Chapter 2: Scars with no face
1097 Words
The door clicked open the next morning.
Isabella shot to her feet, heart hammering. A tall bodyguard led her through the luxurious hallways without a word. Hope flickered in her chest — maybe her father had come to take her home.
The moment she entered the sunlit sitting room and saw him, she ran straight into his arms.
"Dad!" She buried her face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent that had always meant safety. "You came… You're here to take me home, right?" He didn't hug her back.
His hands rested stiffly on her shoulders as he pushed her away gently. Isabella's world tilted.
"Isabella…" His voice was tired. He couldn't even look at her. "This is your home now."
Her smile froze and died. "What?"
"You're might be getting married," he said quietly. "To Rafael."
The words hit her like a slap. Isabella staggered backward.
"No… Dad, please tell me this is a joke. You wouldn't…" Her voice broke. This was the man who had held her every night after her mother died. The man who promised he would always protect her.
"I am sorry, baby," he said, already turning away.
"Dad..."
Isabella whispered. She stood there long after he left, completely numb. Her breath came in sharp, uneven gasps. It was as if the walls were closing in, squeezing the air from her lungs. The sound of her own broken breathing filled the room — loud, ragged, pathetic. Her knees buckled. For a terrifying second, she thought she would collapse. But she only sank slowly to the cold floor, shaking violently, both hands pressed hard against her chest as if she could physically stop her heart from shattering.
"How could you do this to me, Dad?"
The humiliation burned worse than the fear. Her own father — the man she had trusted more than anyone — had sold her like a piece of furniture. She couldn't speak. She could only cry silent, endless tears that soaked her wrinkled dress.
Later that night, the door opened again. The two maids entered with trays of food.
One of them, Eva, took one look at Isabella's tear-streaked face and let out a bitter laugh.
"He sold you too, didn't he?"
The other maid frowned. "Stop it, Eva. You were once like her. Don't forget that."
She stepped closer and placed the tray gently beside Isabella. "Eat something, please. Stop crying."
Isabella stared at the food for a second, then suddenly flung the entire tray across the room with a cry. Plates shattered. Food splattered everywhere.
"I'm not hungry!" she shouted, her voice cracking. "I need to leave this place!"
The room fell silent.
The calmer maid looked at her with deep sadness. "You can't," she whispered. "All the girls who tried to escape… were killed. Mercilessly." Her voice trembled. "I was sold here with my sister. She tried to run… and that beast, Luca murdered her right in front of me." She quickly wiped her tears and left the room. Cold chills went down Isabella's spine.
Eva lingered for a moment, shrugging. "You should just hope Master Rafael picks you as his wife. Even if it's bad… it's still better than being a maid like us. Getting f****d around."
Then she was gone too.
Isabella sat alone in the silence, staring at the mess she had made. On the outside she was quiet, but inside, a storm of rage and despair raged.
"No. I will not accept this life." She said to herself.
That same night, the girls were called one by one into Rafael's room. Like properties for sale. Rafael who had been unmarried for long after he had lost his wife, decided to take another wife.
Her stomach twisted violently as hunger and fear mixed together. She pressed a hand against her stomach trying to be steady as the guards led her down the dimly lit corridor.
Every step toward the door felt heavier than the last. When the security opened it, a wave of smoke and darkness greeted her. The room was thick with smoke, alcohol, and raw power. Rafael sat like a king. Beside him stood Luca — the same man who had manhandled her earlier. His eyes were cold and dangerous.
"Come closer," Luca ordered.
Isabella shook her head, rooted in place.
Before she could react, Luca grabbed her roughly and dragged her forward. She screamed as he threw her down at Rafael's feet. Pain exploded in her knees. He yanked her up by her hair, forcing her to look at Rafael.
Rafael leaned forward and touched her face. His fingers felt like ice. "Don't touch me!" Isabella snarled, twisting in pain.
But Luca tightened his grip, forcing her still.
Rafael only smiled. Then he laughed softly.
Like everything happening was entertainment.
He took a slow sip of his vodka. And then said: "I want this one," he said calmly. The words dropped like a verdict.
Isabella's eyes widened in horror. "Not me! Never! Let me go!"
She struggled wildly against Luca's iron grip, but it was useless. Rafael only watched with dark amusement, a smirk playing on his lips.
She was dragged out and thrown into a more luxurious room. The moment Luca released her, Isabella spun around and punched him hard in the face.
He barely reacted.
Then, in one swift motion, he grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall. Isabella gasped for air, choking.
"I am not Rafael," Luca said coldly, his face inches from hers.
Isabella stared into his eyes with pure defiance, even as tears streamed down her face.
"Then kill me," she rasped. "I'd rather die."
For a long moment, Luca just stared at her — blank, unreadable. Then he released her neck and walked out without another word.
The door slammed shut.
Isabella slid down the wall, curling into a ball as fresh sobs tore through her body. Everything hurt — her knees, her neck, her heart.
A few minutes later, the door opened again. Sarah, one of the other girls, walked in.
"He chose me too…" Isabella whispered, collapsing into Saraha's arms.
"Yes... I was assigned as your personal maid." This made Isabella cry even more.
Sarah held her tightly.
She pulled back, gripping Sarah's shoulders, her eyes fierce despite the tears.
"I had a life. I had someone I loved. We were supposed to leave together today…" Her voice broke. "I can't stay, Sarah. No matter what it takes. Even if I die trying."
Sarah looked at her with fear and pity, but slowly nodded. "There is one way."
- Writer
