Mirabella's povThe old watch ticked relentlessly, a reminder of my mother's absence—I had inherited it from her before she passed—and the countdown to my father's inevitable return. I had spent the day in a whirlwind of exhausting chores, my body aching with each movement. Now, in the fleeting moments of peace, I sought refuge in sleep, praying the timer would wake me before he stumbled home, reeking of alcohol and rage.Suddenly, his booming voice sliced through the silence. "You don't expect me to sell her to you for seventy thousand dollars that I owe you. I can't do that. She is worth far more than that," he said, his time firm but laced with a hint of desperation.I jolted awake, panic flooding my system. My body, still aching from yesterday's beating, protested every movement. The bruises felt like they were etched into my bones, hence making me wince."Shit," I thought, frozen in place. "Has he already seen me? Is he just waiting to unleash his fury once his visitor leaves?
Mirabella's povThe bright sunlight pierced through the thin curtains, searing into my skull. I groaned, feeling a sharp pang in my head that made me wince. Slowly, I forced myself to sit up, blinking against the brightness as I took in the unfamiliar surroundings. The room was bare—cold, impersonal, with walls that pressed in on me. Confusion clouded my mind as I glanced down at myself, and my heart skipped a beat. I was wearing a white lace gown. This wasn’t what I wore yesterday. Yesterday, I had been—“Where am I?” I muttered under my breath, my fingers brushing over the patterns on the gown. "Why am I in this?”I tried to push through the haze in my head, the throbbing making it hard to think. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to remember. Piece by piece, the memories began to stitch together. Then it hit me.“He really sold me?” The words left my lips in a whisper as disbelief washed over me. My legs gave way, and I crumpled to the floor, the shock numbing everything
Mirabella's povSeven days... A whole week has passed since I spent what seemed to be the whole night at the makeshift hospital ward without knowing what happened. I was led into my haunting room by the two men who had dragged me out of there to the makeshift hospital in silence, ignoring my questions about what had happened. I was too weak to push for answers; I was still groggy from sleep. All I knew was that I had been operated on—the stitches on my stomach were proof of that. I could only hope whatever they did wouldn’t have lasting effects on my health.The HR manager hadn’t visited me since, until today. "I believe you are ready to put what you have learnt into practice," she said, her tone cold. "Get ready for tonight. What you do and how well you impress will determine whether you get out of this beautiful hell." She scoffed, wished me luck, and left me alone with my thoughts, wondering what the night would bring.As dusk fell, three women entered the room. They helped me i
Jayden's povAs I rode the elevator up to the club, my mind drifted to the past, to the days when I was nothing more than a dirty, hungry kid begging for scraps on the streets. I remember watching those people of high status stroll by, dressed in their fine clothes, noses in the air, like they were untouchable. Back then, I thought they were saints—clean and pure. But I know better now. You can never build empires like theirs without getting your hands dirty. You either play the game or you get played. I learnt that lesson the hard way, first as a pickpocket and then as I clawed my way up, step by step. Now, I had become one of them—a so-called success story, proof that a beggar could become a king. But the truth is, it’s all a façade. Respect, money, power—none of it meant a damn thing. Sure, I’ve got comfort, and nobody dared to laugh at me now, but where’s the excitement? Where’s the thrill I thought would come with all this? The wealth, the respect—they’re just empty rewards, hol
Mirabella's povHere I was, trapped in the suffocating darkness of the club’s backroom. The steady thump of bass pounded through the walls, mixing with the thud of fists and boots landing on my body. I screamed for help with my cracked voice, but it was pointless. The men were merciless. Their punches and kicks hit every inch of me. I couldn’t tell where, but I was bleeding—there was no mistaking it. Blood pooled beneath me, spreading across the cold floor like it was draining the last of my strength. All I could do was curl in on myself, hoping for the blows to stop, but they didn’t.For a split second, I wished for death to take me—anything to stop the pain. But then I thought of my mom. She died trying to save me, and I couldn’t let that be for nothing. I couldn’t give up, not when I had to save my grandfather from my father. It was a fight I had to win. I gritted my teeth, determined to survive this no matter how broken I felt.The door creaked open, and I barely had the streng
Jayden's povThe club was packed tonight, as expected on a weekend. I weaved through the crowd, dodging couples making out, people downing shots, and others swaying to the beat of the music. For a place whose location is supposedly a well-guarded secret, the rush, especially on weekends, always made me question if that was still true.I headed to my usual VIP spot—the table near the stair railing. From there, I had the perfect view of the crowd, making it easy to pick out which woman I would spend the night with. It had become my ritual at this point.Sitting there, waiting for me, was Caesar, the heir to Alfred, one of the Big 5 who controlled the city's underground. We had set up a meeting for a business proposal before I indulged myself for the night. Although we had collaborated on several deals, ones his father didn’t know about, Caesar and I were strictly business. No friendship. I don’t do friends.The moment I sat down across from him, he glanced at his golden Rolex watch."
Mirabella's povLeft in the room where the man who had turned out to be my saviour had ordered the guards to put me, excitement surged through me at the thought of finally leaving this shithole and bidding goodbye to its memories, all thanks to him."I can't believe this is happening," I muttered, still out of disbelief that the same man who had turned my cry for help down would be the one saving me."But who is he really?" I could not stop wondering how he had the kind of power that made Helen and Mr. Levine stay silent when he spoke and gave orders.Immediately after the door opened and he walked inside, I rose from the bed."Thank...thank you, sir," I said, with a smile. But his expression was stern, which threw me into confusion. He stared at me for a few seconds before commanding, “Strip naked.”“Excuse me?” My eyes widened in shock, confusion washing over me.He slowly walked over to a chair and sat down, my gaze glued to him as my heart raced.Crossing his legs, he asked, “Yo
Mirabella's povI could hardly breathe as I was led back to what had become my room. I kept on muttering curses under my breath, not out of anger, but because he had awakened something in me that I had never known existed. My body throbbed with need, and I knew that no matter how much I tried to deny it, I wanted him again. I should not be having this thought. It was absurd, shameful even, but the truth gnawed at me—I craved him. That distraction earlier... if it had not happened, I would have gladly let him take me. Hell, if he walked in now, I would not hesitate. I was willing and desperate to have his cock inside me.“The asshole is so freaking hot,” I murmured, biting my lip as flashes of him ran through my mind. His hotness was undeniable. He was the kind of man that turned heads wherever he went and could give a Greek god a run for their money. Although he wore a shirt the entire time we were in the room, his muscular build was evident in his wide shoulders, making him irres
Mirabella's povIt was late at night, and I was lying on my bed, mindlessly swiping through Tinder, trying to find my next hookup for tomorrow, when a knock came at the door."I'm full, Eunice," I called out lazily, not bothering to look away from my phone. "I’m not having dinner."The knock came again, but the voice that followed was not Eunice’s.“It’s me, Bella. Open the door. We need to talk.”I hissed under my breath, my irritation spiking as soon as I heard Jayden’s voice. "Bella, open this door now!” He barked as the door handle rattled under his impatient grip.I scoffed, my eyes still glued to my phone. “Oh, I get it. You had your dinner, and now you are here for dessert, right?” My voice rose a little. “Well, newsflash, Jayden, that’s not happening anymore. Get over it.”The rattling stopped for a second, but then there was a loud, sudden crash as the door flew open, slamming against the wall. My heart jumped into my throat, panic gripping me for a split second, but I ma
Author's povRelief washed over Caesar after the call with Mirabella as he sat back in his leather chair, watching the city skyline through the floor-to-ceiling windows. A self-satisfied smirk played on his lips as he thought back to the conversation with her. Now, he had achieved what he wanted to with the advice and was just an inch closer to defeating Jayden. “What a fool she is,” he scoffed to himself, his voice dripping with disdain. Unbeknownst to her, he had set everything in motion to test Jayden’s feelings. If Jayden didn’t care for Mirabella, his wrath would have crushed her the moment she confronted him. But instead, the outcome hinted at something else entirely, something Caesar was determined to exploit.“The little pawn thinks I’m helping her,” he muttered, almost amused by the thought. "How pathetic and dumb. She doesn’t even realise she’s bait in all of this.” He let out a chuckle, leaning back in his chair with a sense of fulfillment. Everything was falling into
Mirabella's povThe way my confrontation with Jayden ended still felt unreal.The look of pure shock on his face when I threw those words at him still burnt into my memory, and I could not help but smile every time I thought about it. "Why didn’t I think of this sooner? Why did I put up with his crap for so long?" I muttered under my breath, flopping onto the bed."Freedom finally!" I exhaled in satisfaction.Now, there'll be no need to be sneaking out of the house just to have fun and whatnot.Still in excitement, I put a call to Lucy to tell her everything that had happened and Caesar. She expressed her excitement for me."You finally did it, babe! This is all you've been wishing for. Congratulations," she said, her voice light over the phone."What about Caeaar? Is he still at home?" I asked her, but she replied that he had left to work. "Well, I only wanted to tell him the same thing and to thank him because this wouldn't have happened without him," I said. "What?" She scoffed
Jayden's pov8:50 a.m., and Mirabella still had not shown her face in this house. I had asked Eunice to call her down to have breakfast with me, only for her to come back and tell me Mirabella was not in her room. "A hotel?” I muttered, my brows knitting in confusion as I checked the tracker and saw her location flashed on the screen. Then, I pulled up the CCTV footage and could not help but smirk at how she snuck out in the dead of night. “She's got some nerve,” I snickered to myself.However, one thing was certain—she would regret this defiance. I would make her pay for breaking my rules until she begged for mercy, and I would enjoy every second of it. Seconds stretched into minutes, and nearly an hour passed before I finally heard the door creak open.I didn’t need to look to know it was her. “Where the hell are you coming from, Mirabella?” I growled.She scoffed much to my surprise. "I went to have fun yesterday night."What?! My eyes widened in shock immediately. Did she ju
Mirabella's povFreedom tastes intoxicating—like the first breath of air after being buried alive or the burn of liquor sliding down your throat when you’ve been denied it for too long. The problem? It’s easy to overindulge, to forget boundaries and consequences in the haze of liberation. That’s how I've ended up reeling in my newfound freedom, enjoying it recklessly, as though it could be snatched away at any moment.Last night was no different. Somewhere between the bottom of my glass and the dimly lit dance floor, I found myself entangled with a stranger. A hot, handsome stranger who now lay beside me, his toned chest rising and falling in the soft morning light. Yes, I slept with another man! Could that count as me cheating? I doubt it, since there was nothing serious between Jayden and me.The buzz of my phone shattered my sleep."Where are you?" Eunice’s hushed voice slipped through the line as I reluctantly pressed the phone to my ear. Her tone was urgent, slicing through my
Mirabella's povAt last, I had gotten a taste of freedom, and it was intoxicating. Even though it was just a glimpse, it felt like stolen chocolate melting on my tongue—a thrill I owed entirely to Caesar. Thanks to him, I could now sneak out at night, hit up hidden clubs, hang out with Lucy, and take back the pieces of my youth that Jayden had almost stolen from me. But it was not total freedom—not yet. I still had to be careful, always making sure I was back before Jayden noticed anything. Eunice had been a lifesaver, helping me cover my tracks and keep things under control.However, I could not let my guard down just yet.Also, Caesar’s help was my lifeline; his ability to manipulate the CCTV cameras in our house made my secret escapades possible. The CCTV cameras that were secretly planted in the mansion were all I needed to confirm that Jayden was obsessed over me because why would he need to track my every movement?I sat at the dining table in Caesar and Lucy's home, digging
Mirabella's povI was just a few feet from the entrance when the door burst open, and a woman stormed out, her face twisted with anger. I froze, taken aback—Eunice had told me Jayden never brought women here, so seeing her was a shock. Her tight dress clung to her figure, leaving little doubt that she had had sex with Jayden.So, not only had he broken his rule of keeping hookups away from home, but he had done it without a second thought about me—even if there was technically nothing serious between us.The woman scoffed when she noticed me, slowing her pace as she closed the distance between us, her gaze sharp and condescending."And who the hell are you?" She chortled.I furrowed my brows. "I should be the one asking you that. Who are you?"She chuckled. "So you are one of those he sleeps around with. Wonderful!"With that, she took her leave. Still curious, I called after her before she got too far. "Who are you?"She did not even look back, just tossed over her shoulder. "Why
Jayden's povI was in the library, working on a painting, waiting for updates from my guys who were tailing Bella. Suddenly, Eunice knocked on the door.“There’s a woman here to see you, sir,” she announced.“A woman?” I raised an eyebrow, surprised. No one had ever showed up here uninvited, and others who had showed up by my invitation did came here for business, which happened only on rare occasions, which I could count.“Yes, her name is Ariana,” she said.“Ariana?” I chuckled in disbelief—this visit was unexpected. For the past seven years I had been living here, she had turned down every invitation I had sent her way.“If you want me to visit, you know what you have to do,” she had told me countless times until I eventually stopped asking.I had built my reputation as a powerful and successful man over the last ten years, starting from nothing but a private investigator by using whatever leverage I had over the city’s most influential people to climb the ranks.Since then, tho
Mirabella's povCaesar was the last person I would have considered to have met here, even though he and Lucy now lived like a couple. "Yeah, I didn’t want Lucy to come. When you told her Jay was home, I realised it might be risky to meet with her, and it turns out I was right," he explained."I believe you saw them when you ignored my instruction and turned."My eyes widened in surprise. "So, you knew? How did you—"He cut me off. "We don't have much time, Mirabella. Another reason I came here is to warn you. You are in more danger than you realise."I frowned, confused. "What do you mean? Lucy told me you found a way to manipulate the tracker, so—""Yeah, I did," he interrupted, his voice urgent, "but there’s more you need to know."He then showed me a video on his phone of Jayden entering a gadget store and leaving with a man who looked like an employee, carrying some equipment."Why are you showing me this?" I looked at him, puzzled."Did you know there are CCTV cameras in some pa