A Thousand Gold Coins.

"You called for me?" Letitia managed to ask despite being overwhelmed by the scent of freshly peeled tangerine that blanketed the living room courtesy of her Stepmother's Visitor.

Her Stepmother never called for her even if she had a million visitors which was why she was wondering what she was doing there at the time.

"I did," Doris; her Stepmother replied before she nervously looked to the man whose mouth had been covered by the cup of tea that he sipped away with no care in the world.

"You've really lost all the manners I have tried so hard to teach you, haven't you?" Doris asked as she put on a fake smile obviously trying to impress whoever the visitor was.

Letitia raised a brow at her Stepmother's words. She had taught her something? When? Was she perhaps unconscious when the lesson was going on?

"You've taught me something? When? Forgive me Stepmother, but I have no memory of it," came her snarky reply with a smirk playing at the corner of her lips at her Stepmother's red face.

Constance; Letitia's maid, snickered and immediately pursed her lips to keep the snicker from escaping her lips.

Doris eyes darted to the man whose lips had turned up oblivious to her. Her eyes then went up to the white ceiling while she tried to keep her anger at bay.

The man hadn't heard what Letitia just said since there was no reaction from him, it seemed. She let out a low and quiet sigh. She must keep up a good front since this man wanted to pay a seemingly hefty price.

The said man turned his head slightly to see the naughty girl with a smirk playing freely on her full pink rosy lips. He cleared his throat quietly letting his eyes roam her body.

Her skin was fair and white like a porcelain, her ember jade eyes clear as crystals which bore hatred directed at the woman she was looking at and her nose, small and cute like a button. Her silky waist length brunette hair had been let loose to fall on her back and reached her waist despite the fact that some of it had been held in a bun on top of her head.

The pale brown tight corset that was supposed to drag the floor while she walked reached above her ankle. It hugged her body tightly leaving her cleavage with little to nothing left for seeing.

Her breasts were obviously big for her petite frame or maybe the cloth was too tight that it pushed up her feature. The corset did justice to her body frame as it hugged the right parts of her body. His eyes that had moved to her leg drew back to her exposed cleavage.

Letitia, feeling someone's burning gaze on her or rather a part of her body, snapped her head to the right to look at her Stepmother's Visitor. But before she could access his features, she noticed the unmistakable look of lust in his black eyes as he ogled shamelessly at her... chest!

She glared at him and immediately pulled the hair that fell idly on her back to cover her breasts. Once she did so, the man's gaze moved from her covered chest to her ember eyes and caught her glaring at him.

He gulped harshly as he cleared his throat uncomfortable at the tigress glare while he shifted in his seat like there was now a nail that had stuck out of the chair.

He then stood up abruptly slipping his hand into his black coloured pants pocket. His eyes looked to the still glaring Letitia before he looked away to the smiling older woman who was now also on her feet.

"Forgive her––"

"Have her ready in 30 minutes. I'll be back for her by then," he cut her off. 

"Ready? Ready for what? You'll be back for who?" Letitia chimed in her eyes shuffling between her Stepmother and the stranger who she now saw as a pervert.

"I thought you said she agreed."

"She did––"

"I did not agree to anything. I have no idea what is going on here!" Letitia cut in again before her Stepmother could reply the man.

"Shut your mouth, child," her Stepmother berated glaring at her.

"I won't shut m— Ah!"

Letitia was cut off by a slap to her cheeks. Her lips had been cut slightly from the ring that was adorning the older woman's finger. She held unto her pink cheeks with a gasp purely inspired by the shock that shook her body. She glared at her Stepmother while the latter didn't look like she was backing down soon.

"My lady!" Constance yelled as soon as the slap landed on Letitia cheeks. She ran to her lady with her eyes filled with concern and worry.

It, of course, wasn't the first time Doris had raised her hand on her Stepdaughter, but it was the first in front of an outsider. She slapped her in front of only the people in their manor.

It seemed Doris no longer cared if this man thought of her well. Her anger had gotten the best of her yet again. Her stupid stepdaughter was way too conniving and a talkative for her liking. Couldn't she shut her mouth? Fine, she wanted to know what was going on? She would tell her then!

That would stop her mouth from running like a broken tap water!

"That's a Thousand Gold Coins off." A cold voice rang out in the silent living room breaking the glaring competition that was going on.

All eyes turned to him at once. Letitia eyes was filled with confusion, Doris's wide with shock and Constance eyes was with no emotion but a sliver of shock tingled in her eyes.

"M-My L-Lord, A t-thousand G-Gold coins off? That's– That's—" Doris stuttered.

"You damaged her face. Her lips is bleeding and her cheeks might swell. You should pay for the cost of her medicine." He cut her off again still with the chilly voice with his eyes on the grazed part of Letitia lips.

Doris was dumbfounded.

She turned her head to the girl to see just a brush of blood on the corner of her lips. The injury wasn't even that much! It would heal by itself in a day or two.

But a thousand Gold Coins?! Even the half of that price is way too much for the medicine of a person diagnosed with Cancer! For this kind of injury, the doctor would collect at least 20 brass coins and if bargained well, 10 brass coins would do!

Before Doris could argue against it, the man was out of the room. She stared at the spot where he stood earlier for a few seconds before she turned to Letitia whose hand was no longer holding on to her cheek but it was red.

"Go to your room and pack those stuffs that you call clothes. You'll be going with him in 30 minutes time and he doesn't like to be delayed, so I suggest you be quick about it or your punishment might as well start today. But I guess that wouldn't be so bad after all." Doris spat angrily and Letitia sucked in a breath before she turned to Doris.

"And why exactly would I go with a full grown man?"

"Tsk Tsk Tsk. I thought you were smart enough to figure it out yourself. I'm selling you, I've sold you. Half the payment has been made and I'll collect the balance tonight when you're truly with him. And because of your stupid mouth and unfortunate luck, I've lost a thousand gold coins, so don't infuriate me further!" Doris spat and tsked again before she turned around to leave.

"Why?"

That one word made her pause before she let out a huff and turned on her socked heels.

"Why did you sell me? What right do you have to sell me?! What gave you the courage to think you can sell me and get away with it? You're not my mother and you never will be my mother! So exactly what gave you the audacity to sell me?!"

Letitia was burning in fury and anger. Selling her?! Sold her?! What gave her the right to sell her?!

Constance was biting harshly on her lower lips that it almost drew blood while still holding onto her Lady's forearm as she watched the wicked older woman with pure hatred.

This woman had been everything but nice to her lady ever since she stepped into the house! And now she had sold her? For what? Just some measly gold coins?! She would forever hate this woman even if Letitia decided to forgive her. Which was impossible.

"Because you were eating my food! Eating my food for free! Yet you do nothing in return! You have to play your part!" She replied angrily.

She turned around taking one step before she paused looking over her shoulder at the girl whose ember eyes was glowing in anger.

"And also, you ask what gave you me the courage? Your father gave me the courage! Your Father gave me the consent to sell you!"

Without awaiting a reply, she held her corset up walking away. 

Letitia could only stare at her retreating back in shock. Her own father had agreed with his wife to sell her? No, she didn't want to believe it yet the reality was biting back at her ass.

Her legs wobbled as she collapsed unto the ground. She refused to cry. No, she wouldn't. Things had to be done. She won't just weakly follow after a man she knew nothing about just because he had paid some amount of money.

She picked herself up almost immediately and Constance was there to help her up. She turned around to her maid and friend with a look of determination. She grabbed unto the maid who gulped while blinking at her mistress with her face filled with worry. Letitia looked around the room before she leaned in whispering,

"You need to help me, Stance. Help me cover up. You know my plan of running away tonight?"

Constance nodded her head hesitatingly for she knew what was going through her Lady's mind.

"There has been a change in that plan. Instead, I'm running now. And I can't do it without your help."

"Please help me Stance if you love me, all this years we've been together, even one bit. I beg of you." Letitia pleaded rubbing her palm together.