Moana
I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my mind reeling with the truth, "I don't understand. Father would never have agreed to this. Not even his new wife would," I whispered, shaking my head.
"I had no idea, Moana. Richard told me you were a worker here. I thought maybe Jericho had discovered you were my sister, but. It's because of our parents, isn't it?" He trailed off, realization dawning on him.
I nodded, tears streaming down my face. Henry turned to Lucas, his voice firm, "I apologize, Lucas. I had no idea. Please, you have to release my sister to me. I'll work to pay back the money, but I need to know why our parents sold her to Jericho. He's a monster," Henry declared, firmly.
Lucas shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact, "I don't know what to say. This is all so complicated,"
"I need to know the truth. Our parents never owed Jericho money, but why did they have to sell Moana to him? And why did they keep it a secret, as part to settle my debts to him," He mumbled, inwardly.
"After I pay off my debts, I'll try to negotiate with Jericho. Maybe he'll accept the money and set you free," Henry assured, warmly. But I shook my head, feeling a sense of hopelessness.
"I don't think that will work, Henry," I mumbled, sadly.
"We'll see about that. And what if he's not willing to accept the money? He's rich. He might not need it," Henry thought, with a loud sigh, making me bit my lip, feeling a sense of fear. What would happen if Jericho refused to let me go?
~•~~
I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease throughout the day. Henry's return should have brought me joy, but the truth about my parents' betrayal weighed heavily on my mind.
Why did they sell me out for their selfish interests? It wasn't because of Henry's mistake, as I had thought. They probably used the money for their own gain, condemning me to a life of slavery.
As the day wore on, I saw Henry jumping down from the window of his room. I quickly ran to him, offering some water.
Henry took a sip, I could see how unhappy he was, "I didn't visit our parents. I couldn't bring myself to do it. But I made some enquiries from someone close to our stepmother," He said, after some time of silence.
My heart sank, anticipating the worst words, "What did you find out?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Our stepmother suggested selling you to pay off their debt, it occurred that my father had been lost in it because of her extravagant lifestyle. She didn't want her own daughter to be forced into labor, so she sacrificed you instead, while telling our father she used it to pay of my debt," Henry continued.
I felt a wave of anger, "Do you think he believed she was saying the truth? The amount was quite huge," Henry nodded, face twisted in disgust.
"But that was a lie. Our stepmother never met him before, and he had no idea about your family. She did it all for her own child, and then blamed it on your debt," I spat, my voice trembling with rage.
Before I could process anything, Henry rushed out of my room. I waited anxiously, wondering what he was up to.
Henry walked into Jericho's room, with a calm face, that was filled with determination. Jericho looked up, no hint of surprise flickered across his face.
"Let my sister go. I'll pay half of the money I owe you now, and the rest in a week. And as for the money you paid for Moana, I'll refund it in three months," Henry proposed, hoping he'd buy it.
But rather, his expression changed, a sly smirk spreading across his face, "So, you're finally admitting the truth? All this time, I thought your family's allegations were true, that you had stolen from me to save your sister. But it was all a lie, wasn't it?" Jericho asked, darkly.
"Your family didn't just sell her to me, they sold her entire body. And I'm not just talking about the money. I'm talking about her freedom, autonomy, and soul,"
"I'll let the past be the past, regarding the money you owed me. But as for your sister, she's mine. And I'll never let my money gone wasted for the second time,"
Henry fell to his knees immediately, "Please, sir, let my sister go. I'll do anything. Just don't keep her as your slave," He pleaded, tears welling up in his eyes
"You're begging me to let her go, yet you stole from me. I've chosen to forgive that debt, but she belongs to me. Bought and paid for," Jericho declared, sounding quite possessive and cold.
Henry's face contorted in anguish, "But why? You know my family didn't sell her to you because of the debt. It was just a lie to cover their tracks,"
"I know. She sold her to me for one reason; to bring me the sister of the traitor who stole from me. And now, she belongs to me," He replied, his face twisting in cruelty.
"Get out. Consider yourself lucky I don't kill you for your thievery," Jericho added, hoarsely.
Henry slowly stood up, tears streaming down his face. He glanced at Jericho with a mix of anger and despair before turning and walking out of the room, defeated.
~•~~
I walked into Jericho's room, my heart racing with anticipation. He was shirtless, his chiseled chest on full display. My eyes caught the tattoo on his chest, but I quickly looked away, focusing on a spot on the floor.
He started walking closer to me, his eyes fixed on mine. He reached out to touch my hair, but I flinched, moving backwards.
His expression didn't change, but he pulled out his gun, pressing it against my breasts. I closed my eyes, and my body shivered with fear.
"Perfect. I love the way your body always shivers at my evil deeds. From now on, be a good girl. If you fail, I'll teach you in many ways, and you'll regret it. Do you understand?" He yelled, thunderously at me. I nodded immediately, my heart racing with fear.
"I'm more fascinated by slaves with some boldness. You'll be tempted slowly, tempted by your wildest fear, which is me, your captor,"