Chapter 2: Sold

I had never seen a gun up close before. I felt paralyzed; the amount of shock I had witnessed today was enough to give me a heart attack.

The room was so silent, you could hear a pin drop, I could feel my dad’s fear. My heartbeat was so loud I could hear it over the deafening silence.

 Crak!

He cocked the gun, and the fear of losing my father pushed me off the floor, and I found myself clutching at his leg, begging him to take me but forgive my father and let him leave.

He didn’t seem to like that, but I didn’t care; I couldn’t lose the only person I had left in this world.

I felt two strong arms lift me. It was one of his men.

“I’d send my lawyer over tomorrow”

And without as much as a glance at me or my dad he was gone.

I quickly ran to my dad’s side, he had some bruises and cuts on his face. He seemed to be in so much pain. I got an ice pack from the fridge so he could place it on his bruises while I tried to administer some first aid to the cuts.

 ****************

Later that evening, I couldn’t find the strength to go to the club that night. I had to call my friend, Zoe, who worked the same job, to cover for me but I didn’t give her the details of why I was absent.

I could see the light coming out of my dad’s room so I knew he was inside. He didn’t go drinking tonight, probably because he was injured.

I entered inside because we needed to talk. I had no idea what was going on, and I was in desperate need of answers.

“I’m so sorry”, he croaked the moment he saw me, and upon closer look at his face, I saw that he was crying.

“I have failed as a father” he sobbed.

“Dad, please tell me it’s all a dream; tell me I’m not going away with that monster. Dad please!!!!!!”

I screamed as hot tears streamed down my face

 “Whyy???? “ I asked him but he didn’t respond, even when I gently shook him and asked again.

“Elizabeth I am deeply sorry. I know I have failed you, but please find a place in your heart to forgive me, “ was all he kept saying.

That was all the confirmation I needed to know that he had spent that money drinking and gambling. A whole million dollars and I was left to pay for it.

This was not the father I used to know; this was not the man who raised me.

My dad wasn’t always like this, but when Mum died, everything changed. Dad became someone else, he would get drunk night after night, keep late nights and act so irresponsibly. So much so that he was fired from work because he was no longer as productive and efficient as the sack letter had read.

I looked at him, he had lost so much weight. He wasn’t the happy man I used to know, and we weren’t the happy family we used to be.

“Mum’s death was difficult for me too, Dad, but you don’t see me acting like you. I try so hard to cater for myself.

You know I want to go to school, have a career and get married for love, but here you are selling me to some billionaire who is rumoured to have deep roots in the Mafia,” my voice cracked.

I was deeply hurt and heartbroken. What was this going to mean for me, the end of my dreams?

All my aspirations have gone down the drain. I was going to be a common slave to a ruthless billionaire.

“Beth please, you have to calm down. It’s just for a year “ his eyes held mine

“Just for a year? You call a whole 365 days just?

“ I shook my head in disbelief.“

You know, I never thought I’d say this, but I hate you, Dad”, and with that, I ran to my room and shut the door in tears.

I could hear him run after me and knock on my door, but I ignored him.

 *********

The next day morning, I didn’t go to work. I was sitting next to Dad and a lawyer dressed in an expensive suit on the only couch we had in the living room.

My dad was asked to sign a document and so was I.

“Please do well to go through it properly before signing Miss Marlowe” the lawyer who earlier introduced himself as Ian Thompson advised, his voice was high pitched like a woman’s.

I didn’t bother to read through the contract because I knew that no matter what I saw there, I wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

I quickly signed as instructed and handed it over to the lawyer, and soon after inspecting it, he announced that he was leaving.

After he was gone, I shared a look with my dad

“What’s next?” I whispered so quietly I didn’t expect him to hear.

“Vitali called. He asked for us to be present at a ball tomorrow, and he sent a package for you, “he said, avoiding my eyes. He was ashamed.

“Where is this package?” I asked after a few minutes of silence passed painfully between us.

I wondered when he could have sent it, it was just 9am.

I also wondered what could be inside, I hope it wasn’t a time bomb or something.

He stood up and walked to his room, I noticed he was limping slightly. They must have bruised his legs as well.

A few seconds later, he was back. It was a big black box.

I hesitated, I didn’t want any more heartbreaking surprises.

Slowly I gathered some courage and tore it open while my dad watched in silence.

It was a dress and a pair of shoes.

“Typical “ I muttered under my breath with an eye roll.

I took them to my room to try them out.

The gown was a stunning red mini gown made from fine silk and velvet, with a fitted silhouette and intricate beading.

It was beautiful and looked very expensive, but I wasn’t going to wear that, it was way too short, and it had almost my whole body on display. I looked like a whore.

And let’s not even talk about the shoes, I had never worn a 6-inch heel my whole life. I wasn’t sure I would be able to walk in that.

Taking the dress off, I made up my mind to wear one of my old clothes; I didn’t even have party clothes because I wasn’t the party-going type.

Just as I lifted the box and dropped it in my wardrobe, my phone rang.

Without even looking at the screen I picked up.

 “Hello?” I drawled

“Elizabeth”

 I froze.