Chapter 3: Mister Billionaire

I opened my eyes. Clanking glasses and chatters greeted my consciousness. It was like earlier, when I gained and found myself at an unfamiliar place. The only difference is I’m not blindfolded. 

My head was in pain when I tried to look up. It’s strange. I badly want to move, but my body is frozen to the ground. What’s happening? 

Surprisingly, I found myself chained. My hands were tied upward by chains while my body pinned in this metal wall, and I’m still wearing lingerie. 

I started roaming my eyes, and there, I found myself in a dark place again. Surrounded by black linen curtains and chained on a metal wall, what are they planning?

Do we have a ritual? Sacrificial? Is voodoo still exist in this era of twenty?

My situation was becoming hilarious. I can also feel something on my face. Was I wearing a mask? That explains why I had this narrowed vision.

There, I felt a weakening body of mine. Did someone put poison in me to have this strange feeling? What have I don’t deserve this abduction and this hilarious situation!

A noise suddenly filled my ears. It was coming from a microphone. Don’t tell me. Am I currently at a contest? Earlier, I was just in a night disco bar, and what now?

I snapped when I remember what happened. Yes, a two-bouncer man came and fetched me out of those nasty places, then we meet this immoral suspect named Maze, and then she opened the door for us to give way. 

While getting out in that place, I got my body out of control, and there, I lost my consciousness, but before the darkness fills everything on me, there’s a man.

A man who entered the place, I’m not sure if we entered another room after Maze opened the door for us. Everything was fast and a little blurry, so I really can’t get a glimpse of what happened.

All I remember is that a man is wearing a black tuxedo walking towards me, and then he said some phrases right before I  lost myself.

My deep thoughts were distracted by the noise coming out from a microphone. Its sound echoed at the whole place, and then a joyful yell from a crowd followed. Wait— a group? Like, where am I this time? 

I moved my hands to get rid of the chain, but instead, it just leaves a read mark near my wrist, and damn! It hurts so bad that it made the edges of my eyes heat. I’m not sure what’s going on outside, but I have this assurance that this abduction game is not funny anymore.

“Then now,” the voice paused, and a drumming instrument followed, but after many seconds, it stopped, “the best part of this auction event. Our highly-priced good for tonight!” Then there it is a yell from a crowd. No— there’s a full percent that all of the voices are coming from men.

My heart throbs so fast like chased by a hungry lion. Without particular reason, my body—even my organs shakes. Yet, I’m not sure, but I may be in a tight spot. 

I already get a picture of myself, about what this dilemma is all about. This chain was tying me up, and this hilarious get-up where I wear lingerie plus surrounded by black linen curtains. I already know where this is going.

Everything was clear for me. That voice earlier said ‘auction.’ everything is not yet precise about the high price good thingy, but there’s a hundred percent that my hunch is correct. If I’m right, I’m about to be sold. 

“Haha,” a soft laugh broke from my mouth. I can’t help but pity myself. It’s impossible. Will the abductors, sold me as a high-priced good? Oh c’mon! No one will be going to buy this face and body of mine. I want to get out of this place, go home, and sleep.

I stop my fantasies of getting out of this place when the curtain gradually lifted in front of me. My body is frozen like soaked in Iceland for a long time. 

Mine met the eyes of everyone. I was placed in the middle of the stage while chained and pinned in this metal wall. Even though my vision was limited and they are also wearing masks, I can see their lustful eyes towards me.

Their eyes were enough, making my body trembles. I’m not fond of this kind of sensation and to be the attraction. I turned my gaze on the left side when I heard another voice coming from a microphone.

“A hardworking college student and a fresh maria!” the announcer yells, and then the crowds went crazy. 

My body continues trembling, and I know this is insightful, but my eyes were secretly throwing liquid down to my cheeks.

“Please, someone...” I weakly whisper to myself, biting my lower lips.

The yell of prosperity gets louder but then the announcer shish them.

“Let the showtime of bidding begins from five hundred thousand dollars!” The bid caller hissed with gracious looks. I look downward, and I can’t take this.

“Five hundred fifty thousand dollars!” A yell was coming from a crowd. Seriously? 

“Oh, thank you, Lancaster! Anyone with a higher price?”

“Six hundred thousand dollars!” 

“That’s cool. Should we go for six hundred?”

“One million dollars!” My head immediately looked up. The heck. What are they? A monster who was hungry to eat human flesh? The crowd becomes loud again.

I manage to roam my eyes in front. Most of them were staring at me, their eyes were full of lust, but there’s also something written on it that they can’t afford the price. 

This bidding right now must apply to the richest and billionaire bidder. I hope that this place will be a raid by the swat to save myself, at least, to be protected by someone.

The bidding price becomes highest till it stuck from one hundred billion dollars. Where did they get their money and wasted it in here? Hate to say that this type of person exists.

“Final, one hundred billion dollars?” Is he still finding someone who can increase the hundred billion? I sigh. No one can start higher the bidding. 

Well, this will be fine. At least, I have a high price in my head. I hope that I will be sold to someone kind and will let me out off the hook, but that’s impossible.

If this place existed, this exists for ruthless and dominant people who like to waste their money on nonsense. What will they get in wasting their money in this way?

“Okay. Let’s wrap up for a hundred bi--”

“Eight hundred billion.” A baritone voice filled the place. My jaw almost dropped, and I immediately search for the owner. 

My eyes stopped at the back, where a giant door was regular standing. The man who offered a hundred billion was wearing a black tuxedo and holding a glass of wine in his right hand, wearing a mask, and inserted the free needle in his black slacks side pocket. 

The bid caller didn’t move an inch along with the other bidders.

“Oh. Not satisfied with the nine zeros? How about,” I can see from my position how he playfully twists the wine glass without breaking his stare at our—my direction, “twelve zeros? Like it?” he then takes a sip on the glass wine.

T-twelve zeros? Seriously? Will he spend a trillion just for a lowly woman like me? Wait, does a trillion exist? What the hell is happening!