Tears fell from my eyes as she left. What is happening to me, I'm losing the one I love deeply for money. I'm being sold as a commodity with no emotions, the person I'm being sold to isn't of good character.

I have no one to run to. There's no one who'd help me. I cleaned my tears as I heard my father's voice.

"Adrielle! " He called as he walked inside. " What happened to your face? " He asked as he saw me on the cushion.

" Miss Ophelia hit me. " My father didn't say anything, he stood up and went to the porch, dragged Ophelia by her hair and threw her on the ground.

" My instructions weren't clear enough to you, was it? It was simple, treat Adrielle like a queen, no scars, no beatings. But you didn't listen, Leandro is coming tomorrow and you want to mess things up for me? " He said as he landed a slap on her and my stepmother curled up on the floor.

So Leandro Morgan is coming tomorrow, it's just a marriage alliance right. Leandro has power and I could use that to find my mother, when I finally find her I can divorce him and be free.

But I need to be sure of one thing. " Father, Leandro owns brothels? " I spoke calmly.

" Yes,he's a business man. When he sees an opportunity, he'd go for it. " He replied as he knelt beside me. It really feels like a snake waiting for it's meal.

" Do you want to sell me into his brothel to become one of his strippers? " If this was it, then I'd leave this house tonight.

" No,not at all. Leandro likes you,he's been watching you for a while now and he's decided to make his move. He's getting married to you, tomorrow the wedding banners would be hung up around town and everyone would know that you're getting married. We've been making plans, plus I picked a special day for it. That's two celebrations. " He said with a loud laughter and I faked a smile.

" This is my birthday gift for you on your twentieth birthday. A prestigious marriage. "

A flash wedding, just like that? No preparations? Nothing special.

But no one would willingly marry a wife and send her to the brothel to work right? He'd disgrace his family's name. So I'd become Mrs Morgan " Eww... " The sound of that is cringe. Mrs Wayne is better.

Andrea

Eduardo, my right hand man walked in " Her information is ready sir. And yes she's getting married in tomorrow to Mr Morgan, she also has a boyfriend Zack Wayne. "

" Talk about the marriage. " I said. " She's been sold to clear off her father's gambling debt and Morgan wants to use her as an shield to his mother's complaint. "

"How much does Julian owe Morgan? "

"Two hundred million. " I smiled. Julian's a big jerk,he couldn't make something useful out of such money, he gambled it and lost it as usual.

" Prepare two hundred million, I want to claim his daughter. "

" But you wanted to ruin them,this is a good opportunity for that to happen,you don't need to do anything. " Eduardo said trying to convince me but my mind was already made up.

" I said I WANT TO RUIN HER, I don't want Leandro to ruin my plans. "

"Understood! " Eduardo said as he walked away.

Now this explains why she wasn't in the mood to banter today, she was absent minded and she made the marriage sound like a happy occasion.

Eduardo walked back in "I just got a call and according to my source he says Leandro Morgan would go to Julian's place to pick up Adrielle tomorrow. You can do the exchange there. Do you want me to go or... "

" No, I'd go. I guess it's time for me to reveal myself to Julian. " He's going to be so surprised, I smiled to myself as I lit a cigarette.

Adrielle

I cried my eyes out last night because I knew that I'd never see Zack again,we didn't even end things on good terms which was really sad.

But I have to make sacrifices for my mother, she toiled so hard but she never got to eat the fruit of her labour rather a witch threw her out, labelled her as a thief and spent her money on jewels and useless things. I want revenge and running away with Zack won't get me anywhere.

Today I was well fed, I can consider that my last meal before being beheaded. My father bought me a new dress and hired an artist to make sure I looked appealing to Leandro.

This was another one of their tricks,they want to sell me to Leandro so I could probably become their ATM, send money to them whenever they wanted.

When the artist finished, I took one last look at myself before I walked out. " You look beautiful. Leandro would be head over heels in love with you. "

Suddenly, a convoy of cars drove in with wedding banners on them. People couldn't believe that sleek black SUV's and luxury sedans pulling up at our driveway. As they drove in heads turned everyone was curious to know what was happening.

Men in black suits got down and opened the door for the Leandro Morgan, I was expecting him to be an old man but he looked younger.

He probably just turned thirty, he wore a red shirt but buttoned only half of it and left his chest to be on full display. I could

He wore a furry coat and a black trouser,his hair slicked back and he had tattoos on the right side of his chest.

"Ah,Mr Morgan welcome to my home. " My father greeted with a smile but he wasn't interested.

"Where's she? " Leandro asked rudely.

"Meet Adrielle Julian,my one and only beloved daughter. "

"Looks good,I hope she's a virgin? " He asked as he scanned my face.

"Yes,she is. " What?? Why is he asking this? He probably wants me to go work at his brothel.

"I'm not working at any brothel. " I said loud enough for him to hear.

"Lady, you're mine now. So it's my choice to do whatever I want with you. You don't get to pick, I'll do the picking. " He replied as he stroke my cheek.

Another convoy appeared,this set was much more classy. What is happening? How many more deals are being made by my jobless father?

"Mr Morgan,my boss would like to talk to you. " A man in his late thirties said as he came to escort Mr Morgan to the new convoy.

People had gathered inside our compound, mouths were whispering, hands were pointing. Miss Ophelia was smiling as my father looked confused.

"I am not going anywhere, if he wants to talk he should meet me here. " Leandro said as he turned to face me.

I was curious on who the boss was in the other convoy. Suddenly the doors of the Rolls Royce were opened and I was shocked. It was Mr Salvatore, what was he doing here?

My father looked pale, like he'd seen a ghost. As Mr Salvatore walked towards us, members of his convoy joined him. There was no emotion on his face nothing. His hands were stuffed in his coat as he walked.

What was going on? Miss Ophelia ran back inside and shut the door behind her. What exactly is happening??

"Leandro I'd like to talk to you about something. "

He said as he walked to the other side with Leandro without sparimg me a glance. My father was shocked, really shocked.

"Adrielle the marriage is over, we've cancelled it. Now let's go. " He said as he held my hand to run away, but he was caught and pinned to the ground. Now things are getting complicated here.

Andrea

The shock on Julian's face was priceless,he looked like all the blood has been drained from his face. He didn't think I'd be out,he thought he won.

"Leandro I'd like to talk to you about something. "

"Salvatore,why have I piqued your interest today? "

"I'm here for her. Not you. Do you really think she's worth a whooping sum of two hundred million. She's not even humble. " I spoke as Leandro lifted his eyes to evaluate her.

"I'm sure you haven't done a proper investigation on her yet. She has a lover already, they've dated for two years now and Mr Julian says she's untouched. That's just a marketing strategy to get her into your hands. "

"Why are you suddenly interested in helping me? " Leandro asked as he stuffed his hands in his pocket.

"I'm not helping you, I want her. You can see the look on Julian's face when I got in, he's no longer all smiles again. We have a score to settle. " Leandro turned to look at Mr Julian who was pinned to the floor and smiled.

"Fine,how do you settle this? " Leandro asked.

"I'll pay you the two hundred million and walk away with her. "

"Deal. " Leandro said as he walked away and Edward handled the rest. "Don't believe him it's all a lie !!! " Mr Julian screamed but Leandro ignored him.

Leandro ordered his men to tear off the wedding banners from the car and Mr Julian screamed "Noooo !! " As they drove off.

"Miss Adrielle we meet again. " I greeted with a smile.

"Don't you dare speak to my daughter, you piece of shit. "

"Ah, she's no longer yours but mine and I have the right to do whatever I please with her. "

"What do you want? "

"What can you offer? " I asked rhetorically.

"Stay away from my daughter or I'll chop off your fingers and feed them to the dogs. "

"Did you miss the memo? She's mine. Leandro doesn't want her anymore. "

"What is going on here? " Adrielle asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"You're mine now. "

"ADRIELLEEE !!! " A voice called out,I turned to look and it was the legendary Zack Wayne who's better than me. He just got off his bicycle and wanted to rush towards Adrielle but Edward stopped him.

"He must be Zack right? The one who's better than me at everything? " I asked sarcastically.

"Stay away from her,you son of a bitch. " He yelled. "Adrielle, don't do this. We promised to be together. We promised to start our family. Adrielle listen to me,I just need time. Adrielle..." I couldn't help but smile at the scene unfolding before my eyes. A family??

"Zack,I'm sorry. " Adrielle said as tears came down her cheeks but she looked the other way to prevent Zack from seeing them.

"Don't tell me you're crying for him? " Adrielle didn't say anything and I smiled. It's time to take my new toy home. "Let's go. " I spoke and she followed quietly.

"Adrielle don't!! " Her father screamed but she didn't answer.

"Let's go. " I said as Adrielle locked her elbow in mine.

Adrielle

"Zack I'm sorryyy !! " I wanted to shout those words out loud but I couldn't. I wanted to hug Zack be in his warm embrace but I couldn't. Would Zack ever forgive me for this?

This is pure betrayal, I betrayed Zack, I destroyed his trust. I'm a monster !!!

I don't even understand what just happened, I was being treated as a commodity. Where I was being sold and bought.

"What just happened out there? " I asked Andrea as he sat beside me.

"You belong to me now. " Andrea spoke coldly.

"Did you just buy me? " I asked out of curiosity.

"For two hundred million. Yes and you're quite cheap. " Andrea said as he let out a mocking laughter.

"I'm not cheap. " I retorted.

"Your biological father put a price tag on you. You're CHEAP. " His words felt like a dagger, it stabbed my chest. What was I expecting from the man I call " FATHER "

If he had the balls to put his wife in prison and bring in his mistress into our house. Then he had the guts to put a price tag on his only daughter. This realization only fueled my hatred for him.

Mr Salvatore's appearance has destroyed my plan. My plan of finding my mother, I need to find an alternative. I can't just give up like that.

As I looked through the window, my mind replayed things that happened in my mind and suddenly it clicked.

Who was the man sitting beside me? Why did my father's countenance change when he saw him? My father was afraid and that was visible. What kind of dirt did he have on my father to make him afraid of him?