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Second Prologue....

3 Years Later....

“Judy! How are you?” I exclaim before pulling my cookmate in for a hug. I think it has been a week since the last time I saw her.

“I'm fantastic! What about you?” She asks enthusiastically and after a beat, she pulls away when I don't respond, to hold me at arms length and search my face with concerned eyes. “You okay, honey?”

I step away from her with a shrug and turn my focus down to the vegetables I've been chopping to hide my puffy and red eyes. I've tried my best to sound cheerful but I don't think I'm ready to answer her that question yet.

“I'm okay, Judy. I'll be okay. Tell me about your trip.”

She catches up on my mood instantly and gives me a wry smile.

“You always say that. My trip was pleasant. Now tell me, have you talked to Jonathan?”

“No. Why are you asking? Is everything okay?” I feign confusion while a heavy weight settles down on my chest.

I know exactly why she's asking me this now.

Jonathan is the owner of the restaurant I work for, as a cook. He asks me to go out with him every weekend and I politely decline every time. I have to give it to him, he's stubborn. In spite of getting turned down, he never stopped trying.

I want to go out with him and know how it feels like to have some attention. It's not like Jonathan isn't good. He's compassionate and kind. In fact, I think he's one of the most beautiful people I've ever met.

He wears his golden blonde hair down in a cute style, his soft waves cover his forehead and flop just above his ears. His eyes are always shining like the morning sky, a soft sky blue colour. His lips are round and full, a pretty pink and he has a straight nose to top off his looks.

He looks better than most of the models I see on the TV. Huh, I don't know why he isn't interested in modelling. I've tried to talk him into taking auditions but he always bails out from the plan saying that he's not good enough and he doesn't know acting.

I hate it when he does that.

“You know that he's going to ask you again today, don't you?” Judy's intrusive voice brings me out of my muses and I glance at her.

She already knows the answer, I don't have to reply to that.

'Yes, I know and I'm expecting him only, he'll be here any minute to ask me out again and make my life a little more hard to live than it already is.'

I want to share this with Judy but I can't.

I won't.

“Can you pass me the pan, please?” I try to change the topic instead.

She hands me the pan but not without making me look her in the eye. “Why are you doing this to yourself, Ella?”

Her whispered question makes the pain in my chest become ten folds and that fake name tumbling out of her mouth only makes the unbearable pain worse.

How can I tell her that I'm doing none of this on purpose, without getting her involved in this shit? How can I confide in her without putting her life at risk?

As if Lord has decided that he has had enough of this, he sends someone to rescue me. The back door bell rings, breaking through the heavy silence and alerting someone's presence. I thank the Lord for this distraction, inwardly.

I share a look with Judy then turn to face the opening door.

“Am I interrupting something?” We both let out a deep sigh. It's Jonathan.

Oh on!

My throat closes up.

I pray to the Lord silently, watching warily as he steps inside and shakes his head, white snow rains down from his hair. “It's snowing out there, guys and it's so beautiful—”

He stops short when he takes in my face, pausing to take off his coat before walking up to me. His sweet smile of glee turns into a deep frown of worry. “Fuck! Have you been crying, Ella?”

Shit!

Am I that transparent?

“No, actually something got in my eyes and I just rubbed them, hard so they got all puffy and swollen….” I sound so convincing, don't I? I roll my eyes at my own pathetic attempt at lying.

“Uh-hu, is that right?” He gives me a disapproving look which makes my heart thrum in fear of getting caught. “You're not fooling anyone here, honey.”

“Yeah. You're really the worst liar I've ever seen.” Judy pipes in and I send her a warning look from across the island. Not now.

She jumps behind Jonathan, as though he could save her from me and gives me a scared look, making me roll my eyes and smile at her stupid frightened act.

“Shut it, guys. Not in the mood.”

“When are you, in the mood, exactly? We'll be there at your door step right then.” Jonathan grins at me and Judy giggles behind him while whispering something into his ears. Her eyes dance wickedly, making me swallow nervously.

What is she telling him? Is he going to tell him that she finds me crying all the time, curled up in a ball in some corner.

I hope she doesn't or I will have to hang myself... Or her.

“Is that so? Hmm…. that's alright. Now I'll just have to try harder.” Jonathan mumbles, trying to keep a straight face but fails miserably when a shy smile breaks out his full lips.... which only heightens my panic.

“What is it? Why are grinning like the skull?” I ask while trying to control my rising panic and joke a little to ease their minds off of me.

“Hey! I don't grin like that bastard.” He scowls at me, playfully then gives me that shy smile again. “Judy just told me the secret to get to your heart.”

My panic starts overflowing, mixed with rage now.

She just told him what??

I'm going to murder her!!

“Miss. Frost.” A soft voice calls for my attention, breaking through the quickly building tension around us.

We all turn to look at the door which connects the mess and the sitting area of the restaurant. “Someone has just called on your phone and told me to give it to you. He will call again in a moment.”

Mille, the receptionist of Jonathan's restaurant, comes inside the mess with my phone in her hand and distracts me from the panic and anger for a moment, giving me a much bigger thing to worry about.

“The caller told you that?” I ask her, sounding incredulous.

This isn't happening.

But she nods in affirment. “The man on the call told me that.”

A man?

Crap!

“What is it?” I ask, trying to ignore my building fear to focus on Mille, who's got pale all over.

“Nothing, I think it was just my imagination but…. I did not like the way that man was talking to me.... about you.” She admits, disdainfully.

“What do you mean?” Jonathan asks in a suspicious voice, edging towards anger. Oh no, I can't get him involved. I have to take this matter out and away from them, now.

“I don't know but he was talking too sweetly for being a stranger and Miss. Frost never gets any calls, so this one caught me off guard, I guess.”

I quickly take the phone from her hand and mumble a distracted 'thanks' before excusing myself to get out of the restaurant.

“You sure about talking to this man alone?” Judy stops me before I can slip out. Jonathan is looking at me with the same question in his eyes.

Not now, dammit!

“It can be my plumber, I had told him to come over and check the pipes of my bathroom, don't worry. I'll be back in a minute or so.” I manage to convince all of them with a made up lie and slip out of the restaurant.

Stepping out in the cool evening of New York, I sigh heavily then start walking away from the restaurant and find a quiet alley to see who has called me.

The raining snow has formed a thin layer over my shoulders and cap. I shrug them off and check my phone.

It must be a wrong number. Nobody has my number, I've never given it to anyone. Even Nana doesn't know where I am.

So this call is highly unusual for me.

“Shit!”

Suddenly, the phone starts buzzing in my hand, almost giving me a freaking heart attack. Dammit! I take in a shaky breath then swipe the screen to answer the call. The location shows the call is from somewhere here only.

Wrong number, as I guessed.

“Hello.”

“Hello, Miss. Danforth or is it Miss. Frost?” A heavy voice speaks from the other side, making me freeze in my place.

Cold runs through my veins as fear and panic starts building up inside my chest.

How does this man know my real name?

“W-who are you?” I manage to stutter out.

I've started to tremble all over. My hands are shaking so badly, I can hardly keep the phone pressed against my ear.

“My name is Balthazar de Lucas and I'm waiting for you at your apartment, Miss. Danforth.” The man lowers his voice then speaks again. “Now listen to me very carefully, honey —” I flinch away from the phone when he uses that endearment, “—Don't even think about going to the police, they all are under my payroll. Don't attempt to leave the city or country, my men are spread all over the places. I won't be responsible if they'll drag you back to me by your hair. Come straight to your apartment. Take the day off from work and don't share any details.”

Tears have now started leaking out of my eyes.

Who is this man, issuing out orders so easily as if he knows I'll follow them? Why has he called me now? Is he going to kill me when I get back to my apartment? Is he a burglar or something? Should I believe what he's saying or should I go to the police?

“You're hesitating.” His voice deepens with anger, dramatically. “Just for your kind information, honey. I'm not alone, I've got your parents for company. If you'll not be here in the next 15 minutes than consider your parents as good as dead. Still can't believe me then hear your daddy's voice.”

After a moment of rustling around, I hear dad's voice loud and clear on the line. “Rose! Don't come back—”

I stop breathing.

“You heard him, honey. Now hurry up, time's running out. Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick.”

“Don't hurt them, please. I'm coming—”

The line goes dead before I can finish my sentence.

“Dammit!” I throw my phone against the wall in frustration and run both of my hands through my hair as tears continue spilling out of my eyes. I slide down the wall behind me and sit down with my arms wrapped around my knees.

He has got them. He has got my parents! What should I do?

If I go against him then he might hurt my parents but I don't have any guarantee either that he'll let them go if I show up.

If what he has just said is true then there's only one way to find out, I'll have to go there myself. I don't have much time but I've got options... which are all against me.

——————

With shaking hands and dread running through my veins, I insert the key in the lock and twist the knob to unlock the door of my apartment. The soft click sound lets me know that the door is open now, making me squeeze my eyes shut.

I don't have any desire to get inside but sometimes you have to go against your heart to do the right thing. And the right thing to do now, is to get inside and deal with that man and save my parents.

Judy's and Jonathan’s face flashes in front of my inner eyes and I pause for a second. They were so worried for me when I had gone back to the restaurant to take the day off and grab my things. I could have run back to the apartment without going to the restaurant but I wanted to see them for one last time.

Lord knows what I'm in for and I can only hope that I've not made a mistake by believing that man and coming back here.

I take a deep breath then push open the door and step inside. The first thing that I sense is the aroma of coffee before I finally see it.

And my eyes widen at the sight that greets me.

My parents are sitting on my couch in the living room, along with an elderly man, who is occupying the armchair. But my eyes didn't widen upon finding them there, but because they are not just sitting there, they are sipping coffee from teacups (my teacups) and smiling pleasantly at me.

No one is held down or anything. No guns or any threats....

Have I walked in on a tea party? Or should I say a coffee party?

I had expected to find my parents on the floor with a gun pressed against their head, not this. What the hell is going on here and why had dad cried out on the phone when there's no danger to his life?

“Well, well, well... See, who finally decided to show up.” The elderly man says in his heavy voice, dragging me out of my perplexed muses to look at him. He puts his cup down on the small table before getting up to walk over to me.

He seems to be in his late fourties. He's not well-built but he's bulky and probably weighs a hundred pounds more than me. His black eyes are like small black beads, that make it seem like he's glaring at me even if he's just looking. His chubby face is a little too dark... bordering to almost being purple.

His voice sounded familiar.... I think I've heard it before….

“Who are you? And what's going on here? Why are you all in my apartment? Dad? What is going on?” I ask, taking my eyes off the stranger to glance around in utter confusion.

When my eyes come back to settle on the elderly man, I lower my eyes down his body and notice his red uniform. That uniform… his man's familiar voice… my parents… the phone call… the false threat…

Shit!

“You're the one who had called me!?” I exclaim, not sure if I've stated the question or asked it. The smile widens on the elderly man’s face when he sees the realisation on my face.

That's why his voice sounded so familiar.

“You're smarter than I had expected.” His smile turns harsh. “But not smart enough to hide from me. Grab her.”

Immediately, two men grab my arms and knock out my knees to make me kneel down in front of the elderly man, a malicious look painted on his cold purple face.

“Let me up! Mom! Dad! Help me. Get these men off of me!” I struggle in their unforgiving grasps while trying to look at my parents who are still sitting on that damned couch.

Why aren't they doing anything? Can't they see what these people are doing with me? “Dad!?”

“Shut up, girl! They longer have a say in what I do with you.”

It all happens too fast, the elderly man raises his right hand and slaps me across my left cheek before I can protest or brace myself. My face wipes to the side, evoking a thousand emotions which rise and fall inside my chest like tidal waves, a million questions threaten to crack me open from within.

“Rose.” I tilt my head back to look up at my dad through shocked eyes, who's standing over me with an unreadable expression on his face. I'm still going through the aftershocks of the slap and I don't think I'm capable of processing anything at the moment but I want to know what my father has to say.

“When I had told you to disappear, you did. If I tell you to give up screaming and go along with Mr. de Lucas without any protests, will you do that for me now?”

This is what he had to say!?

God. How many more times am I going to have my trust crushed by my own parents!?

“Why would you tell me to do that, dad?” I ask, my voice cracking at the end. “Why?”

“Because I don't want to see you get hurt, honey.” I flinch away when dad uses that endearment. I've started to loath that endearment now.

He kneels in front of me, a pained look in his eyes and tugs the tendrils of my hair behind my ear before cupping my cheeks and staring deep into my eyes. “You are so beautiful, even more than your mother, Rose. I don't want to let you go but if I will not hand you over to him....” Dad pauses, looks away then meets my eyes again, his eyes filled with remorse now. “Then he'll take away Caroline and I'm ready to let you go but not her.”

What!?

“Why? What have you done to him that he's going to make you pay by taking someone from you? Three years ago, you had told me to run and hide from these people only, hadn't you? ” My voice is frantic now.

If what I'm thinking is right then I've made the biggest mistake of my life by coming back to my apartment.

“It's not my fault, honey. You were born to be given away, Rose. I tried to keep you out of this but I should have known, this was inevitable. You're the first female in centuries that has taken birth in the Danforth family. It's the way it is. From now on, there's only one purpose of your life, pay the debt for your great grandfather's sins by giving up yourself for the first heir of de Lucas family.”

“What are you saying, dad? I don't understand. Hear yourself, do you make any sense? How could you just hand me over and ask me to give myself to a stranger? And even if your intentions were to just give me up then why did you ever told me to disappear years ago?” I'm full on crying now.

Nothing makes sense.

I'm the first female in centuries…. What the hell does that mean? And what kind of payment is this? Why are we even wasting our time on this rubbish? Is there even any proof of this bloody debt?

“You don't need to understand anything, honey. Just know that you don't have a life of your own any longer. I've let you live as much as I can but now it's time. Time for you to pay your great grandfather's debt.” He straightens up to his full length. “Take her and end this here. I want her to be the last one.”

“Alright. Roma, bring out the documents.”

“Dad! DAD! You're just going to hand me over to him? You're going to let him take your DAUGHTER away? How can you even trust him? Anyone will just come up and say you have a debt to pay and the payment is one of your family members, you'll just hand them over? Without digging out the truth?” I try to reason with dad while my tears fall down on the floor. I'm panting now but my tears aren't running out.

Please Lord…. Let this be a nightmare, just like the others I'm used to have.

I stare up at dad with pleading eyes.

Dad eyes me coldly, the remorse totally gone from his eyes, replaced by annoyance. “I know you're trying to manipulate me otherwise, Rose but let me tell you, he has got the legal paperwork to prove the debt. It's out of my hand now.”

I must be dreaming. This has to be a nightmare. I want to wake up. This is the most terrifying dream I've ever had, if it is even a dream.

My whole world is falling down around me but I still can't grasp it. I don't believe it, I can't believe it, I will not believe it. My parents can't just hand me over like I'm a piece of property. They just can't!

I turn my head to stare at my mom desperately. “Mom, why aren't you stopping dad from doing this? He's going to just let these people take me!”

“I can't help you honey. They'll take me if you'll not go with them. Do you want them to take me instead?” Her response shocks me to my core. How could she even think like that...!? And then the shock starts transforming into rage as I keep staring at her beautiful face.

“That's the reason why…? I see.” I say through my teeth. “And it's okay if they take me away, right?”

My voice is as sharp as a knife, cutting through her bullshit.

They simply had a choice between themselves and me. As evident, they chose themselves over me.

My mom averts her eyes and concentrates on her cup of coffee.

I used to think that she's the bravest woman in this world, but looking at her right now, I think that she's the biggest coward. She can't even look me in the eye! I don't want to even remember why I had felt proud of her.

But really, I don't know why I'm so surprised. I should have known something like this would happen. Nothing remains stable in my life, ever. The more I run for finding peace, the more my fate drags me back to the chaos.

My own parents don't want me, not enough to fight for me. They never wanted me, just used me as they saw fit. I'm nothing more than a piece of property for them.

All the fighting and protests, disbelief and betrayal, leaves me hollow from inside out.

Suffering is written in my fate, I'll be paying for someone else's debt now. Could I've been assigned to a worse fate? At the moment, I don't think so.

I watch with defeated eyes as my parents sign some documents and leave me alone with the elderly man to do as he pleases.

My parents have just handed me over.

My whole world has fallen apart in front of my eyes.

I've lost everything in a matter of seconds.

My mind wanders back to the restaurant. I should have stayed with Jonathan, accepted his proposal. I would have been in his arms right now, safe and secure.

If only I had shown some courage and set aside all of my baggage for a second, I might have not been here.

Oh God! What have I done? And what am I supposed to do now?

Should I fight? What will that get me?

I struggle in the men's hold one last time before they can shove me out of my apartment. I don't get away from them but yes, I get a hard blow in my gut.

This is what I'll get for fighting, Pain so…. I give up.

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