Chapter 02

Chapter 02

"Who is that little girl?" The proud and cold voice of an elderly man made Verity shiver involuntarily.

The subordinate immediately responded, "Sir, this is Ethan's daughter. He is indebted to our organization, and since he can't repay the debt, we took his daughter as payment."

"Taking a daughter to repay a debt? What a righteous father. So, what's the name of this little one? How old is she? Wearing a school uniform, she probably isn't older than eighteen." The man said, his eyes fixed on Verity with great interest as he noticed her school uniform.

The man standing next to Verity kicked her and shouted, "Boss is asking, are you deaf? Answer quickly!"

Verity bit her lip, the pain from the kick and the wounds on her face making it difficult for her to suppress a groan. "I... my name is Verity... I'm seventeen... Please let me go; I promise to repay the money my father owes you. Please... I really don't want to die. I can quit school and work multiple jobs at once, so please... I will definitely pay you back."

She looked up at the elderly man in front of her with pleading eyes.

The old man burst into laughter, his eyes scrutinizing Verity's bruised face. He then turned his gaze to the subordinate and said, "You didn't tell her the amount Ethan owes the organization?"

"Ethan owes the organization a total of five million dollars, that's just the principal, excluding interest," the subordinate replied, causing Verity's face to turn pale. Five million dollars? Her father owed them five million dollars?

"You're lying. My Da... how could he owe such a huge amount? It's impossible. You people are demons... you deceived my father, deceived me." Verity felt as if her throat was being squeezed, wishing she were deaf and blind so she wouldn't have to witness these horrors. How could she earn five million dollars now? In her entire life, she might never be able to earn such a colossal sum.

"Don't be mistaken, little girl. Your father indeed owes that amount," the elderly man stepped closer to Verity, lifting her face to force a smile. At this moment, Verity was completely silent, overwhelmed by the realization of the staggering debt her father had incurred. Although she didn't know what these people intended to do with her, she knew she couldn't escape this place. Her heart ached, her face turned pale with fear, and tears streamed down uncontrollably.

"Hush, don't cry; I haven't done anything yet." The elderly man gently stroked Verity's chin and then turned to the subordinate, saying, "Take this girl to treat the wounds on her face. Every injury must be taken care of. This beautiful face must not have any scars."

The subordinate immediately obeyed the order, pulling Verity away, who had no strength left to resist. The constant echo of the five million dollars filled Verity's mind; she couldn't think of anything else. Though her eyes were wide open, she stared into the void, unaware of where they were taking her.

They spoke a lot, but she couldn't hear anything clearly. Only when she regained her composure did Verity realize she was in a luxurious and spacious room with several people dressed in white, resembling medical personnel. They seemed to be medical professionals.

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Verity waited for the others to leave the room before grabbing one of the medical staff and pleading, "Please, I'm not a debtor... I was kidnapped to this place. Can you help me call the police? Or lend me a phone, please..."

However, in the face of Verity's pitiful pleas, the medical staff looked at her with cold eyes and an indifferent expression. They ignored her and continued their work as if they were emotionless robots.

Despair deepened within Verity. She continued to plead with other medical staff, even kneeling and begging, but they all remained indifferent, carrying out their duties like emotionless machines.

Verity became more desperate, sitting in silence on the bed while the medical staff applied medicine. After they finished, they left the room, and before leaving, one of them lingered for a moment and whispered in Verity's ear.

"Don't try to escape from here. Those brought here, whether as debtors or substitutes for debt payment, are all the same. To survive, just obediently follow their instructions." The medical staff left Verity bewildered on the bed.

Days passed without any significant events. Verity not only received service in her room but also regular check-ups from the medical staff. She wanted to meet the medical staff who had given her advice, but each day brought a different face, leaving Verity disappointed. She tried to talk to all of them, but no one responded; they worked as programmed robots.

Verity's facial wound healed quickly, and not only that, her body became fuller due to good food and peaceful sleep. Every day brought different delicious meals, things she had never dared to dream of before. Initially, Verity hesitated to eat, but hunger prevented her from sleeping, and she couldn't control herself in the face of those tempting dishes.

At times, Verity doubted whether she was truly taken in place of her father to settle a debt. Because she couldn't understand the meaning of the great enlightenment she was experiencing, but she knew for sure it wasn't good.

"Quickly go and take a shower; we're about to leave," a female staff member said seriously.

Verity, bewildered while having breakfast, asked, "Where are we going?"

The female staff members remained silent, just checking their watches before one continued, "I'll be back in thirty minutes." With that, she left, taking Verity's unfinished breakfast with her.

Although unsure about the destination, Verity complied. Blindfolded and with her mouth covered, she could only rely on her sense of hearing. Sandwiched between two tall men, she dared not speak or make any noise.

Verity was led into a room where many makeup artists were hurriedly at work, immediately enhancing her beauty. It was then that Verity realized she was being taken to a wedding ceremony, and she was the bride.

Verity recoiled instantly, unable to believe that something good could be happening to her. She was extremely anxious and fearful, yearning to escape. She wanted to run away, but whether outside or inside, there were guards everywhere. Verity finally thought of a way.

"I need to use the restroom... Where is it?" Verity asked, feigning confusion.

The makeup artists looked at each other awkwardly upon hearing this. They couldn't decide on their own, so they informed a guard outside. Glancing at them, Verity understood that these makeup artists were unlikely to help her escape.

The guard looked sternly at Verity and said, "You can go, but she will accompany you," pointing to a girl next to him. She would be the one monitoring Verity. Unable to refuse, Verity accepted, fearing that refusal would reveal her intention to escape.

Before entering the restroom, the guard cautioned her, "It's best to abandon the thought of running away. Not every girl is as lucky as you. Others end up as prostitutes in brothels or become blood bags and organ donors for the wealthy. You understand, right?"

Verity, trembling, lowered her head, not daring to look up at the guard. His words echoed in her mind.

With a monitor by her side, Verity couldn't do much. She thought of prolonging the time, but after only ten minutes, two men entered the restroom to check, forcing Verity to step outside.

The wedding ceremony was hastily and sparsely organized, with a few guests present, mostly similar to the ones who had visited her home earlier.

Verity walked alone toward the man she was supposed to marry, not daring to look up out of fear. However, when the man, who would become her husband, called her name, Verity reluctantly raised her head, only to be shocked and terrified to the point of trembling.

The man standing before her was the elderly man from before, the boss of the thugs. What made her even more nauseated and horrified was that he looked even older than her father, while she was just a high school girl.

Being forced to marry a man she met for the first time, who was older than her own father, filled Verity with not only fear but also disgust and nausea. She wanted to escape now, even if it meant a lifetime of poverty. The men seated below were all henchmen of the old man. When he slid the wedding ring onto her finger, Verity desperately wanted to pull her hand back, but the intimidating and sharp gazes fixed on her made her bite her lip and endure it.

Afterward, the henchmen of the old man began celebrating because their boss had acquired a young wife. Listening to what they said, Verity understood that she was neither the first nor the second or third bride of this old man.

Forced to repay her father's debts, Verity was compelled to marry an old man even older than her father. Verity saw a future shrouded in uncertainty.

After the completion of the wedding ceremony, Verity was taken to a large mansion, where a servant led her to a room.

"This is your room, madam. The old master said there is some business to attend to, so he will return later. It's best for you to patiently wait before he comes back," the older woman in front of Verity, the housekeeper who had been here for many years, had witnessed many young girls like Verity arriving as the "wives" of the master.

Verity looked at her with vigilant and anxious eyes. She wanted to ask a few questions, but the woman spoke quickly and left. Before completely leaving, she turned back to remind Verity.

"I know many girls like you, some even younger. If you obediently comply, you may survive. But if you tire of living, just step out of this room, and your wish will be granted."

Her words turned Verity pale; she didn't want to die. She had to escape from this place.

The door closed, leaving Verity alone in the large, opulent room, feeling lost. At just seventeen years old, she was already married, with no idea what married life would be like with a much older husband. She didn't know what her future months and days would hold.

Lost in thought, Verity heard loud noises outside. She wanted to go out and see, but she remembered the housekeeper's words and hesitated, refraining from opening the door. Whatever was happening didn't concern her.

Downstairs, the housekeeper hurriedly intervened, "Young master, your father has not returned. It would be better for you to rest first."

The man forcefully pushed the housekeeper away, coldly stating, "Isn't it because my father wants me to return for his wedding? Now that I'm back, I want to see what kind of my stepmother is. Move aside, don't block my way."

"But..."

"I told you to stay away!" The man raised his voice. The housekeeper dared not defy him and quickly stepped aside.