Chapter Nine
1139 Words
Lucia's POV
I had no idea how long I'd been in this room. Two days, I don't even know anymore. I completely lost track of time.
But hey, at least I could move now.
My ankle was still chained up tight, but I could at least walk around a few feet in the room before the metal restraints held me captive.
I hadn't showered since I'd arrived. I smelled, really smelled. My hair was in knots, my skin was sticky and felt oily, and I looked like a slob.
Nobody had come into my room since this weird, silent woman with the kind face would drop breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
She never even looked at me, just dropped the tray off on the table and left.
I haven't seen Damien's since; he analysed me.
My stomach always flipped whenever I thought about it. But still, at least I ate three times a day, enough to survive.
The door suddenly clicked and opened up. A whole bunch of women came inside the room, and without speaking a word to me, they all grabbed onto me and pulled me to my feet.
The woman who was in my room this morning had unlocked my chains around my ankle.
I felt a small glimmer of hope and was about to run, then the other women took control, and I practically passed out from weakness.
I am way too tired and weak even to try anything. I am injected with some sort of substance every single day, and it makes me so tired, and my head feels so heavy all the time.
Sometimes I feel like I could sleep for days; even if I wanted to escape, I can't. They pulled me into another room, where I could smell the strong scent of streams.
There was a huge bath in the middle of the room, and without saying anything, the women proceeded to wipe the dirt and blood from my skin.
They said absolutely nothing as they continued washing my body like some kind of product.
One woman then came out with a fitted red dress.
It clung to my body like a second skin, and the material rubbed against me, which I really hated.
It just didn't feel like my own clothing. It was one more reminder that I have absolutely no control over any aspect of my life.
They finished off my hair and put it down so that it falls over my shoulders neatly.
Another woman puts light makeup on my face, and then one of them pulls a mirror towards me.
I barely recognize the woman staring back at me in the mirror.
She was gorgeous, but her eyes were vacant and empty, like she had already given up on her life.
They walk me back to my cage, where the usual sight is waiting for me to be confined once again.
I get pushed in, and the door closes with the sound of metal clicking and clanking again with the chain.
Once the chains are placed around my wrists and ankles, the familiar weight rests on my body, and then, black cloth covers the cage and darkness envelopes me completely.
I cannot see where I'm going. The only thing I can hear is the wheels of the cage rolling, carrying me further and further away towards another unknown destination.
As soon as I arrived at my destination, the black cover that covered my cage was pulled away.
Bright lights immediately pierced through my eyes, forcing me to blink several times until my vision adjusted.
This room was different and smaller.
There were fewer people than in the previous auditorium.
Fifty men, perhaps, more or less. My eyes slowly darted around the room, my heart beating more and more violently each second.
This room excluded luxury; crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and their lights reflected off the shiny marble floor
The walls were adorned with magnificent paintings, and a mixture of luxurious colognes with the scent of champagne permeated the room.
All men wore perfectly tailored, expensive suits. Some were casually sipping champagne; others were still and focused their eyes on me.
Not one of them had a smile, nor did they look away.
I knew instantly that it wasn't the same place as before, where Sofia and Amara were bid on.
This was a private party, and if I'm correct, it should be in the same building.
An elite auction.
A different host appeared on stage, adjusted his suit before picking up the microphone. He smiled at the audience.
“Gentlemen,” he began, “Welcome!”
Tonight's guest is available for one night only.” Low chuckles erupted throughout the room.
“This isn't just a guest; this is Lucia Romano, the only survivor of the fallen Romano Empire”.
My breath hitched; I looked at the faces around me, and some I recognized; the majority of them I didn't.
My father had a lot of enemies, which meant I was at a dead end, and I recognized some of their faces.
Although I was afraid, I was gradually accepting my destiny; there's no escaping this, or escaping Damien.
Because whatever he had planned in his mind for me, I had no way out. I gulped, trying to control the pounding of my heart.
“The opening bid starts at five hundred and five million dollars.”
The room became noisy.
“Six hundred million...”
I didn't know how long the bidding was going on, but I zoned out.
The numbers continued to increase, higher and higher. Each voice twisted my stomach tighter.
I could not force myself to look at the men who were bidding.
I already lost my mafia princess status; I was no longer Lucia Romano, one of the most dangerous mafia families in Italy.
I was just a prize, a slut, a possession, and another woman in a cage.
I squeezed my eyes shut, praying for this to end.
A deep voice pierced through the silence of the room. All fell silent.
Not another soul made a noise. Even the host looked surprised.
That voice, it oddly sounded familiar.
So familiar, I was sure I had definitely heard it before, but where?
I furrowed my brows, racking my brain.
Who was it?
Why did it sound so familiar?
The host cleared his throat.
“Two billion dollars…” he surveyed the crowd one last time.
“Any higher bids?”
Silence.
“Two billion dollars.” he raised the gavel.
“Sold.”
A moment of pause, “....to Mr. Giovanni Luigi.”
The name reverberated in my ears, and my entire body froze.
My eyes shot up immediately, searching the room madly until my eyes fell on a familiar face.
The instant I saw him, sheer terror consumed me.
- Writer
