"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

　　The weight of the call hung in my mind, heavily, as Luca headed out to the hospital. His face had been a masquerade of worry, but he hadn't argued with me when I told him to go check on Michael. I needed him out of the way, out of my space, so that I could think. But first, there was Leila.


　　Her room was just down the hall, but it felt miles away. I walked fast, feeling the urgency but not wanting to rush in and spook her. I came to her door, hesitated for a moment, then knocked softly.


　　"Leila? It's me, Dominic. Can I come in?"


　　She did hesitate, and for a second, I wondered if she was simply going to ignore me. Her voice followed, soft and wobbly. "Yeah, come in."


　　I opened the door to find her sitting on the edge of the bed when I opened the door, looking away from me. My gut told me that something was very off as I could see her shaking. Again, my gut twisted, but I forced myself to remain calm.


CHAPTER 23 Brink Of Dark