Chapter 4: Warning

I forced myself to stay still, fighting the urge to wrap my arms around myself. The examination room, despite its state-of-the-art equipment and pristine surfaces, felt more like an auction house where goods were inspected before sale.

"Blood pressure normal. No signs of previous injuries or conditions." The doctor spoke directly to Daisy, as if I wasn't even there. "Physical condition exceptional, as expected from an athlete."

I might as well have been a prized horse being evaluated for breeding. The thought made bile rise in my throat.

Daisy nodded. "And the other requirements?"

"All clear." The doctor handed her a sealed envelope. "She meets all specifications."

Specifications. Like I was a product with a checklist of features. I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood, using the sharp pain to keep my expression neutral.

"Excellent." Daisy's smile didn't reach her eyes. "You can get dressed now, Jasmine."

My hands shook as I pulled my clothes back on.

The Bentley glided through streets, its tinted windows separating us from the outside world. Daisy sat beside me, tapping away at her phone. I stared at my reflection in the window, barely recognizing myself.

"The dress fitting is next," Daisy announced without looking up. "Bergdorf's has cleared their bridal suite for us."

I wanted to scream that I didn't want their dresses, their money, their false luxury built on violence. Instead, I asked quietly, "Do I have any say in what I wear?"

Daisy's laugh. "Oh, darling. You'll learn that everything we do is for your own good. The Mitchell name carries certain expectations."

The rest of the ride passed in silence.I turned back to the window, catching my reflection in the glass. I barely recognized myself. My hair had been styled, my face made up. I thinking of Thomas and our last conversation, what would he think if he could see me now?

The store staff swarmed around us the moment we entered. Dress after dress was brought out.

"Turn around," Daisy commanded.

I did as I was told, rotating slowly as salespeople circled me like vultures, discussing my body as if I weren't even there.

"Her shoulders are perfect for this silhouette."

"With her skin tone, the ivory is better than pure white."

"The train length is ideal with her height."

This was the fifth wedding dress I'd tried on, each more elaborate than the last. The weight of the beaded bodice felt like chains, the delicate lace like a web trapping me.

Daisy tilted her head, studying me critically. "Yes, this is the one. It projects exactly the image we want."

I stared at my reflection in the three-way mirror. A stranger looked back at me – a stranger draped in white silk and tulle.

Back at the mansion, Daisy paused in the foyer. "Tomorrow, we'll select the wedding cake. If you continue to behave appropriately, you may even have some input in the choice."

She spoke to me like I was a child being offered a treat for good behavior.

"Thank you," I forced out.

"Your wedding will be the social event of the season," she continued. "The Mitchell family does everything to perfection."

Including buying teenage girls? I wanted to ask. But I remembered William's threats and kept silent.

In my room, I sat on the window seat, pressing my forehead against the cool glass.

I thought of Thomas. How much I wished I could talk to him right now. He knew me better than anyone, and even from far away, I knew he could comfort me. But I couldn't be that selfish. By Saturday, I would belong to this place, wearing a name I never wanted. I couldn't hurt him more than I already had. He needed to forget me.

Sitting alone on the bed, restlessness crept over me. I had to do something, anything. I couldn't want me to stay locked in my room all day. The hallway outside was quiet as I slipped out, following the grand corridor until I found myself in what appeared to be a combination of dining and living room.

The space was immaculately decorated, but what caught my eye were the family photos lining one wall. I moved closer, studying the faces. In the largest portrait, I recognized Daisy and her husband Richard, standing proudly with their children - two handsome sons and a beautiful daughter.

Movement caught my eye. A maid was dusting the frames, her movements quick and efficient. She turned, and I saw her name tag: Ruby.

"Hi," I said softly. "Could you tell me which one is Louis?"

She pointed to a photo where he stood alone in a suit, looking exceptionally captivating.

I found myself staring at the photograph longer than I had intended.

Even in a photo, Louis Mitchell commanded attention—his sharp cheekbones contrasted with his clean-shaven face, his honey-tinted skin and full pink lips looked inviting, his straight nose, and that thick dark brown hair. A simple haircut, longer on top, giving it volume. He had to be at least 6'4", wearing a fitted black suit of some designer make, paired with a silver-gray tie. His muscles filled out the suit, his shoulders broad.

I can't deny that he's handsome, even if I'm a little nervous just looking at this picture, and if he wasn't my buyer, I think I'd be smitten with him.

"What's he like?" I asked before I could stop myself. "Louis, I mean."

Ruby’s gentle smile vanished in an instant. Her hands began to move rapidly and anxiously, warning me not to ask such questions. The fear that flashed in her eyes made my stomach churn with a swarm of butterflies.

“I just wanted to—” I started to explain, but Ruby quickly shook her head, pressing her finger to her lips in a gesture for silence. When she tried to express herself again, her hands trembled.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you’re trying to say…” I paused, watching her mouth open.

Fear rooted me to the spot. In the place where her tongue should have been, there was only an empty void. Why was this happening? That emptiness felt like a black hole, swallowing me whole.

“What happened?” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

Ruby’s hands shook as she mimicked speaking, then made a slicing motion across her mouth. Her eyes were filled with tears as she pointed to her missing tongue and then gestured to her mouth again. The message was painfully clear—she had said something she shouldn’t have, and this was her punishment; her tongue had been cut out.

My heart raced so violently that I could barely breathe. Is this the true face of the Mitchell family? Is this what they do to those who speak out of turn?

If I did something they deemed inappropriate, would they treat me the same way, severing my body parts as they did with Ruby? Jesus, I felt like I had stumbled into a hell!

I had to get out of here! I still had my dreams; I couldn’t sit back and wait for my fate. But how could I escape? Every window I saw had surveillance cameras, every door was guarded. They were monitoring my every move.

Ruby grasped my arm tightly, her eyes filled with warning, then hurried away. I stood there, dazed, staring at the photo of Louis on the wall. Even his handsome face couldn’t offer me solace now. In less than a week, I would be marrying him. Marrying into this family made me feel like I was plunging into an ice pit.

I had to find a way to escape.