Enslaved and tortured, she believed darkness had consumed her completely. But then, this man appeared: The Devil, a man shrouded in shadows and mystery. Drawn to his brute strength and dangerous aura, she longed for his protection. However, her love for this dark man dragged her into a deadly game. Can she escape his clutches and find happiness, or will she be trapped forever in his world of shadows?
Here I am, huddled in a cage so small I can barely move, my skin cold against the metal bars that remind me how trapped I am. I'm wearing a threadbare dress, so short and thin that it reveals more than it covers, exposing my vulnerability to these monsters who stare at us as if we were mere objects. Each of their eyes slides over my body like a repulsive caress, as if they already own me, even if they haven't paid the price for it yet. The thought turns my stomach.
In the distance, the raspy voices of men mix with the hum of the fluorescent lights above our heads. They're bidding on us, on the girls trapped in this hell with me. Their numbers are thrown into the air with the same indifference as if they were gambling in a casino, not understanding or perhaps not caring that they are deciding the fate of a human life. Their laughter is like claws tearing at what little remains of my sanity.
I look at the blonde in the cage next to me. She's shaking, though she tries not to show it too much. The way she bites her lips hard, almost to the point of bleeding, tells me she's scared. I don't blame her. Fear is our most faithful companion here. She, like me, has learned to keep quiet. We know that words are of no use in this place, they only make things worse. I spoke up the first few weeks, I screamed and cried, but all I got was punishment. Silence is our only weapon, even if it can barely protect us from the inevitable.
"And here we have the blonde girl," the host announces with a smile that makes my hair stand on end. As if he's showing off the latest model of car at a luxury auction. She shivers more when he points at her, but she remains silent.
The numbers start to go up. "500 thousand," an old man says. I don't recognize his face, but I know who he is. He's always here, buying girls one by one. Another man holds up his sign. "800 thousand." Prices are rising rapidly. I feel a pang in my chest every time someone else bids. It's like they're putting a price on our souls.
Finally, the old man wins the bid with "900 thousand." The blonde will be his. I can't imagine what awaits her, but I know it will be horrible. She knows what's coming, and yet, I watch her struggle to keep her composure. A whisper of hope dies on my lips. There's no hope here, only darkness.
Tomorrow, it will be my turn.
They haven't sold me yet because I'm underage, but that ends tomorrow, when I turn 18. They know that. They're waiting anxiously, like hungry wolves stalking their prey. They have rules here: they don't sell the girls until they're of age, but in the meantime, they rent us out. Over these two years, I've been rented out too many times to count, but they've kept me intact for one reason only. A virgin girl is worth more, much more.
But what they can't take away from me, what they can't sell, is how disgusting I feel inside. Even though I'm still technically a virgin, I feel dirtier than anything else. They've touched me too many times. Their hands have left invisible marks on my skin, scars that will never heal. No matter how much I bathe, no matter how much I scrub, I always feel dirty. Every time I close my eyes, I relive those moments. Disgust consumes me. I'm not me anymore. I'm a shadow of my former self, an empty shell.
"And here's our specialty for today," the host says, pointing at me.
I knew this moment would come. My heart pounds in my chest, but I don't show anything on my face. I've learned not to react, not to let them see how much it affects me. They won't sell me today, not yet, but they will rent me out, as they have so many times before. The room erupts in murmurs. They look at me, they size me up. I'm a trophy to them, an object of desire they long to possess.
"The girl we all love," the host smiles, as if this were some kinds of fun show.
The signs go up once more, the bids fly around the room, and I can only stare at the floor, wishing for this all to end. I feel empty, like my soul has already been ripped from me. I want to disappear, dissolve into thin air, but I can't. I'm trapped, condemned to continue living this hell.
Finally, the host closes the bidding. "A million to Mr. Campbell."
The name sends a chill down my spine. Campbell. That man is a monster, the same one who bought my best friend a year ago. I haven't seen her since. Deep down I know she's dead, but I cling to the illusion that maybe, just maybe, she's still alive. It's a lie I repeat to myself over and over, because the truth would be too painful to accept.
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to prepare myself for what's coming. The thought of what Campbell will do to me turns my stomach. I want to vomit. I want to scream. I want to die. But I don't do any of those things. I hold myself still, like a broken doll, waiting to be used and then tossed aside.
Sometimes, I wonder why I keep fighting, why I haven't found a way to end all of this. I've tried, I swear. I've searched for ways to end my life, but I always fail. It's like even to die is a failure. The universe mocks me, denying me even the comfort of death. I feel like a mistake, a mistake that should never have been born. I'm paying for that mistake now.
I expect nothing from this world. Heaven, earth, none have given me reasons to believe in anything but this endless pain. I'm alone. I always have been. And that won't change.
"Is it that hard?" I whisper, even though I know no one is listening.
I don't want to open my eyes ever again. I just want peace, a rest that has been denied me since I entered this place. But that is an impossible wish. This world has no mercy for girls like me.
The host takes me by the arm, dragging me out of the cage. My body is tense, fear runs through me from head to toe, but I don't bother to fight anymore. I just hope that this time it will be quick, that this man will use me and leave me alone. But I know that won't be the case.
I look at the floor as I am led to my destination. The murmurs of the room follow me like a dark cloud, and the cold of the hallway's seeps under my skin. My heart beats so fast that it feels like it will explode at any moment, but at the same time, I feel a complete disconnection from my body. As if I am no longer me, as if my soul left this place a long time ago.
Tomorrow will be worse.
Tomorrow, they will sell me.
A party that gets out of control An infidelity that breaks my heart Betrayals, secrets, and truths coming to light They accuse me of a crime I didn't commit, but I will prove my innocence. I don't remember much, just a few gray eyes that became my salvation in more ways than one.
She... a sweet, tender, delicate and insecure woman, expelled from her family. He... a man scarred by battles, strong, confident, strict and known for being cruel A favor that united two people beyond a friendship. They were polar opposites. The attraction was irremediable. 3 months were enough to love each other.
Ares wants revenge and for that alone, he has returned to Olympus, but he will meet a muse who will make him rethink his priorities. Although it may not seem like it to him. War has always been his only love, the only reason for his existence, he enjoys the pleasures that his divinity grants him but everything changes from one moment to another. Can Ares admit that he has a heart? Will he accept that he not only loves war but also loves love? Only a muse can be the reason for his existence and make him know true happiness, but not everything is easy, can the gods of Olympus separate them? Revenge, love, betrayal, and drama ... I invite you to know the other side of the God of war.
A bastard like him shouldn't have her ... A woman like her shouldn't be wasting herself on someone who doesn't know how to treat a lady. She does not interest me what they think, she will be for me. I am the one who will make her enjoy it and worship as the goddess that she is. Go ahead, you can judge me ... but I want and want for myself, my brother's wife. And I won't stop until I get it. My name is Santino and this is the story of how an unusual woman snatched away the calm and peace that she had in my life. Alexa came to me in the simplest way possible and without doing anything to get my attention, but my brother was the trigger that the passion that existed in me focused on his girl, and in his attempt to be better than me, he committed the mistake of unleashing a forbidden love between her and me.
I am not the type of girl who attracts men, my life is not very social and my best friend is my cat Salem. He dedicated me to writing, hanging out with my brother, and sometimes with my few friends. Everything was normal until that Valentine's Day when everything changed for me. Two men burst into my life as if they were earthquakes, their auras indicating danger and they enveloped me in their life as if I had belonged there. My mother always said that men with tattoos were a danger and a problem for girls. But these two Greek gods got me and now I'm part of the mob. This is my story
Lailah Gazth had her whole life planned, but her world falls apart when her best friend Alison dies in a car accident, caused by nothing more and nothing less than the young criminal Azael Grimm or so he calls himself ... Lailah decides to take a risk and report him, getting a trial in which they will debate whether he is guilty or not, but that will be in three months, the same time Azael has to make her fall in love and prevent her from testifying against him and thus not go to jail. Will she get it? What consequences could she bring to her after her?
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
I'm a Luna. After three years of marriage to Alpha Nathaniel Blackwood, I'm finally pregnant with his pup. But he's unclaimed me for his first love. I'm leaving the pack with this secret, praying he never finds out. Nathaniel Blackwood is a handsome, powerful Alpha. In a world where humans and werewolves coexist, he has it all: a billion-dollar empire, untold power, a massive pack, and, most importantly, the perfect Luna. But the return of his first love shattered our marriage. When he finds out the secret I've been hiding, will he regret rejecting me? Will I ever be able to forgive him? Dive into this gripping serialized novel to find out more-Enjoy the ride!
"I heard you're going to marry Marcelo. Is this perhaps your revenge against me? It's very laughable, Renee. That man can barely function." Her foster family, her cheating ex, everyone thought Renee was going to live in pure hell after getting married to a disabled and cruel man. She didn't know if anything good would ever come out of it after all, she had always thought it would be hard for anyone to love her but this cruel man with dark secrets is never going to grant her a divorce because she makes him forget how to breathe.