screams to echo. Unfortunately, the attackers were too strong for her to overcome. Her surroundings whirled around her in a state of confusion as they forcefully yanked her body from her bed.

  “Don’t resist,” a cold voice hissed. “It’s too late. You’ve already signed your fate.”

  Astrella faced the terrible reality with a sharp, sudden, and utterly cruel slap. Her father’s enemy wasn’t just a shadow anymore; he’d found her, and worse, he had her.

  "Of course," she thought bitterly. "Can’t a girl catch a break? One night of fun, and now I’m the grand prize in some villain’s twisted game." Unfortunately, her hangover came with a side of doom.

  With her limbs tied and her vision clouded by the chloroform-laced rag, they forcefully pushed her into a car. The sensation of icy steel against her flesh was the last thing she recalled before passing out. She felt as though someone was hunting her.

  ✧✧✧

  A spooky stillness greeted her return to consciousness. Her body ached, and her head throbbed. Instead of her home, she found herself in a strange, unknown place, choked with the stifling smell of metal and grease.

  Déjà vu?

  This gibberish kidnapping is so shutangina. So this is an auction? Ugghh. Obviously, this is her father's enemies were operating in the dark underworld.

  An expression of sadness washes across her. 'What should I do?' she ponders, and then her gaze wanders, revealing something that leaves her speechless.

  What the freaking hell?

  The room felt colder than it ever had before.