Alesha's body was dragged by two men. They pulled her through a dark hallway, dragging her into another room that was just as terrifying. The air reeked of blood. Iron cages lined the walls, and heavy tools were placed on open shelves.
Alesha struggled to break free. But the men easily locked her into a cage-like structure. Her body was restrained in an X shape by the metal bindings.
"Answer my question honestly." Garvin sat down on the sofa, lighting a cigarette slowly.
"Have you been receiving wealth from Aldrich all this time?"
"That's my personal business," Alesha replied.
CRACK!
A whip lashed across her body. "Akkh," Alesha winced in pain.
"Answer honestly or you'll be whipped and beaten. I'll ask one more time—have you ever received wealth from Aldrich?"
Alesha exhaled deeply. "I never received a single dime from Aldrich. I never even asked. He told me he was working hard to prepare for our future together, for our marriage."
"Do you know what his job was?"
Alesha shook her head. "If I had known he was working with someone like you, I would've stopped him. I would never let him work with a cruel man like you."
Garvin stepped closer. "Do you know that Aldrich's been seeing other women?"
"DON'T TALK NONSENSE!" Alesha shouted furiously.
CRACK!
The whip lashed her again. This time not just once, but multiple times, until her entire body throbbed with pain. Blood oozed from her skin. The scars wouldn't fade anytime soon.
"Take her upstairs."
Garvin leaned in. "I want to kill you right now, but for some reason, I can't."
~~
No one knew how long Alesha had been unconscious. Two hours? Three? No. Over 24 hours. An IV was now attached to the back of her hand. Without food or water, her face had turned deathly pale.
"How long is she going to sleep?" Garvin asked impatiently.
"She needs rest, Sir. Her body just endured severe trauma. It's normal for her to need time to recover," replied a man—Garvin's personal doctor.
"She needs to wake up soon."
The doctor sighed in exhaustion. His name was Xavier, both a doctor and Garvin's friend. "Then treat her yourself. If you want her to wake up quickly, try kissing her like in Sleeping Beauty."
"Would that work?" Garvin asked.
"It could. Try it." Xavier began packing up his medical tools.
"Don't fool me." Garvin casually kicked Xavier's leg. "What if I get tempted after kissing her and end up sleeping with her? Will you take responsibility?"
"You're the one sleeping with her, why should I take responsibility?" Xavier retorted. "If she gets pregnant, you'll have a child." He patted Garvin's shoulder. "You'll earn the title 'Hot Daddy.' That's a good look for you."
Garvin slapped his hand away. "Shut your mouth or I'll rip it off!"
Xavier slung an arm around Garvin's shoulder. Not to be outdone, Garvin pulled Xavier into a headlock. He pressed down on Xavier's shoulder with full force.
"Let go." They both tightened their grip. Flexing their muscles in a childish contest of strength.
"You let go first."
"You let go!"
Instead of releasing each other, they now looked like two men hugging with excessive enthusiasm.
"Are you two dating?"
The question stopped their fight. They turned to see a woman staring at them with an ambiguous expression. Garvin shoved Xavier away.
"People say handsome men often swing the other way. I didn't believe it at first. But now I do—after seeing you two." Alesha said coolly.
She clapped slowly. "Congratulations, you two."
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH! DON'T TALK!" Garvin yelled in frustration.
Xavier smiled and approached Alesha. "We're not what you think." He gently wiped her forehead. "My name is Xavier. Get well soon."
Alesha returned his smile and nodded.
"I'm off now." Xavier held up his fingers. "Don't torture her if you want her to recover quickly!" he told Garvin.
"You like him?" Garvin asked.
Alesha nodded slightly. "Who wouldn't like a handsome and kind man like Xavier? Every woman would."
"Wow. Didn't expect you to move on from your beloved boyfriend so quickly." Garvin crossed his arms.
"I just admire him. Like a fan admiring an actor." Alesha sat up and looked at Garvin.
The room was far better than a prison cell. It was spacious and comfortable. The bed she sat on was soft. "Why did you bring me here? What are you planning to do to me?"
"I'm taking you somewhere."
"Where?"
~~
Alesha was feeling better. She was shocked when a man—no, a man acting like a woman—suddenly appeared in her room. He forced her into a black dress and then began doing her makeup.
"Open your eyes, Sist."
Alesha opened her eyes slowly. Her makeup looked stunning. A natural look with her hair elegantly tied up.
"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever done makeup for. No wonder Mr. Garvin chose you as his bed companion."
"Bed companion?"
The man nodded. "Mr. Garvin often brings his bed companions to the mansion and has me dress them up. But none of them have your aura. You have the aura of royalty. The elegance of a noble princess. You're graceful."
Alesha smiled at the compliment. "Thank you."
"Alright, my job's done." The man packed up his tools and dragged his makeup kit out of the room.
Alesha looked at her reflection. The long black dress hugged her body perfectly. A V-neck cut with an open back. She let out a long sigh. The last time she looked this beautiful was when William tried to sell her. Was Garvin planning to sell her too?
Alesha crouched down and covered her face with her hands. She wanted to cry but held it in—she didn't want to ruin the makeup. The stylist would be disappointed if she did.
"Are you mourning your fate?" someone behind her asked.
Alesha uncovered her face. Garvin stood behind her. She saw him through the mirror. He wore a sharp black suit. Handsome, but terrifying.
Alesha shook her head, stood, and turned to face him. "No. I was just daydreaming. Are you going to sell me?"
"Yes."
Her heart clenched. She folded her arms. "You're going to auction me like William did?"
Garvin shook his head. "I have a better way. I don't want to do the same thing."
"How much will you sell me for?" Alesha asked.
Garvin frowned. "You have the nerve to ask?"
"One million dollars, if you're lucky."
"I'm not a discount item. That's too cheap." Alesha twirled around. "Look at me. Aren't I stunning? I'm not just pretty—I'm graceful. The stylist said I have a noble aura." Alesha gave a curtsy like she learned at the orphanage. "At least 20 million dollars, Sir. You'd make a huge profit."
Garvin couldn't comprehend Alesha's thinking. He grabbed her waist, pulling her close. "What made you turn out like this?"