Chapter 5

Mona ran with tears flowing down her cheek at what she saw.

She had waited for her father for a long time to return so they could have the last meal she prepared but he was nowhere to be found. So she decided to go and look for him.

On her way to his regular gambling den, she spotted her father staggering to a familiar car. She had wanted to meet him because she thought her father might be owing to the person money but at the last minute, she changed her mind and decided to hide somewhere to eavesdrop on their conversation.

She never thought her father hated her that much. Was it greed? How can he sell her out like a piece of clothing? She is human…she is his daughter, Mona thought bitterly.

"I miss you, mother!" Mona cried as she continued to run.

When she got to her house, she started packing up her little clothes into her bag. She had to leave as soon as possible before her father came back.

Her father's words kept ringing in her head.

"You… are just a piece of trash…like your mother. What use are you to me?"

Sometimes, Mona wonders if she was his biological daughter. How can a father sell his own daughter to a well known brothel owner and sex maniac?

Mr Santiago was a well known name in Gotham City. He was famous for defiling young girls by bribing their families with an irresistible amount of money. After which, he puts the girl up for prostitution in his brothel.

Mona wasn't ready to be sold as a prostitute but what could she do? She had a terrible man as a father.

Mona bit hard at her lips as she fought back the tears threatening to fall. It would have been better if she was an orphan. How could her father think of selling her?

"Arrrrrrrgh! I hate you father!" Mona screamed, breaking into tears.

But after a while, she stopped packing her clothes and sat down to think. She knew her father very well. Before making arrangements for selling her, he must place people to watch her.

If Mona was seen carrying bags, her father was sure to bundle her straight to Mr Santiago. She has two days until her graduation, she doesn't want anything to disrupt it.

If her father saw she had packed up her clothes, he would be suspicious and create a scene. He might have even locked her up. She had to pretend everything was fine.

With that thought in her mind, She started arranging her clothes back. She had to think of a perfect plan to quench her father's dreams about her.

But it hurts. Her heart was breaking into several pieces. She fought back the tears that were threatening to fall.

She would never be sold to an old wimp. Never! She remembered her father's words clearly.

"Mr Santiago, don't worry about that. I promise you that she is untouched. I will deliver her to you three days from today"

Mona remembered her father saying she would be taken to the man in three days. She laughed sadly. Her father had it all thought out.

She would be taken to Mr Santiago the day after her graduation. She must come up with a plan before that three days' time.

She picked up her handbag and quietly shut the door. She had to go to her hostel tonight. Her father would be back soon.

No sooner had she shut the door did she come face to face with her father.

"Where do you think you are going tonight?" Mr Anderson asked, looking at his daughter suspiciously.

"Father, I have a part time job tonight. I need to pay for the graduation fee," Mona came up with a random lie.

"What fee? What happened to the money you worked for last week?" Her father asked, frowning.

"Do you really have to ask me that, father?" Mona said, glaring at her father.

"Shut up, you trash. How much did I collect from you that all your money just got finished?", Her father asked in anger.

Mona was so angry that she just ignored her father. She worked four nights in a row at a nightclub to earn that money but her father squandered it all in one night at the gambling den.

"I would be moving over to the hostel till our graduation. There are many activities going on at the school. I can't afford to miss any", Mona said, taking a deep breath.

"Till your graduation, right? You had better be careful and…stay away from boys. I don't want my precious daughter tainted", her father said with a slur.

"Your daughter? I thought I was trash? When did I become your "precious" daughter? ", She asked, raising a brow.

Her father's face flushed red from embarrassment. He snorted as he pushed Mona out of the way.

"You had better be home after your graduation or else I will find you wherever you go", her father threatened.

She walked away from her father with a heavy heart. She was going back to the hostel. She only had her friend, Ella, to tell her woes. She definitely can't tell Gabby.

Ella would surely have a solution. Her friend had always had a solution for everything. When Mona got to the hostel, Ella was about to sleep.

When Mona saw her friend, she couldn't hold back her emotions anymore. She burst into fresh tears as she hugged her friend tightly.

"Mona, what happened? I thought you were staying over at your house? Did your dad hurt you?", She asked.

"Ella, my dad put me up for sale", Mona said as she continued sobbing.

"What? I don't understand," Ella asked, confused.

"My dad wants to sell me to a notorious brothel owner who likes virgins", Mona said blinking her eyes.

"That scum! How can a father be so wicked?", Ella asked in disgust.

"Ella, what do I do? I can't let him sell me", Mona said as she wiped away her tears.

"Of course girl, we won't let him do that", Ella responded.

Mona was on the verge of breaking down. What can she do?