Chained to Desire

My heart sank as I realized what my father was saying to us. I felt frozen, unable to move or speak, as his words echoed in my mind. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice trembling. "I...I failed as a father and a husband." "No, there must be another way!" my mother exclaimed, her voice laced with desperation. "We can't just give up everything, Jordan! How about our daughter's future? You promised us a better life, and now you've thrown it all away!" Her words hung heavily in the air, and I could feel the weight of their disappointment bearing down on him. I glanced up at my father, tears streamed down his face, and I knew that he was just as devastated as my mother. My heart sank as I gazed upon our house. I couldn't believe that everything my father had worked for was slipping away so easily. Where should we go now? What would happen to us? Am I never gonna reach my dreams? "How much do you owe him?" I finally spoke, my gaze fixed on my father. My mother turned to him as well, her expression expectant. But my father couldn't meet our eyes, his own gaze flickering away as he mumbled a response. "It's...it's more than I can handle," he said, his voice strained with shame and regret. "I didn't mean for it to get this bad. I just...I thought I could handle it." My heart sank at his words, a wave of sadness washing over me. My father had always been the one we turned to for support, the one who had always been there for us no matter what. And now, he was struggling, weighed down by a debt that he couldn't repay. I didn't know what to say, how to offer comfort or advice. All I knew was that we had to find a way to help him, to support him in his time of need. And I was determined to do whatever it took to make that happen. With that thought in mind, I reached out and took my father's hand, squeezing it gently. "We'll figure this out," I said, my voice soft but firm. "We'll find a way to make it right." My mother let out an exasperated sigh and began to remove her jewelry. "I can't believe I have to sell these," she said with a heavy heart. Unable to bear seeing my mother in tears, I stood up abruptly. As I made my way towards the door, my father called out to me, his voice heavy with regret. "Viv, I'm sorry," he said, his words filled with a deep sense of shame. I turned to face him, my heart heavy with emotion. For a moment, I couldn't find the words to answer, so I simply stood there, looking at him with a mixture of sadness and compassion. Finally, I found my voice. "It's okay, Dad," I said softly. "We'll get through this together." And with those words of reassurance, I left. As I entered the room, a woman in a black dress approached me with a surprised expression on her face. "Viviana! I never thought I'd see you here," she exclaimed. "Excuse me, do we know each other?" I asked, puzzled. She let out a snort, and I could smell the pungent scent of alcohol on her breath. "Who wouldn't know you? You're the heiress of Sandoval Group," she replied, her words slurring slightly. I shifted uncomfortably, suddenly feeling self-conscious. It wasn't somewhere I should have been, and I didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to myself. This vile place was not meant for someone like me, and I regretted ever coming here in the first place, but I need to do something- to save my family. "Now, what is a princess doing in a place meant for slaves?" I was caught off guard by the question. Looking around, I took in the scene of people engaged in various illicit activities: s*x, drugs, and other illegal trades. It was clear that I had stumbled into the black market, a place not meant for someone of my upbringing and status. "I need to speak with The Viper," I said, my voice trembling slightly. The woman looked me up and down, as if unable to believe that I had just uttered the name of the infamous mafia boss. "You wouldn't want him to speak with you," she warned. "Please," I begged, feeling the desperation creep into my voice. She raised her eyebrows and motioned for me to follow her, a silent indication that she would take me to him. "Don't say I never warned you, princess. You still have time to turn your back," she said as I followed her. I didn't answer, unsure of what to say. I knew what I was about to get myself into, but I had no choice. I had to plead with The Viper to spare my family, no matter the consequences. We entered a room where a guard stood at the door. The woman whispered something to him and he disappeared inside. As we waited, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over me. Soon enough, the guard returned and opened the door, gesturing for me to enter alone. "Good luck, princess," the woman bid me goodbye without a smile. I nodded and entered the room. As I entered, I was greeted by three naked women lounging on a sofa, drinking. I suddenly felt self-conscious in my red dress that fell below the knee. Suddenly, I heard three claps, and the women hastily left the room. I turned to face the man. He was sitting on a leather armchair, half-naked, with a large belly and a nearly bald head. I could almost hear my heart beat. "Ms. Sandoval, it's a pleasure to meet you at last," he greeted, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. "You're even more stunning in person." His gaze lingered on my chest for a moment too long, making me feel uneasy. "I know you are aware why I'm here, Sir." I gulped. "I need to talk to you about my father's debt. If we could settle---" "Yes, I know why you're here," he said with a smirk, interrupting me. "But don't worry, we'll get to that. First, I want to get to know you better," he said, his eyes still lingering on my body. I felt uncomfortable, but I knew I had to stay composed. I fought back the urge to vomit at the sight of him. He disgust me! The way he looked at me made me feel violated, as if he was undressing me with his eyes. "I'm here to talk business, not engage in personal affairs," I replied firmly. He chuckled, as if amused by my response. "Of course, of course. Business it is," he said, gesturing for me to take a seat. The room was spacious, but the air made me feel suffocated. I sat on the sofa while he handed me a wine. I looked at the glass of wine he handed me with suspicion. The crimson liquid sloshed around in the crystal goblet as I hesitated to take a sip. The man, noticing my hesitation, chuckled and said, "Don't worry, there's no poison in there. I'd rather kill someone with my own hands than kill them with poison. It's stupid." Despite his assurance, I couldn't bring myself to drink it, still feeling uneasy about the situation. "I don't... drink," I said, trying to sound as firm as possible. The Viper just shrugged and continued to hold out the glass of wine. "This is the finest wine I could offer you. Drink," he insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument. I looked at the glass in his hand, feeling a knot form in my stomach. The deep red liquid swirled around, its aroma filling my nostrils. My lips felt dry, but I knew better than to drink it. I forced a smile and held the glass, pretending to take a sip while avoiding his gaze. His eyes lingered on me, and I felt his gaze piercing through my skin. It was as if he knew I wasn't drinking it. I placed the glass down on the table, hoping he wouldn't notice. "Thank you." I faked a smile. He remained silent and sat closer to me. My instinct was to move away, but he followed, closing the distance even further. "So, Ms. Sandoval..." he whispered, his hot breath sending shivers down my spine. I tried to move away, but he leaned in even closer. I despised him. "Let's talk about business." "Of course, but you're standing a bit too close to me, Sir," I said, trying to maintain a professional tone. "I think it would be best if we kept some distance between us." He didn't listen to me. As soon as his hand landed on my left leg, I recoiled in disgust and pushed his filthy hands away. "Don't you dare touch me!" I exclaimed as I quickly stood up from the sofa. I immediately regretted my outburst as his face turned into a menacing scowl. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized the danger of my situation. What if he decided to retaliate? What if he was already plotting his revenge? I tried to compose myself and keep my voice steady. "I'm sorry, Sir. That was out of line. Can we please continue with the discussion?" He burst out laughing, his belly shaking with mirth. I had no idea what was so amusing about my words. "Who would have thought that a face as angelic as yours conceals such a fiery spirit?" He drank his wine and stood. I stepped back, trying to create some distance between us. He then proceeded to put on his suit, the fabric stretching over his large frame. "Shall we?" he asked, his tone serious. He gestured for me to follow him into another room, and I couldn't help but feel nervous about what was to come. As I entered the room, my eyes widened in shock. The entire room was made of glass, and I could see everything below us. A crowd of men and women had gathered, and on the stage, there was a line of women being auctioned off.