Mafia's stubborn wife

Elara Cole's POV The weather outside was cold, but what I was feeling inside was far colder. My heart pounded violently against my chest as I stared at my father, trying to process the words that had just come out of his mouth. The tension in the room was unbearable, and even my mother, who was usually calm no matter the situation, was breathing heavily beside me. "What do you mean by that?" I asked, my voice filled with anger. Moments ago, he had casually informed us that he had borrowed a huge sum of money from an unknown man, and since he couldn't repay the debt, he had offered me as collateral. Me. His daughter. His only child. "That's insane, Dad!" I snapped. "I'm not doing it. You took the loan, so you should be the one to pay it back, not me!" My hands clenched into fists at my sides. I had always known my father was selfish, but this was beyond selfishness. Years ago, he had lost the company he spent most of his life building, and after that, everything changed. The loving father I once knew slowly disappeared, replaced by a bitter man who blamed everyone for his failures, especially Mom and me. No matter how hard we tried to support him, it was never enough. Foolishly, I had spent years hoping he would change. Hoping he would become the father I remembered—the man who carried me on his shoulders, read me bedtime stories, and promised he would always protect me. Looking at him now, I couldn't recognize that man anymore. "How could you, Daniel?" Mom asked, her voice trembling as tears filled her eyes. She wasn't someone who cried easily, which made the sight even more painful. "She's your child, for goodness' sake. Your only child." For a brief moment, I hoped my father would show some remorse, but instead he scoffed. "I know she's my child," he replied coldly. "That's exactly why I used her as collateral. I had nothing else valuable to offer." His words hit me harder than any physical blow ever could. Valuable. That was all I was to him. Not a daughter. Not family. Just something valuable enough to trade away. The realization made my chest ache. Did he ever truly love me? Had all those childhood memories meant anything to him at all? Before anyone could say another word, a loud crash echoed through the house. The front door burst open, and four men dressed entirely in black stepped inside. The atmosphere changed instantly. These weren't ordinary men. Their movements were controlled, disciplined, and intimidating. My mother gasped while my father immediately looked away, confirming what I already suspected—he knew they were coming. One of the men stepped forward. Judging by the way the others stood behind him, he was clearly their leader. "We were sent by Mr. Damon," he announced. "Since the agreed payment wasn't made on time, we've come to collect his bride." His eyes locked onto mine, but I refused to look away. "No," I said firmly. His expression remained unchanged. "I advise you to come peacefully." "I said no." His gaze hardened. "Please don't make this difficult." I crossed my arms and glared at him. "You'll have to drag me out of here." A flicker of irritation crossed his face before he turned to his men. "Seize her." The moment those words left his mouth, chaos erupted. The first man charged at me without hesitation, clearly believing I would be easy to subdue. Before he could even grab me, I stepped forward and drove my fist straight into his nose. A sickening c***k echoed through the room, followed by a scream of pain as blood gushed down his face. The others froze for a second, surprised by my reaction, but that second was all I needed. The man closest to me threw a punch at my jaw. I ducked beneath it and slammed my elbow into his ribs. I felt something c***k beneath the impact. He doubled over, gasping for air, and I followed up with an uppercut that sent him crashing onto the floor. "Get her!" their leader barked. Three more men rushed me at once. The first aimed a kick at my stomach. I caught his leg and twisted it sharply, forcing him off balance before driving my knee into his chest. He hit the floor with a groan while another attacker wrapped his arms around me from behind. I reacted instantly, throwing my head backward and smashing it into his face. I heard a crunch followed by a howl of pain as his grip loosened. Spinning around, I landed a hard punch across his cheek, sending him stumbling into a shelf. The shelf collapsed under his weight, books and decorations crashing down on top of him. Another attacker grabbed a chair and swung it at me. I jumped aside just as it shattered against the wall, splinters flying everywhere. Before he could recover, I rushed forward and planted a kick squarely in his chest, sending him flying backward onto the broken remains of the chair. The living room quickly became a disaster zone. Tables were overturned, picture frames lay shattered on the floor, and broken glass covered almost every surface. My mother stood frozen in horror while my father watched with wide eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing.Neither of them knew about the training. More men poured into the house, apparently deciding the first group wasn't enough. I wiped blood from the corner of my mouth and raised my fists. "Come on then," I challenged, my voice filled with defiance. Two attacked at the same time. I ducked beneath one punch while blocking the other. My fist shot forward, connecting with one man's throat and forcing him to his knees. The second tried tackling me, but I sidestepped him and sent him crashing into the coffee table. The table broke apart beneath him. A sharp pain exploded across my shoulder as someone landed a punch from behind, causing me to stumble. Before he could strike again, I caught his wrist, twisted it, and threw him over my shoulder. His body slammed into the floor with enough force to shake the room. For a brief moment, the men hesitated. Several of their companions were already sprawled across the floor groaning in pain. I was breathing heavily now. My knuckles were bruised, my lip was bleeding, and every muscle in my body ached, but I refused to stop. No one was taking me anywhere. One particularly large man stepped forward, towering over everyone else. Without warning, he lunged and his fist slammed into my ribs before I could fully dodge. Pain exploded through my side and I staggered backward. The giant pressed forward, throwing another punch. I slipped beneath it and drove three quick strikes into his stomach, but he barely flinched. This one was different. He grabbed my arm and attempted to throw me across the room. Using his momentum against him, I twisted my body and sent him crashing into a wooden cabinet instead. The cabinet shattered on impact. The giant roared in anger and charged again, but before either of us could make another move, an overwhelming presence suddenly filled the room. The atmosphere changed instantly.A strange feeling crawled down my spine. Instinct screamed at me that someone dangerous was standing behind me. Someone far stronger than the men I had been fighting. I spun around, but I wasn't fast enough. A sharp pain exploded at the side of my neck. My eyes widened as numbness spread through my body. The room tilted, and my vision blurred. Whatever had hit me wasn't normal. I fought desperately to stay conscious, but my body stopped responding. The sounds around me became distant and muffled. The last thing I saw was my mother screaming my name as she tried to reach me, only to be restrained by two men. Tears streamed down her face while my father stood frozen, doing absolutely nothing. Darkness slowly consumed my vision, and just before I lost consciousness completely, I felt strong arms lifting me from the floor and carrying me toward the entrance. Then everything went black.