Chapter One: Sold
1088 Words
ELENA
“Elena come downstairs”
I should have known something was wrong when my father actually called me by my name.
Not girl. Not burden. Not mistake.
Elena.
My fingers tightened around the frayed strap of my schoolbag as I stood at the top of the grand staircase, my stomach twisting into knots. Below, my father, John Carter sat in his leather chair, a glass of whiskey in his hand, his facial expression as indifferent as ever. My stepmother, Alice perched beside him, her perfectly manicured fingers tracing lazy circles on the armrest. My stepsisters giggled behind their phones, whispering.
And then I saw him.
The stranger.
A man too powerful, too refined, too dangerous to be sitting in our shabby living room. He wore a tailored suit, his dark hair perfectly styled, his presence effortlessly commanding. His gaze lifted, pinning me in place, and my breath caught in my throat.
I knew who he was. Everyone does.
Alexander Rodriguez. Billionaire CEO. A man who could buy and sell people with a single phone call.
"Come here, "my father ordered, and like a puppet on strings, I obeyed.
The closer I got, the colder the air seemed to become. I could feel the weight of the stranger's stare, analyzing, calculating.
"She's younger than I expected, "he murmured, his voice smooth but devoid of emotion.
"She's eighteen,"my father replied, waving a dismissive hand. "That's all that matters."
That's all that matters.
Like I was nothing more than an age on a piece of paper.
My heart pounded in my chest. I opened my mouth to ask what was happening, but before I could speak, my father slid a thick envelope across the table toward the billionaire.
"The contract is ready, "my father said. "She's yours now.”
This must be a nightmare. I pinched myself to be sure and winced quietly at the pain.
This is real
My eyes darted around the room fussily in fear until I made eye contact with Alexander and was rewarded with an evil smirk.
My hands curled into fists. I wanted to scream, to fight but the weight of the situation pressed down on my chest like a boulder.
“The engagement is in two days and the wedding is in a week” my father said.
Two days. A week
This is happening so fast
“You will move into my house tomorrow” Alexander said and left the house
He wasn't telling, he was commanding.
I barely registered the cruel satisfaction on my father's face and the smug look Alice and my stepsisters shared.
Writer's POV
Elena looked at her father with a look full of pain and disgust. The man have never looked at her with love but tonight he looked at her as if she was nothing more than a business transaction.
“You're selling me” Elena said fighting the tremor in her voice
Alice let out a soft chuckle, “Selling is such an ugly word, think of it as securing your future.
Her stepsisters, Isabelle and Rose, sat beside their mother, watching as if it was their personal entertainment.
Rose smirked, “Honestly Elena, you should be grateful. You will be rich, married to one of the most powerful men in the country. Some girls will kill for this opportunity”.
Elena’s stomach twisted in disgust. An arranged marriage to a stranger. A ruthless billionaire CEO. A man eight years older than her.
“Why are you doing this to me?” Elena asked facing her Alice
Alice tilted her head, feigning sympathy, “Darling, you were never meant to stay here. You are just like your miserable mother and you don't belong here like her”.
Elena's breath hitched. Every word was meant to hurt, to remind her that she was unwanted.
She turned back to her father
“Why him?” She asked, her voice barely above a whisper
“Because I owe him”
Owe him?
Before she could ask more, John pushed back his chair and stood.
“ Enough of this, you will meet Alexander tomorrow. Until then, stay out of trouble”
Stay out of trouble. As if she had anywhere to go.
Elena didn't protest as her father left the room, followed by Alice and her stepsisters. She stood there for a moment as hot tears rolled her cheeks. With a heavy heart she knew—
Her Fate was sealed
The next day, Elena found herself sitting in the back of a sleek black car, her hands clenched in her lap as the city blurred past the tinted windows. She had barely slept last night, her mind racing with every worst case scenario.
What kind of man agrees to marry a girl he does love?
Her heart pounded as the car pulled up to an imposing white mansion– The Rodriguez’s Mansion. The second most expensive and beautiful mansion in the United States of America after the President’s White House.
The driver opened the car and Elena stepped out feeling impossibly small beneath the large building. Her troubled mind didn't give the chance to look around or admire the house. She forced her legs and followed to the driver who guided her to the entrance of the mansion.
The door swung open revealing the Rodriguez family aside from Alex.
“Welcome my child, how was the journey?” Caroline, Alex's mom asked flashing a smile at Elena and hugging her afterwards.
“Good evening ma” Elena greeted respectfully and managed to put up a smile
“Welcome to the family, Elena” Damon, Alex's father said and gave her a smile which she reciprocated.
“Hi, I am Katherine, Kat for short, I am Alex’s sister. Welcome” Kat said and gave Elena a sweet smile.
“Nice to meet you, I am Elena”
“And this is Ashley”Kat introduced
Elena gave Ashley a smile and Ashley just hissed and left
The atmosphere was awkward for a moment until Damon broke it
“Where is Alex?”
“Upstairs in his room” Kat said
Damon shocked his head in disapproval and sighed
“Kat, why don't you take Elena to her room and help her settle down” Caroline said and Kat nodded.
Kat and Elena climbed the grand staircase, and got to the third room by the right
“This is your room” Kat said
She opened the room and Elena’s breath almost stopped as she stepped into the room.
- Writer
