"You can’t be serious," I hissed, my knuckles white as they dug into the edge of the dining table. The wood made creaking sounds under the pressure, but I didn’t care. My parents sat across from me, their eyes fixed on mine. My father looked at me and cleared his throat, trembling. "Ava… it was the only way to save us." “The only way to save us? Are you actually being serious right now? The only way to save us? By selling me off like livestock? To the Invanto mafia of all people?” I laughed, but it was sharp and bitter. "…Ava, we had no choice, the family company was on the edge of bankruptcy, We couldn't afford to let our years of hard work crumble." my mother whispered, tears streaming down her face. She looked older than she had that morning, her cheeks hollow and her hands shaking on her lap. "No choice?" I slammed my hands on the table, standing so rudely my chair toppled over. "You had a choice, and you chose this! You chose me over the family’s company, you chose your o
After a long ride and moments of awkward silences, The massive iron gates groaned shut behind us as Jayden’s car rolled to a stop in the circular driveway.Summoning a deep breath, I mustered “Where are we?” And with a strict look, he replied “the Invanto mansion” The mansion loomed like a predator waiting to pounce, its towering spires and cold, gray stone bathed in moonlight.“Home sweet home,” Jayden muttered, stepping out of the car. I didn’t move. I could hear my pulse thundered in my ears, as I dug my fingers into the leather seat. “What source of witchcraft is this? If I stayed here long enough, maybe I’d wake up in my bed, safe from this nightmare” I said closing my eyes.Jayden opened my door and leaned in, his dark eyes narrowing. “Don’t make me drag you out.” I looked at him and swallowed hard and stepped out with my legs trembling.As we approached the massive front doors, they swung open, revealing a grand entryway that belonged in a palace. Gleaming marble floors
“This isn’t my life. This can’t be real” these were the only words coming out of my mouth. I stared at the ceiling only to see the sun's rays cast into my room.“Shit it’s morning!” I’ve been up the whole night and hadn’t realized that.I sat on my bed, running my palms over my face, trying to make sense of everything. As I turned, my eyes landed on a dress, sparkling jewelry, designer bags, and a note lying beside me. In bold, commanding letters, it read: "a stylist would be with you in an hour, try not to be an animal and cooperate with her”It was Jayden obviously, he would be the only monster that could talk to me so disrespectfully. “Fool!” I muttered as I left for the bathroom.————-“Who is this? I don’t look like me, this can’t be the life I’d have to live now” I said endlessly in my mind as I stood before a gilded mirror in a room that felt more like a luxury prison.The woman staring back at me wasn’t me. She wore designer clothes I hadn’t chosen, makeup I didn’t apply, and
“I... uh, was looking for some painkillers. Felt a cramp.” I patted my stomach awkwardly, hoping the gesture would sell the lie.Jayden’s expression softened, just a little. He took a step closer, looking at my tummy. “A cramp?” he repeated, his voice lower than normal. Before I could respond, he reached out brushing my stomach lightly with his hand. The touch was so gentle and sweet that I almost forgot why I was here in the first place. I stiffened and quickly placed my hands on his pausing the touch.His lips quirked into a faint smirk, as if he knew the jazz he had on me. “That’s not where I keep them,” he murmured.Turning away, he strode to a nearby drawer, opened it effortlessly, and pulled out a bottle of pills. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it toward me. I caught it instantly, though I couldn’t help but glare at him.“Next time, just ask,” he said over his shoulder as he walked out, leaving me standing there, stunned and frustrated.---The next morning, the aroma of
The next morning, I sat stiffly at the dining table, watching as Jayden poured himself a cup of coffee. He moved with the same frustrating ease as always, every action deliberate, calculated and analyzed. “You’re training with me today,” he said without looking at me. His tone made it clear it wasn’t a suggestion.“Is that an order?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.He finally glanced up, his face unreadable. “It’s an opportunity. You should take it.” I laughed softly. “You call training with you an opportunity? have a funny way of making opportunities sound like prison sentences.”He smirked, setting his cup down as he leaned forward, his forearms resting on the table. “Prison isn’t the right word. Let’s call it... guidance.”“Even your guidance feels like prison” I said crossing my hands across my chest as we both stared at each other.“Don’t worry you’ll learn” he chuckled looking back at his papers “you’ll learn Ava” he muttered once more.---Later that afternoon, we he took me to
“I... uh, was looking for some painkillers. Felt a cramp.” I patted my stomach awkwardly, hoping the gesture would sell the lie.Jayden’s expression softened, just a little. He took a step closer, looking at my tummy. “A cramp?” he repeated, his voice lower than normal. Before I could respond, he reached out brushing my stomach lightly with his hand. The touch was so gentle and sweet that I almost forgot why I was here in the first place. I stiffened and quickly placed my hands on his pausing the touch.His lips quirked into a faint smirk, as if he knew the jazz he had on me. “That’s not where I keep them,” he murmured.Turning away, he strode to a nearby drawer, opened it effortlessly, and pulled out a bottle of pills. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it toward me. I caught it instantly, though I couldn’t help but glare at him.“Next time, just ask,” he said over his shoulder as he walked out, leaving me standing there, stunned and frustrated.---The next morning, the aroma of
“This isn’t my life. This can’t be real” these were the only words coming out of my mouth. I stared at the ceiling only to see the sun's rays cast into my room.“Shit it’s morning!” I’ve been up the whole night and hadn’t realized that.I sat on my bed, running my palms over my face, trying to make sense of everything. As I turned, my eyes landed on a dress, sparkling jewelry, designer bags, and a note lying beside me. In bold, commanding letters, it read: "a stylist would be with you in an hour, try not to be an animal and cooperate with her”It was Jayden obviously, he would be the only monster that could talk to me so disrespectfully. “Fool!” I muttered as I left for the bathroom.————-“Who is this? I don’t look like me, this can’t be the life I’d have to live now” I said endlessly in my mind as I stood before a gilded mirror in a room that felt more like a luxury prison.The woman staring back at me wasn’t me. She wore designer clothes I hadn’t chosen, makeup I didn’t apply, and
After a long ride and moments of awkward silences, The massive iron gates groaned shut behind us as Jayden’s car rolled to a stop in the circular driveway.Summoning a deep breath, I mustered “Where are we?” And with a strict look, he replied “the Invanto mansion” The mansion loomed like a predator waiting to pounce, its towering spires and cold, gray stone bathed in moonlight.“Home sweet home,” Jayden muttered, stepping out of the car. I didn’t move. I could hear my pulse thundered in my ears, as I dug my fingers into the leather seat. “What source of witchcraft is this? If I stayed here long enough, maybe I’d wake up in my bed, safe from this nightmare” I said closing my eyes.Jayden opened my door and leaned in, his dark eyes narrowing. “Don’t make me drag you out.” I looked at him and swallowed hard and stepped out with my legs trembling.As we approached the massive front doors, they swung open, revealing a grand entryway that belonged in a palace. Gleaming marble floors
"You can’t be serious," I hissed, my knuckles white as they dug into the edge of the dining table. The wood made creaking sounds under the pressure, but I didn’t care. My parents sat across from me, their eyes fixed on mine. My father looked at me and cleared his throat, trembling. "Ava… it was the only way to save us." “The only way to save us? Are you actually being serious right now? The only way to save us? By selling me off like livestock? To the Invanto mafia of all people?” I laughed, but it was sharp and bitter. "…Ava, we had no choice, the family company was on the edge of bankruptcy, We couldn't afford to let our years of hard work crumble." my mother whispered, tears streaming down her face. She looked older than she had that morning, her cheeks hollow and her hands shaking on her lap. "No choice?" I slammed my hands on the table, standing so rudely my chair toppled over. "You had a choice, and you chose this! You chose me over the family’s company, you chose your o