Chapter 1

"Life is a series of unexplained events, unplanned laughter, unexpected tears, occasional sorrows and overwhelming joy."

-Susan Gale-

***

Karina was at loss for words, she was sitting in a stranger’s bed with the revelation that she had just been sold and bought by him.

For a second earlier, she really thought there was still a bit of kindness left in this man. Karina thought if she asked him nicely, then maybe he would let her go. She was too naïve for her own good. Then, the least she needed was to know how this man could claim that.

“I’m a free woman, you can’t buy me, this is a lie!” She raised her voice.

“Lie? I am not a good man but I am not a liar. If you don’t believe me, you can see it with your own eyes.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her outside of the room, walking passed through a hallway until they arrived at a large hall.

After arriving there, Karina heard a familiar voice coming from the door. It was the voice of her fiancé, Aaron. She was supposed to be happy. A small smile had appeared on her face at the slightest sight of hope. Yet it was instantly crushed when she heard the words he was saying.

“You already have her, don’t you? Now, I want my money.” Karina thought she misheard everything, but no, even Aaron was standing there in person. He was having a little argument with two large men in the front.

“Do you see it now, Karina? The man you thought loved you had sold you off to me to pay off his own debt. It’s even written in a contract. You should have figured out the kind of man you’re with before you decided to marry him.” Eden whispered in her ear.

“I’m sure the entire time you thought he was a good man. Maybe at one point, he was. Yet, your good fiancé is actually a gambling addict. He had gotten himself in a million-dollar debt and have been borrowing money here and there from the bank. He is at the edge of bankruptcy. So what did he do? He came to me and made an offer. He sold you off to me for a million dollars to pay off his debt.” He explained.

“Still, I knew nothing about this! I am not a slave, this is the twenty first century, you can’t keep me hostage against my consent!” She argued, trying to reason.

“Princess, do you think the women who have been through trafficking gave their consent to be trafficked? Do you think men like Aaron cares about that when he sold you off? You’re mine now. I bought you. End of story.”

Karina felt betrayed, she did not think the man she trusted with her life would end up being the one who ruined her. Aaron had always been super sweet toward her and he never once hurt her before.

She never suspected him of anything, but it turned out, he was the worst kind of men. Warm tears began to run down her cheek. During this time, Eden placed his index finger under her eyes to catch her tears.

“Now, pretty woman, instead of crying, why don’t you confront him in person? You can punch him if you want to.” He persuaded her. Karina was not a violent woman but at the time, she thought it was a brilliant idea.

Moved by anger and hurt, she stomped closer to them and the large men seemed alert when they saw her moving freely like that, thinking she might escape, but Eden walked behind her and raised his arm, signaling the men that it was fine and everything was under control. Aaron, on the other hand, seemed shocked to see her in person.

“Karina.” He whispered her name, but before he could say anything else, a punch landed on his face and it came from his dainty Karina, at least before he sold her off.

The pain from the punch was not too prominent, but the shock derived from this action impacted Aaron a lot since he never thought she was capable of lifting an arm.

From behind, Eden watched her with a huge smile on his face. He always knew deep down she had this side to her and it was entertaining to see the grown man getting what he deserved.

“How dare you! Who do you think you are to sell me off like this!? I always thought of you as a good man, but you, you betrayed me you good for nothing bastard!” She hit him repeatedly on the chest and the two large men looked at their boss, confused of what to do.

“Just let her be for a bit.” He told them. Aaron was getting sick of her behavior and took a step back. Then he quickly took his chance to speak.

“I didn’t want it to be this way but what can I do? I need the money and you’re the only thing I have to sell. They gave a good number for you so you should be grateful instead because of me you can marry a wealthy man!” He reasoned. She thought he must have lost his mind. The audacity of this man to say something like that.

Karina was speechless, she did not know what else she was supposed to do, it was insanity. She felt like passing out but her pride kept her from doing that. Aaron placed his attention to Eden instead of Karina who started crying.

“I’ve done my work and we both have signed the contract. Now I want my money. Give me my money.” He demanded. Eden gave a signal to one of the large man and he nodded before opening one of the safe in the room and pulled out a suitcase filled with cash. He handed it over to Aaron who did not bother counting the money again, he just simply gave one last glance to Karina and apologized.

“I didn’t want this, Karina, but I had to.” He told her before leaving the house and running away as fast as possible in his car. Once he was gone, Karina froze in the middle of the room, still shocked with everything that happened within the past twenty-four hours.

She did not even think of running away at that moment despite the door being open because of the overwhelming emotion she was feeling inside. Eden did not like how she was still crying even after the man left so he stood beside her and gently tapped her shoulder.

“You’ve been through enough today, you need some rest. The room before was yours. You can have it. Later, after we have our wedding, you’re going to move in the same room with me.” He stated. She quickly slapped his hands away from hers.

“I don’t want it. I just want to go home.” She stated weakly while sobbing.

“Home? Where? You no longer have a home now, Karina. The apartment you shared with that good for nothing fiancé of yours has been confiscated since yesterday? Aaron has been preparing a passport, you know.

After paying his debt, he’s going to fly outside the states. Why do you think he took you to his family’s cottage anyway? Also, he lied, the place did not belong to his family. It was mine all along.” He admitted.

“I don’t deserve this. I deserve so much better.” She replied back after finding out yet another heart wrenching truth. Eden realized persuading her would be a bit more difficult than he initially thought.

He knelt to match her height and then gently placed his finger on her hair, getting it out of her face and tucked it behind her ear.

“You do, Karina. You definitely deserve so much better and I can give it to you, but for now, you need rest.” He switched his attention to the large men.

“Bring her back to her room.” He ordered. The two men quickly reacted and they pulled her hand. She did not have much energy left, but she hated being touched by them.

“Let me go! I can walk on my own.” She told them. Eden signaled his men to do as she said. She stormed back to the room from before and jumped to the bed. She was physically and mentally exhausted. Everything was too much.

Soon after, she heard a knock from the door, it was none other than Eden.

“What do you want!?” She hissed at him.

“I thought since you might get bored, I’m going to give you some toy to play with, here.” He gave her a piece of device that looked like a phone, but it wasn’t exactly like the phones she had seen in mainstream market.

“That’s a built in phone that I made. You won’t get anything like that elsewhere. I’ve connected it to the internet, so you can browse social media, but I’ve programmed some limitations there so don’t bother calling the police, posting your location or anything stupid like that. I’ll find out about it and it won’t end up well for you.” He warned.

“There are also some games inside, a digital library of books and some movies. We have a home theatre in this house but you probably still hate me. In case you don’t, just tell me about it so we can watch a movie together.” He told her. She did not know what was going through his mind, he was awful and nice at the same time it was so confusing.

“You must be tired now. I’ll just leave you alone. The bathroom is entirely yours so take a shower or bath if you want. I also have clothes provided for you in the closet.  I’ll see you for breakfast tomorrow.” He was about to leave when she stopped him.

“Wait, I need to ask you a question.” He stopped in his track and turned back at her.

“What is it?”

“Why me?” It was a question she had been wanting to ask. He paused for a bit, but instead of answering, he evaded it.

“Good night, Karina.” He shut the door tight and locked it from the outside. Karina went over to the window and realized it was locked as well. She went back to her bed and buried her face in the pillow out of despair.

“God, what’s going to happen to me now?”