Chapter 4 A Home That Was Never Mine

My hands were tied again before the guards dragged me out of the ballroom. I stumbled after them, my legs still weak from everything that had happened. They shoved me into the back seat of a black luxury car. Two guards climbed in after me, one on each side, leaving me trapped between them. Mr. Knight settled into the front passenger seat without sparing me a single glance. It was as though I didn't exist. The man who had stopped the auction and claimed me now looked completely indifferent to my presence.

The car pulled away from the building, disappearing into the night.

I lowered my head as tears slipped silently down my cheeks. My wrists ached from the ropes, but the pain barely registered anymore. My heart hurt far worse.

Will I ever see my family again?

The question echoed through my mind over and over. I thought about my mother and the strange warning from my dream. Then my sister's smiling face flashed across my mind. Was she searching for me? Had she reported me missing? Or was she sitting at home, wondering why I never came back?

I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned toward the window. The city lights rushed past, but I couldn't focus on them. Every passing minute carried me farther away from the life I had known. I wanted to believe someone would come looking for me, yet a small voice deep inside whispered that no one even knew where I was.

After what felt like forever, the car slowed before stopping in front of enormous wrought-iron gates. They opened automatically, revealing a long driveway lined with perfectly trimmed hedges and rows of colorful flowers. Decorative fountains sparkled beneath golden lights, while expensive cars filled the parking area. The mansion standing at the end of the driveway looked more like a royal palace than a home. Its towering white walls, elegant balconies, and massive glass windows reflected the moonlight, making everything seem almost unreal.

My breath caught.

People were starving somewhere in the world...

Yet one family lived in a place like this.

The guards pulled me out of the car before I could take in more of the view. Several maids stood near the entrance in perfectly pressed uniforms. They immediately lowered their heads the moment Mr. Knight stepped out of the car. None of them dared look directly at him.

I looked at the women for a moment. They looked clean, well-fed, and safe. Unlike the girls locked inside cages, these women moved freely around the mansion.

A painful question crept into my mind.

If they already had so many maids... why would they go to a place like that to buy human beings?

The answer terrified me more than the question itself.

Maybe I hadn't been brought here just to clean.

The front door swung open before I could think any further.

A graceful woman dressed in an expensive silk gown descended the staircase inside the mansion. Every movement she made carried elegance and authority. Beside her stood a younger woman who looked almost identical to her, except the warmth missing from the older woman's eyes was replaced by open contempt.

"So," the older woman said, her gaze sweeping over me. "This is the girl?"

"Yes, Mother," Mr. Knight replied calmly.

She walked around me slowly, studying me from head to toe as though inspecting furniture she intended to purchase.

"I expected someone prettier," she said coldly.

The younger woman laughed.

"I've seen better girls working in cafés."

Heat rushed to my face, but I kept my head lowered. I refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry again.

The older woman turned toward one of the maids.

"Take her upstairs. Give her a uniform. From today onward, she works here."

"Yes, Madam."

The maid hurried over and gently motioned for me to follow. Unlike everyone else, she didn't look at me with disgust. There was pity in her eyes, but she said nothing.

She led me upstairs into a small bedroom furnished with a narrow bed, a wardrobe, and a tiny bathroom.

"Change into these," she said softly, handing me a black-and-white maid's uniform.

Once she left, I quickly changed my clothes. My own outfit, the one I had worn the morning my sister asked me to deliver that parcel, now lay crumpled on the floor.

It felt like saying goodbye to my old life.

As I folded my clothes, something caught my eye.

A mobile phone.

It had been carelessly left on the bedside table.

My heart skipped.

I glanced toward the door.

No one.

Slowly, I reached for the phone.

My hands trembled as I unlocked it. By some miracle, it wasn't password protected.

Thank you, God...

I quickly dialed the only number I knew by heart.

Dad.

The phone rang once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then the call connected.

"Dad!" I cried, tears spilling down my cheeks. "It's me! They've kidnapped me! Please, come and save me! I don't know where I am, but—"

"Don't ever call this number again."

I froze.

"D... Dad?"

His voice was colder than I had ever heard it.

"From today onward, you are no longer my daughter."

My world shattered.

"What... what are you saying?" I whispered. "Dad, please... I'm scared. They sold me. Please come for me."

"You should have died with your mother."

The phone sl

ipped from my trembling fingers.

Before I could even process his words...

The bedroom door slowly creaked open.