Chapter 7: Sold

Ana's hands trembled as her father pushed her toward the massive carved wooden door. She didn't need words to understand what was happening. She had sensed it for a long time—in her father's cold stares, in the silence that had settled over their home. But nothing had prepared her for the moment when it actually happened.

"Be obedient." That was all he said before knocking on the door.

The sound of his knuckles against the wood echoed in her chest like the toll of her own sentence.

The door opened slowly, revealing an enormous foyer illuminated by a crystal chandelier. The white marble gleamed under the dim afternoon light, reflecting the opulence that now surrounded her. In the center of the room, a woman in a black dress with calculating eyes examined her from head to toe, as if assessing a mere piece of merchandise.

"She's thinner than I expected," the woman remarked with disdain.

The man beside her—her new "owner"—nodded indifferently.

"She'll do."

A knot formed in Ana's throat. She wanted to clutch her father's sleeve, to search for a sign of regret, of hesitation… but she found nothing. Only coldness. Only the man who had decided his daughter was worth more as currency than as a person.

"The deal is done," he said, extending his hand.

A handshake. An exchange of money.

That was all.

Ana felt the air leave her lungs.

"Dad…" she whispered, her voice breaking.

He didn't look at her. He simply turned around and walked out the door without looking back.

Ana stood there, frozen, feeling her world crumble in an instant. She was alone now. In a foreign place. In a world that did not belong to her.

"Take her to her room," the woman ordered coldly.

Two maids approached and took her by the arms. Ana wanted to resist, but her legs refused to move.

As they led her through the endless hallways of that mansion, only one thought consumed her:

Her father had sold her.

And no one was coming to save her.