Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Black dots filled Arianna’s vision yet that didn’t stop her from staring at that man with hate. God knew if her eyes were bullets, he would be long gone by now.

Arianna was surrounded at all sides and she knew even if she managed to escape them now, she wouldn’t be able to make it far. She was still on the floor when suddenly a path was created and someone came to stand in front of her.

Arianna was stunned when she looked up to discover that it was no other than the collector that had come to her place that day and everything began to make sense. She realized at that moment, her uncle had sold her off to pay off his debt.

“We meet again,” He said, smiling down at her.

“You!” Arianna didn’t know whether to be angry or grateful that she met a familiar face. Thanks to him, she managed to discover what was going on.

“What is the meaning of this?” she asked, trying to get up to her feet to no avail. She had somehow twisted her ankle during her fall and it hurt like hell.

Her inability to stand didn’t pass the collector by and he as well discovered the bruise on her face that had formed when that asshole slapped her.

.....

The collector scrutinized her and that made her pretty uncomfortable. Arianna couldn’t explain it but she had a disturbing feeling that the man was interested in her. She wasn’t sure but it was just an instinct.

He turned around and stared at his men hard before asking, “Who hit her?”

At that question, an uncomfortable silence took over and even Arianna felt the bloodlust emanating from the man. Her brows furrowed, why was he making such a big deal out of this? Moreover, would he even punish his men because of her?

“I said who hit her?!” His voice thundered across the foyer and this time, someone amongst his men timidly raised his hand.

Arianna looked up to confirm if he was really the one and it was as she expected. Unlike earlier when he looked confident and all, right now the man looked as if he would wet his pants anytime soon. Arianna wasn’t a saint, seeing this man in that state gave her a sense of gratification – he deserved it.

However, it seemed as if this collector had a high position in this gang because the others seemed to respect him. Although she hadn’t gotten the whole details, she made a mental note to get on his good side.

“I-t’s me, s-sir,” He stuttered, “The truth is that I didn’t mean to hit her but the bitch was so -”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Bang!

The sound of a gunshot was heard.

Everything happened so quickly that Arianna didn’t know what was going on until she heard a reverberating bang and the heavy thud of a body landing on the ground.

Her eyes went wild and she wanted to scream but it got stuck in her throat. Did he just kill someone? Not even her? But one of his men? Goosebumps appeared on her skin. She had thought he would punish the man, not actually kill him.

“This!” The collector began to address his men, “Should be a lesson to all of you not to touch what belongs to Big Joe. Am I understood?”

“Yes, sir!” their response echoed across the room.

“Now, dismiss,” He said nonchalantly as if they were some dolls for his services.

Meanwhile, Arianna didn’t move even when the collector leaned down and carried her off the ground. She stiffened in his arms as he began to take her back to her room, no, prison.

“You have no reason to be afraid of me,” he said to her, “Nobody would hurt you here,”

“As far as I behave,” Arianna didn’t even know when that slipped out of her mouth. Right now, it was nearly impossible to escape out of this place without a bullet in her head – he had demonstrated that.

“Why am I here?” she asked him as he took her back to where she had escaped from.

“I told you that you could solve your family’s problems easily,” He smirked, “Your uncle is indeed a wise man, he saw a good business opportunity,”

At that moment, Arianna remembered the conversation:

[ “You know,” the collector brought her attention back, “You could solve your family’s problem easily,”

[“What? I could?” her eyes shone with hope, “That is possible? How?” she couldn’t wait to hear his suggestion.

[“You’re a very beautiful woman, mademoiselle and our boss Big Joe is in need of a wife. You would make a beautiful bride, what do you say to that?”.]

Arianna sucked in a deep breath as it all made sense to her now. Claudia must have been the one who thought of that and then discussed it with her mother who saw it was a huge gain. Then the both of them must have tabled their evil intentions to her uncle who always listens to the wife in the first place. And they drugged her and sold her to them.

Great.

It now hit Arianna, the night she sensed she was being followed, that must have been the loan sharks checking her out. They must have been investigating her and making other plans in case plan A fails. God, she was a big fool not to have sensed this coming.

“I should have designed this myself,”

Arianna was roused back to the present and she discovered that they were back in her room. Her barbie world prison, her nose scrunched in distaste.

“You don’t hit me as someone in love with purple and pink, do you?” The collector didn’t seem to like the room decor as well.

“Whether I like it or not, do I have a choice?” Arianna retorted, annoyed by his foolish concern.

“Of course, I do care,” He said to her, holding her gaze.

“Why?” Arianna couldn’t help but ask. She had to confirm if her instinct was right.

“Why?” He leaned closer to whisper into her ears which were too intimate for her liking, “Because you’re about to become Big Joe’s wife,”

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