Aria's POV
A few days had passed since my abduction, and each morning began the same way—a harsh voice breaking through the remnants of sleep, commanding me to get up and follow. I had been trapped in this place for what felt like an eternity, with no signs of escape and the looming presence of the man who held me captive becoming a suffocating reality.
As I reluctantly rose from the bed, the clothes he had left out for me seemed to mock my captivity. "You took your time," he remarked when I finally emerged, his tone a mix of impatience and amusement.
I followed him to his study, my mind clouded with questions yet my lips sealed in defiance. "Have you eaten?" he asked, his gaze piercing through me.
"I'm not hungry," I replied curtly, my voice devoid of emotion.
"I didn't ask if you are," he countered sharply. "I said, have you eaten?"
I hesitated, my eyes meeting his intense stare. "No," I admitted reluctantly.
He continued to scrutinize me, his expression unreadable. "Why are you looking at me that way?" I finally asked, unable to bear the intensity of his gaze any longer.
"Like what?" he countered, his tone challenging.
The words caught in my throat, a mixture of frustration and fear bubbling within me. "You're driving me insane," I muttered under my breath, my anger boiling to the surface. "You haven't even told me why I'm here. Is this some sort of fantasy to you? Dressing me up like a doll, parading me around for your amusement?" I accused, my voice trembling with suppressed rage.
His eyes darkened, a dangerous glint surfacing in their depths. "Don't flatter yourself, princess," he retorted icily. "You're not all that."
"You're nothing but a horrible bastard" I spat at him not able to hold my anger. " And you are nothing but an overbearing airhead" he said coolly.
I bit back a retort, the urge to defend myself warring with the knowledge that I was at his mercy. "You know absolutely nothing about me," I whispered, my voice barely above a breath.
"I know your father doesn't care about you," he stated matter-of-factly, his tone laced with arrogance. "You're worth more to me alive than dead. But if your father doesn't pay up, you'll be worthless to me too."
The weight of his words crushed me, the realization of my situation sinking in deeper. "Can you please call..." I choked on my words, tears threatening to spill. "I need to know what is going on."
He relented, pulling out his phone and dialing a number. "But if you dare breathe a word, you are dead," he warned, putting the call on speaker.
A nervous voice answered on the other end. My heart clenched at the sound of my father's voice, the desperation dripping even through the phone.
"Cassian, I'm still sorting it out for you," Silas stuttered nervously.
"No, I want my money before the end of the day," Cassian demanded, his voice cold and unforgiving. "I have your daughter in my possession for nearly a week now."
My father's voice cracked with desperation, "I-I promise I'll get it or you can have her if I don't bring it. She's pure, I swear."
Cassian's disdain was obvious . "You disgusting piece of shit!" he spat into the phone. "She's your daughter. You make me sick, you bastard."
The weight of my father's offer hit me like a physical blow, the realization of his betrayal crushing my spirit. Tears welled up in my eyes as I listened helplessly to the conversation unfold, my heart breaking at the transaction of my worth before my very eyes.
"I can't, I can't do this anymore," I sobbed, my captivity and my father's betrayal crashing down on me in waves of despair. Defeated and broken, I sank to the floor.