"One million," A man seated at the corner of the room called out, raising his paddle.
My heart pounded louder with each bid. The men sneered, their eyes devouring me like I was a piece of meat. My body trembled as I rubbed my sweaty hands on my clothes.
The bids went higher and higher until there were just two men left. 
"Three million," the chubby man declared, impatient evident in his tone.
There was silence in the room for a moment.
"Five million," A stranger countered, raising his paddle. 
My eyes widened in shock as I tried to figure out who this stranger was. The room was filled with murmurs and no one could counter the stranger. 
The auctioneer's gavel slammed down. 
"Sold!" 
***
Leila Flynn, 19 years old, struggles to keep her ailing brother alive, and her life takes a dark turn when she is suddenly kidnapped into London's underworld auction. During the auction, she is bought for a high price by a mysterious and wealthy stranger, Dominic Anderson. Leila is then taken to a grand mansion in London, where she begins a complex relationship with Dominic.
Dominic, a powerful mafia boss, lives a life shrouded in mystery and danger. Leila gradually discovers that Dominic's concern for her and her younger brother, Michael- who suffers from leukemia- goes beyond mere kindness. Under Dominic's protection, Leila tries to uncover his true intentions while also developing a subtle emotional connection with his brother, Luca.
In this dangerous game of love, betrayal, and revenge, Leila must decide whether to place her trust in Dominic or sever all ties with his perilous world once and for all.

Maid for the Mafia

　　As though I fathomed the fear and misunderstanding portrayed in Luca's eyes by the hundreds of undiluted words, his eyes met mine. We both knew what that meant, and neither of us wanted to be the first to say it.


　　"Answer it," said Luca, barely above a murmur.


　　My thumb hovered over the accept button as I paused momentarily. Something inside of me screamed that this was wrong. That I would be better off just hanging up, forgetting it. But I couldn't. Not now. Not when everything was at stake.


　　Then, quite violently, it all stopped again. The screen died out all over again; all was mute.


　　What the hell?" it said, but the phone buzzed again. A second call from the same number.


　　I picked up the second time, my hands were shaking, and the rest of me was forced to be solid. "Hello?" My voice was steady, but I felt the tension rise with each passing second.


CHAPTER 21 Ghosts And Threats