Chapter 7: The Agreement

Someone she never thought she would have to turn to for help. But when there was no way out, she realized that nothing mattered anymore, not even her self-respect.

Maya sat next to Lani, clearly feeling the tension that filled the air. Lani’s best friend had been constantly reassuring her, but Maya herself didn’t have any viable plan to offer. The two of them sat in silence, only the sound of Lani's heavy breathing filling the dark night.

“What are you thinking?” Maya asked softly, not daring to look Lani in the eyes. She knew that all her help was now meaningless. Maya had no money, and she had no influence to fight the thugs.

Lani looked up, her eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep and worry. “I... I have to call him, Maya. I have no other choice.”

Maya couldn’t help but frown. “Him? Who are you talking about?”

Lani gripped the phone tightly in her hand. “Dante.”

...

Dante sat in his vast office, the dim light from the crystal chandeliers casting shadows on the polished black wood desk. He was savoring a cup of black tea, taking a slow sip, letting its strong flavor seep into his body, soothing the tension that had built up throughout the day. It wasn’t the first time he had drunk tea like this, but today, everything would likely be different. Because right now, he knew a meeting was about to happen.

Dante lifted the tea cup, slowly bringing it to his lips, his eyes never leaving the computer screen. Business information, contracts, secret calls... all a part of the life of someone like him. He smiled and suddenly counted aloud:

"Three... two... one."

Just as he had predicted, he didn’t have to wait long. Only a moment later, a rhythmic knock echoed on the door, as if it were part of a pre-written melody.

“Come in.” Dante lowered his voice, still not taking his eyes off the tea cup.

The door opened, and his assistant stepped in. “Sir, someone is here to see you.”

Dante didn’t need to ask who. He looked at his assistant with a cold gaze and said:

“Bring her in.”

The assistant quickly nodded and left.

Dante already knew who it was. No more words were needed. He stood up, took his luxurious black coat off the back of the chair, and walked toward the door.

The door opened, and Lani stepped in, her eyes swollen with tears, her face pale with worry, yet full of determination. She entered the room, her face like a shattered painting, with only the broken pieces trying to rise again.

Lani didn’t speak, standing there, her breath coming in ragged gasps, as if every step she took into the room was an irreversible decision. She had come, and now, there was no turning back.

Dante sat back down in the large chair, his deep black eyes staring intently at Lani, silent. He waited, only waiting for her to speak. She had no other choice now. She was too weak to refuse him again. And, as always, Dante never lost his patience. He relished in her suffering, the way she tortured herself, ultimately having to submit to his power.

Finally, Lani spoke, her voice trembling: “I agree.”

Dante didn’t appear surprised, but he couldn’t hide the amusement in his eyes. He smirked, the smile faint but full of meaning. “You agree?”

Lani nodded, her eyes red and swollen, her heart crashing like a thousand waves. "I agree to be your mistress."

Dante leaned back in his chair, his eyes sharp as a razor blade, yet there was something dangerous lurking deep within them. He looked at her slowly, assessing every word, every gesture Lani made. After a moment, he responded indifferently:

"Do you know the price you'll have to pay?"

Lani lowered her head, hesitating for a second before answering. "I know."

The air in the room grew thick with tension. Dante stood up, walked toward her, pulled out a chair, and sat down opposite her. He wasn’t in a hurry, looking at Lani as if he were waiting for something. Lani, though her mind was racing, kept a composed exterior, locking eyes with Dante without flinching.

It didn’t take him long to sign the contract. A contract of blood and tears, one where every condition was sealed with each signature. He extended his hand, took the pen, and signed the final page of the contract. A transaction. An unspoken handshake.

"This contract has only one clause," Dante said, his voice cold as ice, yet there was something in it that made it impossible for anyone to stop listening. "You will be my mistress. And when I need you, you will obey my commands. No resistance."

Lani didn’t say a word, just looked at him, feeling as if every word he spoke was a knife cutting into her soul. But she had no other choice.

After the signing, Dante picked up his phone and dialed a number, not needing to say much. He turned on the speakerphone, said a simple sentence, and within seconds, his assistant reported:

"The task is complete, sir."

Lani stood stunned, unable to believe her ears. She couldn’t stop trembling, but she dared not show any weakness in front of Dante. In that moment, all she could do was take a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

Dante stood up and walked toward the window, looking out with an expression as cold as if he were calculating something.

“Your brother is safe now,” his voice echoed, emotionless. “Remember what I told you, Lani. This is just the beginning.”

Lani didn’t speak. She just stood there, feeling like the whole world was collapsing around her. She had just agreed to become Dante’s mistress, and everything in her life had changed forever.

Dante turned back to her, his dark eyes like the night itself, staring at her as though they wanted to consume all the weakness in her. He smiled, a mysterious smile full of hidden meaning. “You won’t regret this, Lani.”

Lani didn’t answer, remaining silent. She wanted to cry, wanted to fall to her knees, but part of her also knew this was the only choice. This time, she was no longer the weak girl, always led by others, never able to move forward. She had stepped into a new world, one where there was no turning back.

Dante looked at her patiently, waiting for her reaction, as if he were waiting for something from her—perhaps a sign of surrender, or maybe even resistance. But Lani didn’t do that. She stood there, her gaze a mixture of fear and a strange trust in herself.

“You know your task,” Dante said.

Lani, with everything she had sacrificed, could only nod. Stepping into this life, she was no longer herself.