Serve Him

"Serve that guy quickly!" said the sturdy man in all-black attire, pushing Lyyana towards the door marked with the number 107. "What are you waiting for? Your dad has sold you to mom with a substantial amount of money. Now it's time for you to work to replace mom's money," he added, reminding Lyyana of the agreement between her stepfather and mom just a few hours ago.

Lyyana tried to assess her surroundings, contemplating how to escape. "Don't do anything foolish. Remember the situation of your younger siblings in the village, or do you want your younger sister to become the fourth wife of that old gangster?" threatened the tattooed man behind Lyyana, aware of Lyyana's plan to escape.

Lyyana's slender hands trembled as she hesitated to touch the doorknob in front of her. She closed her eyes, reciting short prayers she could remember. The image of her siblings in the village played like a damaged cassette tape. With hesitation, Lyyana began to turn the doorknob. However, her next move made everyone scream her name.

"HEY, DON'T ESCAPE‼‼" shouted a guard just passed by Lyyana, instantly grabbing the attention of other guards.

Four sturdy men ran after Lyyana, who was now running away from the dimly lit building. "Catch her, don't let her escape‼" said the lead guard running at the forefront.

Lyyana continued to run straight ahead, with the sole thought of getting away from that cursed building. After running a considerable distance, Lyyana decided to hide behind a large tree by the roadside. With minimal lighting, she tried to control her breathing. Occasionally, she glanced to make sure the guards of the embroidery house didn't find her.

Lyyana took a sigh of relief, at least having a little time to collect herself and rest for a moment. As Lyyana was about to resume running, she accidentally heard footsteps approaching her hiding place.

"Search until you find her. She's a village girl; she can't have gone far from here!" shouted a sturdy man leading the search party. "If we don't find her, our lives are at stake. She's a valuable commodity for Mom. Don't let her escape!" Three other men nodded and began to spread out, searching for Lyyana.

Feeling trapped, Lyyana's trembling body made her brain process slower than usual. She could only peek from behind the tree trunk until all the guards disappeared from her sight and scattered in all directions.

Feeling safe, Lyyana hurriedly emerged from her hiding place and ran away from that location. While running, she accidentally stumbled on a stone. "Ouch!" Lyyana groaned as she fell on the asphalt.

Lyyana's voice caught the attention of a guard not far from her position. Hearing approaching footsteps, Lyyana quickly got up. She took off her heels and ran while enduring the pain in her ankle.

The woman occasionally looked back to ensure the distance with the guard was safe enough to keep running. However, her steps halted when she reached a street intersection. Lyyana truly couldn't remember which road led her to the embroidery place. She came there with her eyes closed, so she didn't know which way she had taken.

"Where should I go?" Lyyana asked with labored breath. She looked back, and in the distance, she could see the reflection of the shadow of a man approaching her.

"There!" Lyyana said, pointing her foot to the right. She then ran even faster while keeping an eye on her surroundings.

Unaware of the road ahead, Lyyana didn't realize that a significant danger was looming in front of her. A black luxury car sped towards her at high and erratic speed. Lyyana squinted as she saw a light approaching her.

"Aaaa‼‼" she screamed, unable to save herself from the oncoming car. Lyyana's vision started to darken, and her body collapsed onto the asphalt. Vaguely, she heard footsteps. Shortly after, she felt her body being lifted. "God, am I joining my mother?" she whispered, and all awareness left Lyyana along with the roar of the car.

The next morning, a woman woke up as sunlight streamed through the window. Lyyana furrowed her brows, feeling pain all over her body. After mustering strength, she changed her position, sitting against the bed's support.

Realizing she was in an unfamiliar room, Lyyana examined herself. The woman's forehead wrinkled further as she found her provocative outfit replaced with modest home attire. Lyyana slapped her head, forcing her brain to recall the events of last night.

Feeling that something was wrong, Lyyana got up from the bed and hurriedly left the room. With swift movements, she opened the bedroom door, turning her head left and right to check the surroundings.

"Not mom's place?" she muttered, scrutinizing every side of the European-style mansion spread before her.

Limping, Lyyana walked towards another room. She explored every corridor, searching for an exit or any clue about her whereabouts. Her steps halted at the end of the staircase, where she gazed at the upright figure clad in sportswear with a straight back.

"Yeah, I thought the goods were good. How much should I pay? Or do you want to pay for it? I can guarantee its enjoyment." Lyyana choked on her saliva upon hearing the conversation of the man talking to someone on his phone. "If that's the case, offer me a replacement. I need it urgently!"

Not wanting to be trapped for the second time, Lyyana rushed towards the main door. Unfortunately, she didn't pay attention to her surroundings, and her arm accidentally bumped into a luxurious vase, causing the sound of shattering to echo throughout the house.

Lyyana's body froze, like a lifeless statue standing in the middle of the luxurious European-style mansion. She swallowed her saliva with difficulty as her eyes glanced at the activities of the man who now stared at her sharply. However, the man's next reaction made Lyyana's body lose its strength.

The man acted indifferent and walked away from Lyyana. "Let me tidy up, Miss," said a maid approaching Lyyana with cleaning tools.

Before Lyyana could ask the woman in front of her, all the art in the luxurious house hurriedly moved upstairs. Lyyana's brow furrowed even deeper as she heard screams coming from one of the rooms on the second floor.