Chapter 2

Jade’s POV

Sex slave? No, no, this can’t be happening right now. “Please, father, I’ll do anything you want right now! I don’t want to be a sex slave to anyone, please!” I begged, my voice trembling with desperation.

“Don’t call me that; I’m not your father!” He yelled. Tears streamed down my cheeks, each drop a testament to my fear and hopelessness. I could feel the weight of his anger pressing down on me, suffocating my spirit.

“I’ll be good, I promise! Just don’t do this to me!” I clutched my arms around myself, trying to shield my body from the pain and from the reality of my situation.

I knew I had to find a way to reach him, to make him see me as more than just a source of his frustration. “Go and get yourself cleaned up; you’d be leaving today, and I don’t want you looking like a mess.”

Hearing that I knew it was all planned that’s why Stormy and my stepdad looked frustrated. “And don’t even try to escape!” That was the last thing I heard my stepfather say before he walked out of the room, leaving me there.

I stood up from the ground and trudged back into the basement, where I was forced to stay. I slowly undressed, revealing the newest bruises to join the collection.

I couldn’t hold my tears as I looked at my body. I was malnourished and underfed, and because of that, I was always weak. My mind wandered back to happier times. My mother's warm smile, her gentle touch.

She passed away when I was just ten, leaving me with unanswered questions. My stepfather Atlas said she suffered from a long illness, but the details remained fuzzy.

After her passing, Atlas and Stormy treated me like trash. I became just the perfect target, the scapegoat for their frustrations. The basement was damp and dark, a reflection of my dwindling status.

I felt like a stranger in my own home, a mere spectator to the lives of those who once claimed to love me. From sleeping in the basement, I was deprived of eating good food as I was only given the leftovers most times.

As the years passed, I became a shadow of myself. Broken, battered, and forgotten. My dreams were reduced to mere fantasies, my future uncertain. I stayed all day crying in my room, thinking of how my life would have been if my mom was still alive.

And now being a sex slave to someone would be worse than death. And then it clicked that the one thing that could save me from this nightmare was death. I just couldn’t take it anymore. All I wanted right now was to be with my mom.

I remembered the insecticide I got recently, so I quickly put on fresh clothes and headed to the storeroom when I bumped into Stormy and my stepdad, their eyes gleaming with malice.

“And where are you going to? Wanna escape?” Stormy asked. “No..no..I was just heading to the storeroom to grab something,” I stammered.

Stormy suddenly moved closer to me, and with a swift movement, he tore off the gown I was wearing, making me stand naked in front of them, their eyes filled with disgust.

And then I stared at him, waiting for those words. “You’re filthy with so many bruises; do you think he’ll like her dad?” Stormy asked his father.

He spoke like he wasn’t responsible for most of my bruises. The tears I had been holding finally rolled down my cheeks as I sobbed. The one thing I tried escaping from was right in front of me now.

“Just give her the other dress; it’ll cover her bruises properly,” Atlas said, focusing on his phone.

“Take this, shower, and put it on." Stormy handed me the dress before shoving me aggressively, which made me fall to the ground. “Get out now!” He screamed.

I scurried to my feet, not wanting to make him more angry. I stood under the warm bathwater, trying to wash away the fear and anxiety. As I stepped out of the bath, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

The red dress Atlas provided hugged my curves, revealing a figure I never knew I had. It also hid most of my scars, a small mercy. I took a deep breath and stepped out of my room, bracing myself for Stormy's reaction.

His eyes widened as he gazed at me. 'Perfect,' he whispered, his voice husky. " He stepped closer, gently unwrapping my hand from around my body.

“This man you’re being sold to is deadly." Stormy's words pierced the air, his eyes cold and unwavering.

"Why am I being sold to such a dangerous person then?" My eyes pleaded for an escape, my heart racing with fear.

"Because you're on a mission to kill him, Jade," my stepdad's voice added to the chilling revelation as he approached Stormy and me. I was more than shocked; I was overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events.

"How do I kill a dangerous man when I'm weak?" I asked, my body trembling with uncertainty. "You'd have to do this if you want to be free again." Atlas's words hung heavily in the air, leaving me with a sense of dread and confusion.

I couldn't comprehend why they were putting me in this position, knowing deep down that I might get killed instead. “You see, me and this mafia lord had an altercation, and I also owe him a lot.”

“He’s ready to take everything that belongs to me, but the only way to avoid that is if he’s dead. And only someone very close to him can kill him,” he said, his voice low and urgent.

My pulse quickened, the weight of his words settling heavily on my chest. I glanced around the room, searching for an escape from the suffocating reality of the situation.

“And what if I get caught?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Atlas's gaze softened for a moment, a flicker of vulnerability breaking through his hardened exterior.

He brushed a strand of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear with a tenderness that felt out of place in our grim conversation. “Then that’s your cross to carry, Jade... All you have to do is don’t get caught,” he murmured.

“Do you understand?” I swallowed hard, the implications of his plan swirling in my mind. I understand I have no other choice. My life is over.

"Lastly, we can’t have you conscious, Jade,” Stormy whispered. And before I knew what was going on, he put his hand over my mouth. And then I felt it—a sharp prick in my arm.

I looked down and saw that he had injected me with something. I could feel my strength starting to fade. As the drug took effect, my vision began to blur. I felt myself slipping away, and I was powerless to stop it.

~~~~

"Hey Jade,” a voice called out, sending shivers down my spine the moment my eyes opened. I had been dreading this moment. My hands were finally free from the handcuffs, but my body remained frozen.

Then I heard the voice. It was familiar yet terrifying. But then, whoever this man was, his presence was showcasing more danger, power, and sex. My breath died in my throat the moment he stepped under the light, revealing his imposing figure.

He was tall and muscular with his dark hair, which had few white strands. My mind reeled as his gaze roamed over me. Eduardo Santini, my stepfather’s boss, is the most fearsome mafia in the city.

His eyes locked onto mine, a sly smile spreading. “Please.” I sobbed, not knowing what to say to him. I stood there, shattered, my world destroyed.

“Enough of the tears, darling; you look more beautiful than the last time I saw you." Eduardo said, breaking the silence as he walked to me.