Chapter 1 Take Me Instead!

Valerie knelt in front of this man, she was scared. All she remembered was a knock at her door and she rushed to it, thinking it was her brother but was welcomed with some sort of masked men, pointing their guns at her and her junior sister, Emma, then the next thing was that they were being bundled and shoved into a van which brought them to this place. 

Valerie knew exactly what this place was, it was the famous BT cartel, the B standing for blood and the T standing for thirsty. She has only seen it on the news and internet, she knew it was ruled by a man named Martin Llyord, no one knows how the man looked but could the man on the throne-like chair in front of her be him?

She peeped at him for the umpteenth time, he had this very dark aura around him which breathed fear. His eyes alone looked like it wanted to dry up not only the blood in her body but her entire soul and all these dark features just added to his unbelievable dangerous beauty. He looked like he just walked out of a painting drawn by an advanced artist but her question remained, why had she been brought here?

"Your brother is dead"

His deep voice brought Valerie back to earth and she looked at him with widened eyes. Next thing was two people bringing a black sac, they dropped it in front of her and opened it. Valerie couldn't believe her eyes, that was her elder brother Bennett, what did they do to him? A teardrop fell from her eyes, she could see Emma staring at her deceased brother with shock in her eyes.

"Do you know what he did?" Martin asked, looking at the two women who were trembling in sight of their dead brother's body.

He scoffed and answered his own question. "He stole from me and committed suicide but it's not enough".

Valerie was quivering, she couldn't take her eyes off her brother. He was alive yesterday, how did he end up like this?

"I want my money back, can you give it to me?" His deep voice echoed in her ears again.

Valerie's mouth opened but nothing could come out, just tears. Martin hated the tears on her face, it was enraging him more than he already is.

"Since you can't provide my money then I'll go ahead and give you your rightful punishment. Haunter, get the wild dog" he ordered the man beside him who kept staring at Valerie without blinking.

Emma crawled over to her sister and held her clothes tight. "Sis.. I don't want to die please" she pleaded in tears.

Martin's eyes caught her and he smirked, it was a dangerous smirk.

"How old are you?" He asked directly.

She trembled in fear as she stuttered. "Nine... nineteen" 

"If you don't want to die then you'll come serve me and I'd spare your family. I know everything about your family, I know the name of your mother's hospital so choose one, stay here or let me kill all of you" although his face didn't show any emotions as he spoke but one could tell how serious he was, even his voice alone sent so many chills to Valerie and Emma.

Emma dreaded with the thought of staying with this man. She couldn't go with him. She was too scared to even look at his face, how was she going to survive this?

"Sis.. help me please '' she pleaded in a trembling voice and Valerie felt so much pity by looking at her sister, Emma was just 19, she was still so young, weak and inexperienced.

Valerie knew she was the strong one here, she was 25 of age and has experienced more things than Emma, to add to it all, she was an orphan and was taken by the Lopez family as their own. Although Diana's husband died earlier, Diana has always shown her love and treated all of them equally even Emma and Bennett treated her as a real family. Diana had been battling with heart disease that is not too late to be treated but the thing is they don't have money.

Valerie guessed Bennett might have stolen from this man for the sake of his mother and committed suicide because he couldn't bear the punishment and the same man wants her sister too. No way, Emma can't handle him, she might die the next day, she was the older one and she was stronger and now is the chance to repay the Lopez family for their kindness to her, Bennett's death won't be in vain and his family kindness to her won't be in vain too.

Valerie boldly looked up at the man in front of her, fear was still present on the insides of her body but she didn't have any choice.

"Spare my family and take me instead" she uttered these brave words to him.

Martin looked at her, he could see that she was trembling inwardly but forcing herself to look strong which he found a bit interesting and he scoffed. "Are you trying to tell me what to do?" 

"Please" her plea came in a soft whisper, she was already broken inside, nothing but pain clouded her heart and she could do nothing other than to save the family that showed her nothing but kindness.

When Martin said nothing, Valerie pleaded again. "Please I beg of you, just take me instead, do what ever you want to do with me, torture me, anything, I'll accept but spare my family" she pleaded painfully.

"I will agree only after one condition" Martin looked at her.

"I'll do anything" she said painfully but a bit gratefully.

"You must not die or give up because if one day you do then your whole family is going down and I'll be starting with your sick mother first" he replied to her in a warning tone that shows there was no going back the moment she accepts.

Valerie shut her eyes and a painful drop of tears fell off. She knew what life would be for her the moment she said yes. She would be separated from her family, her sister would be all alone, she won't be able to see Diana again. She knew she was trading her freedom to this man but this is all she could do to give her family hope of being alive again. Bennett and her late father will surely be proud of the decision she was about to make. 

Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes and looked at the man again, their gaze jammed and she could see nothing but pure hell ahead of her.

"I accept your condition".

And just like that, Valerie was being dragged away from her only sister,from her family and from her freedom.

"Valerie!!" Emma screamed out in tears. She couldn't bear it, she wanted to go after her sister but that hefty and scary looking man made her think twice.

"Valerie!!" Emma stood there, feeling hopeless and useless. She has been so close with her sister, was this how life would tear them apart?

Who would she talk to when she feels down, when she needs a solution to her problems, self motivation speech, school advice and all the roles a perfect big sister just like Valerie could play. How would she cope being alone with no one to talk to? How would she be able to take care of her sick mother all by herself since her senior brother was dead and her sister was taken away from her in just a night.

How will she live now?

"No!!" She cried out as she was being taken outside by the hefty men.

Valerie could no longer see her sister as she had also been pulled into a dark area, next thing was the sound of a key opening the door and before she knew it, she had been thrown in. The loud bang echoed that made her shivered in fear, it came from the banging of the door which was shut and now she was left alone.

Valerie curled herself into a ball then everything came back to her. Her brother was dead and she got separated from her only family. She had just traded her freedom for the sake of her family and was she going to make it?

No way, she can't think of giving up now, she must survive. If she starts thinking of giving up now then her family would suffer, her brother's sacrifice would be useless and her sister was still so young, she hasn't started college yet, her life would be over.

Valerie's grip tightened on her arms as she couldn't keep it in anymore. Tears came out from her eyes, it started by a drop and another drop then it began pouring out and before she knew it, she was crying but trying to make sure she won't make any noise. All these happening over night is just too much.