Tangled With A Mafia

Chapter 5: The Girl Who Refused To Break

Star’s POV

I learned something about fear.

Fear was not always loud.

Sometimes, fear was silent.

Sometimes, it was the moment before a door opened.

Sometimes, it was the sound of footsteps approaching when you knew there was nowhere to run.

And sometimes…

It was realizing that nobody was coming to save you.

I stood in that unfamiliar room, staring at the clothes they had forced me to wear.

For a moment, I closed my eyes.

And I saw my father.

Not the man everyone feared.

Not the businessman people respected.

Just my father.

The man who held my hand when I was afraid.

The man who promised me nothing bad would ever happen to me.

A painful laugh escaped my lips.

Because something bad had happened.

And he wasn’t here.

The door opened.

“Come.”

The guard’s voice was cold.

I didn’t move.

“I said come.”

My fingers curled into fists.

For the first time since arriving here, I didn’t immediately obey.

The man stared at me.

“Don’t make this difficult.”

I looked at him.

“Everything about this is difficult.”

For a second, surprise crossed his face.

Maybe people here didn’t speak back.

Maybe they were used to fear.

But I was tired.

Tired of being treated like I had no voice.

He grabbed my arm.

I pulled away.

“Don’t touch me.”

The warning in my voice surprised even me.

The guard’s expression darkened.

But before he could respond, another voice interrupted.

“That’s enough.”

Ma Loyce stood at the door.

Watching.

Always watching.

Her eyes moved between us.

Interesting.

That was the word written on her face.

She wasn’t angry.

Not yet.

She was studying me.

“You still haven’t learned your position.”

I looked at her.

“And you still haven’t learned I’m not an object.”

The room became silent.

Nobody spoke to Ma Loyce like that.

Her expression changed.

Slowly.

Dangerously.

“You have your father’s stubbornness.”

The mention of him hurt.

“Don’t use my father to threaten me.”

A small smile appeared.

“No.”

She stepped closer.

“I’m reminding you that stubborn people usually suffer the most.”

Later that day, I was sent to meet the man again.

My heart pounded.

Every part of me screamed to run.

But where would I go?

The building was surrounded.

The city outside was unfamiliar.

I had no money.

No phone.

No one.

Still…

I had to try.

Because giving up felt worse.

The moment I saw the man waiting, I knew I couldn’t do this.

The way he looked at me made my skin crawl.

Like he had already decided I belonged to him.

I stayed near the door.

“You’re late.”

I said nothing.

He frowned.

“Come closer.”

I remained still.

Something changed in his expression.

Anger.

“You people always forget who is in charge.”

Those words confirmed what I already knew.

This was never about my father’s debt.

This was about control.

I stepped backward.

“I’m leaving.”

He laughed.

“Leaving?”

The sound made my stomach tighten.

“You think you can just walk away?”

I turned toward the door.

But before I could reach it, he moved.

Panic rushed through me.

My mind went blank.

I didn’t think.

I reacted.

I fought back.

Not because I was fearless.

Because I was terrified.

And I wanted to survive.

The struggle ended with me getting away.

I ran.

I didn’t stop.

Not until I reached the hallway.

Not until I knew I was far enough away.

The news reached Ma Loyce quickly.

Of course it did.

Nothing happened in that place without her knowing.

I stood in front of her office, breathing heavily.

Her expression was unreadable.

Then—

The slap came.

The shock was worse than the pain.

I looked at her.

Not because I expected kindness.

But because some part of me still couldn’t believe this was my reality.

“You embarrassed me.”

Her voice was calm.

That was more frightening than anger.

“I won’t apologize for protecting myself.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“You still think you have power.”

I swallowed.

She walked around her desk.

“Tomorrow, you will learn exactly what happens when someone refuses to cooperate.”

My heart sank.

“What are you talking about?”

She smiled.

“Tomorrow night, you’ll be auctioned.”

The words froze me.

“What?”

She didn’t repeat herself.

She didn’t need to.

The meaning was clear.

My life had become a transaction.

A price.

A deal.

The guards dragged me away.

I fought.

I shouted.

But nobody listened.

Nobody cared.

The hallway became a blur.

Until finally…

A door opened.

The same dark room.

The same cold floor.

The same place where I had started.

They pushed me inside.

The door slammed shut.

And the darkness returned.

I sat on the floor.

My body shook.

My mind replayed everything.

My father’s smile.

His last words.

The house being taken.

The feeling of being powerless.

A tear rolled down my cheek.

Then another.

Until I couldn’t stop.

“Dad…”

My voice broke.

“I’m sorry.”

I didn’t know what I was apologizing for.

For surviving?

For failing?

For not understanding his secrets?

I hugged my knees.

The room was silent.

Too silent.

I cried until my tears ran out.

Until exhaustion became stronger than fear.

And slowly…

I fell asleep.

Outside that room, the world continued moving.

People made plans.

Enemies prepared their games.

Secrets waited to be revealed.

And somewhere in the city…

A man who had spent years searching for answers was about to discover that the daughter of the man who died with his secret was still alive.

Lucian Salvatore was coming.

And when he arrived…

Nothing would ever be the same.