The Billionaire's Revenge Bride

Bound by Blood

Aria Monroe's point of view

"Please don't do this to us, Dad."

The angry hits on the door got louder and shook the frame with each one. When I pressed my hands against it, my heart hit my ribs hard.

Some of them yelled, "Open this door before we break it!"

"Please..." "I'm crying because my grandmother is sick." "Don't wake her up."

"Then pay your dad back, princess," the man growled. "Or you'll both feel bad about it."

My knees gave out. I sobbed as I slid down the door. Grandma's soft coughs from her room made me feel like I couldn't do anything. It was not okay for them to hurt her. They couldn't take away the little honor we still had.

I grabbed my phone and, with shaking fingers, called my dad. He picked up after the fifth ring, but his voice was rough and hoarse.

He snapped, "What?"

"Dad, they're here," I mumbled as I wiped my tears away. “They come to collect debts. The door is being smashed. Tell me you're paying them, please.

It was impossible to hear him.

"Dad?" I choked.

He said in a low voice, "Just tell them I'm not there."

"Where are you?" I begged very hard.

He sighed deeply and said, "Out." "Aria, take care of it." "You're smart."

My chest got tight with anger and sadness. "Take care of it?" They said they would hurt us! It was said that you would stop gaming. Dad, you said you would!"

His voice got angry and sharp. "Girl, don't give me a speech. I wouldn't be so deeply in debt if it weren't for you and your sick grandma. Do you not believe that you are truly wonderful? You're always judging me.

"You don't have to worry, Dad"

He yelled, "Shut up!" "Be smart and figure it out on your own." "That's it."

The line stopped working.

The phone fell to the floor when I let go of it. As the guys outside kept banging, I pressed my face against the door and cried out loud.

"Aria?" Grandma called out from her room in a soft voice. "Hey, honey, what's going on?"

When I walked into her dark room, I quickly wiped my tears away and tried to smile. Her weak body looked even smaller under the blankets because she was propped up on her pillows.

I whispered, "Nothing, Grandma," and gently brushed her silver hair back. "Go back to sleep." "Everything is fine."

She made a weak frown. "You are sad."

"I'm not," I said. I cried and kissed her on the face. "I'm just worn out."

She fell back into a shallow sleep as her eyes fluttered shut again. I sat on the edge of her bed and looked at her wrinkly hands on the blanket.

Five hundred thousand dollars right away.

The words Ethan spoke hit me like icy arrows. When I closed my eyes, I could feel my soul breaking apart with shame and hopelessness.

I took out my phone and found his number. My shaking thumb was hovering over the call button.

A small voice in my head told me, "Don't do it."

Not as loud, though, was Grandma's hard breathing. Dad's mean words. The guys outside who were going to return tomorrow, or even worse, tonight.

I pressed the call button.

He picked up on the first ring.

His deep voice boomed through the speaker, "Ms. Monroe." Stay calm. Feeling sure. Killing.

Tears ran down my face as my chest heaved. I said in a whisper, "I'll do it."

Silence hung between us, making it hard to breathe. I then heard it. The weak sound of his breathing... and the cutest laugh.

His voice was low and smooth, like black silk, as he said, "Good girl."

My tears got worse. "Don't call me that."

He told her in a cold voice, "You'll get used to it." "Get your stuff together. "You're moving in tonight."

"Tonight?" I whispered, my throat getting tight with fear.

"Yes." Tomorrow morning, you become my fiancée. I do not want any delays.

I tried to keep my body from shaking as I wiped my tears with my arm. "What about Grandma?"

He told her, "She'll be taken care of." "She is going to have surgery next week."

Hope and shame were mixed up in my chest in a terrible way. I said in a whisper, "Thank you."

He told her, "Don't thank me." "This isn't kindness." It's your reward for being good.

His words made my stomach turn. "You are a monster."

He laughed softly. "And now you, Aria Monroe, are tied to the devil."

I forced myself not to cry. "Where do you want me to meet your driver?"

"Outside your apartment in half an hour." "Don't make him wait."

There was no more talk after he stopped the call.

I sat on the floor next to Grandma's bed and stared at the ceiling cracks while tears ran down my face. The men outside had already left, but I could still hear their threats.

Linked to the devil.

I sold myself to a man who used my pain as an advantage. A man who could say one word and break me. In the middle of all the fear and disgust, though, there was a hint of something darker.

Want.

Not because of his touch. For his strength.

That made me hate myself even more.

With numb hands, I got up, grabbed my bag, and started packing.

As I closed the zipper, Grandma woke up and whispered softly.

"Aria, who are you becoming?"

My tears were running down the handle of the bag as I gulped hard.

No, I wasn't brave enough to answer that question.