THE HEARTLESS ALPHA

Chapter 9: Broken in Public

Today I came to college after almost two days.

I didn’t want to. My heart wasn’t in it. But I didn’t have a choice.

The second I stepped onto campus, the air hit me like a wall. Thick. Suffocating.

"Alen? You came? You shouldn’t have. But since you’re here... come on."

An old classmate. We’d never been close, but she’d always been kind enough.

Then I saw them.

Posters. Everywhere. Massive.

ALEN’S FATHER SOLD HIS DAUGHTER. THE GIRL FOR SALE.

My name. My father. On display.

My blood went cold. And then I saw him.

Reyan.

Standing across the courtyard with that slow, cruel smile. The kind that tells you he’s been waiting for this.

Before I could breathe, Bela and the rest of their group were circling me. Like vultures.

"Wow," one of them said, loud enough for the whole crowd. "Your dad really is shameless. Sold you for cash. That’s all he wanted, huh?"

"If he needed money, he should’ve worked for it," Reyan added. "Instead he puts his daughter on the market. There’s a limit to how low you can go."

My mind blanked. My heart started hammering against my ribs.

"What are you talking about?" My voice cracked. "What is this?"

Reyan spread his arms like he was presenting me.

"Look at her. Playing innocent. She made the deal herself. 'Pay me and I’m yours.' You named your price, Alen."

"That’s a lie!" The words tore out of me. "I don’t know anything about this. My father would never. He would never sell me to someone like you. This is a setup."

I forced my tears back and stared him down.

"And you? Why were you at the hospital? Who called you?"

Reyan sighed, like I was the problem.

"Look at this. I go to check on her, and her father hands her over to me right there. And now she wants to act innocent. Her father will deny it too, I’m sure. But I came prepared."

He lifted a paper. A contract.

The ground fell out from under me.

"You’re lying. You planned this."

Laughter erupted around us.

"You can’t deny it. Your father signed it. In front of witnesses. You sold yourself."

"Yesterday she was acting like a princess," someone called out. "Today she’s for sale."

"If her own father put a price tag on her, what dignity is left?" another voice added.

Reyan wasn’t done.

"The signature is there, Alen. Your father’s. Yours, too, by proxy."

Humiliation burned through me. I wanted the floor to open and swallow me whole. My chest hurt. My eyes burned. But I refused to cry in front of them.

"Is this even real? This is part of your game. Rich people think they can buy anything. But you can’t buy pride. And you will regret this. You will pay."

Reyan laughed.

"I knew you’d say that. That’s why I have legal copies. Court stamped. The law is with me, not you."

I couldn’t stay.

I turned and ran.

Behind me, Reyan’s laughter followed.

"How long will you run, Alen? You’ll end up with me. I’ll be at your house soon. With a court notice. You can’t pretend you don’t belong to me."

───

I didn’t know where I was going.

I just ran. Away from his voice. Away from the crowd. Away from myself.

My legs were weak. My chest felt like it was being crushed. Tears kept falling no matter how hard I wiped them.

People stared.

"She looks depressed."

A phone camera flashed in my direction.

I didn’t stop.

Then a horn.

"HOOONK!!"

I didn’t look.

A black car was coming straight at me. Fast.

"ALEN!!"

A hand fisted in the back of my shirt and yanked me back.

SCREECH.

Brakes.

I hit the pavement hard.

The driver cursed and sped off. People gathered around me.

I sat there with my face in my hands and fell apart. My whole body shook. I was empty.

I knew what Reyan had done. I knew he’d tricked my father. But I had no proof. And without proof, I had nothing.

That’s what helplessness does. It takes your dignity and makes you watch.

Then shoes stopped in front of me. Clean. Expensive.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

I looked up.

James.

For the first time, anger and worry were on his face at the same time.

He was breathing hard. He’d just pulled me out of the way of a car.

He took in my messy hair, my ruined makeup, my shaking hands.

His voice was quiet.

"Get up. Come home. Tell me what happened."

I shook my head.

"I don’t want to talk to anyone. I don’t trust anyone. And you... you’re probably here for the same reason as everyone else."

I hated him. I hated all of them.

James didn’t argue. He just sat down on the road next to me.

Took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders.

I looked at him.

There was real sympathy in his eyes. No mockery.

But there was something else too. A strange light. I glanced around. No one else seemed to notice. How could they not?

A chill ran down my spine. I stood up too fast and ran. I needed to get away from him.

───

I barely made it to my front gate before I heard shouting.

Inside, Reyan was standing in my living room. Two police officers behind him.

That same contract in his hand. That same smile.

My father stood opposite him. Face red. Hands shaking.

Later I learned the truth. The second I left college, Reyan called the police. Then he drove straight here. Every step was planned.

"Well," Reyan said when he saw me. "There she is. I’ve been waiting."

My stomach dropped. I moved behind my father.

I knew how this worked. In a world owned by money, the truth doesn’t matter if you’re poor.

Reyan raised his voice.

"Let’s keep this simple. Hand your daughter over. The contract says she’s mine. I can do whatever I want."

He smiled.

"Or pay back the amount in the contract. With interest."

The number was impossible. Even if my father sold everything, it wouldn’t be enough. Reyan had calculated that.

"You liar," my father shouted. "I never took that money. I never sold her. You’re destroying her."

Reyan held the paper out to the officers.

"Signature. Court attested. They’re both denying it now. If we don’t settle today, I’ll file charges. Reputation gone. Jail time."

One officer cut in.

"Settle it. You have two days. Either the girl goes with him, or you return the money. Or we’ll see you in court."

I couldn’t breathe.

"Dad, no. This is a lie. He planned this. I’m not his."

Reyan leaned in and whispered, just for me.

"I called them the minute you left. Wherever you go, I’m there. Two days, Alen. Then I’m coming for you."

He left. The officers followed.

The door closed. I dropped to my knees.

"Dad... what are we going to do? He’s not going to stop."

My father pulled me into his arms. His eyes were wet. His jaw was tight.

"I won’t let him take you. I’ll figure something out."

But I knew.

We had no money. No power. No connections.

Two days.

That night I didn’t sleep. Every sound made me think Reyan was at the door.

Then a knock.

I opened it.

Zooi.

My chest tightened.

I tried to shut the door. She stopped it with her hand and stepped inside. Bag in hand. Tired. Eyes red.

"Alen," she said softly.

I turned away.

"Why are you here? What now? I know you don’t care about me. So skip the act and say what you want."

She sat on the floor in front of me and reached for my hand. I pulled back.

She paused.

"I know what you think of me. And you’re right. I haven’t been the mother you deserved."

Tears slipped down my face. Now you realize that?

"But I do care," she continued. "About you. About your father. Maybe I never showed it. Maybe I was dealing with my own mess."

My father stood in the doorway, silent.

Zooi opened her bag and pulled out papers.

"I have a way to fix this."

My heart jumped.

"What kind of way?" I whispered.