Two Days Ago.....
"Where is the young baroness you promised I'd get married to?" Came the words of a man in a suit. His right leg was confidently resting on the other as he sat comfortably in the living room.
Roland, who owned the house revealed a tainted smile as he looked to his left.
"Auriela, get the girl." He said to his wife who looked elated to go bring the girl from upstairs. She quickly exited the living room, leaving both men to themselves.
Roland looked at Gregory, an old time friend who was based in another country outside Carmarthen. He had to admit silently that his old friend has indeed changed into the dangerous man everyone sought him out to be.
With two hefty men standing just behind Gregor's seat, Roland took a big gulp and forced a nervous smile, pointing at the tea and biscuits on the table that were brought by the housekeepers.
"As you wait, please enjoy the tea and biscuits, it must have been very stressful to travel all the way here, so please entertain yourselves with some--"
"Roland." The man's roughly thick voice silenced Roland immediately, the look in his eyes clearly portrayed the seriousness of his visit tonight, "I am not here for tea and biscuits, I am here to see what I paid for."
"Please exercise a little bit of patience, they'll be here soon, I don't know why my wife is taking forever to bring her here, just give us a minute and they'll be here." Roland uttered nervously as he kept looking at the direction of Madeline's room from time to time, hoping for them to appear before Gregor eventually loses his patience.
Roland's rapid heartbeat gradually eased when his wife returned with the young baroness. The girl was as quiet as a mouse and her head was tilted down when she was brought to the living room. She was dressed beautifully, her raven black hair tied in an updo, and light make-up was applied to her delicate face, bringing out her beauty.
She stole the attention of Gregor almost immediately.
Pointing his fancy walking stick at her, he asked, "Is she the young baroness?"
"Yes she is." Roland responded with delight, hope returning to his soul when he noticed Gregor was busy checking her out.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Auriela added, forcing the young baroness to look up by tilting her head, and her glossy black-colored eyes met that of Gregor's. She wasn't blinded by the lust in his eyes, and it disgusted her.
"Very pretty." He complimented, his mood lighting up a bit at the appearance of the young baroness. Out of all the women he's bought and enslaved, she was the loveliest. He knew without a doubt that this lady would earn him millions.
She wasn't smiling, her reaction to everything happening in front of her was just difficult to guess, she appeared sad nor happy. Her eyes were distant, and there was nothing she did to retaliate her Aunt's touch towards her.
"What is your name?" He asked, finding this one a little strange. He was mainly used to seeing all the young ladies struggle and weep when they were sold to him, but this one, she's not even flinching at the sight of him.
The young baroness didn't respond, neither did she act like someone who they were currently speaking to. She looked like a displayed porcelain doll while remaining lifeless, barely blinking.
"Her name is Madeline." Roland introduced himself, already aware of Madeline's games and he wasn't going to let her escape from the fifth man he's brought to buy her from his hold.
"Madeline." The old man drawled, liking the taste of her name against his tongue. A pretty lady with a pretty name.
"What is her age?"
"She's 22." Replied Auriela
"I like her." He gave his final result on what he thought about her, "she doesn't seem to put up a fight, and isn't much of a talker herself, extremely delicate I'd say, she's perfect."
Roland and his wife's face beamed with triumph when Gregor acknowledged her beauty. After Madeline's parents died, they discovered that her father, the Baron, gave his title and inheritance to his only daughter, leaving nothing for his own blood brother.
Fortunately, her father stated something in his will that acted as an advantage to him. His daughter will only be able to access her rightful inheritance after she gets married, which was why Roland and his wife made a plan to sell her off.
If Madeline marries Gregor, she'll be able to access the will, then he'll be the one to inherit everything that was passed down to his niece. Gregor had promised to make it possible, and not only will he inherit everything Madeline owned, he'll get extra cash from selling her to a brothel that was ran by Gregor.
"I sincerely appreciate your feelings for my niece, she's all yours right after you pay the selling fee. You know the deal Gregor." Roland was greedy for the money, his mouth was already watering when one of Gregor's men dropped a briefcase in front of the table, opening it up and revealing the bountiful amount of cash stored inside.
Auriela nearly fainted at the sight. All this money for a lady like Madeline?
"It's all yours." Gregor said, grinning at how much of an obedient dog Roland became at the sight of money, "but I need you to do something for me."
"I'll do anything."
"I want our wedding fixed in two days, I heard the people aren't much of a gossip but news still spreads like wildfire around here, whilst I want our wedding done at night, when there won't be any disturbance, can that be arranged?"
"Absolutely!" Auriela agreed before her husband could speak,"we'll get everything ready in two days, then you'll be free to leave with your beautiful new wife."
"Good," the air in the room changed when Gregor looked at Roland with warning eyes, "if she escapes," he gestured by making a cut slice with his finger along his throat, signifying he'd slit Roland's throat and waste him within seconds.
"She won't escape, she'll be right here."
After Gregor had left his home, Madeline was roughly dragged back to her room. Auriela's fingers were digging right into the skin of her wrist, but still, she didn't flinch, nor try to force herself free.
After they made it to her barely spacious room, Madeline was flung on the bed, and a soft gasp tore from her lips when she fell on it.
"You will remain locked here until your wedding to Gregor arrives." Auriela made her orders clear, "we can't have you running away when such a handsome reward is waiting on the other side of the tunnel, and don't you dare think about running, because we will always find you."
Auriela said, purposely reminding her of her multiple failed attempts.
"Your food will be brought to your doorstep, can't have you starving when your wedding is close by. Gregor might change his mind if we make you suffer too much, so you should be grateful that someone has this much interest in a pathetic being like you."
She spat. She never really liked Madeline since the first day she was brought here. Madeline's mother and her were never on the good terms, and what brewed the hatred further was when Madeline was born
Meanwhile she hadn't even gave birth to one child.
Eyeing the lady on the bed, unable to stand her presence, Auriela closed the door, locking it from the outside and keeping the key safely in the pocket of her gown.
When Madeline no longer sensed that evil woman's presence, she quietly slipped out of bed. She opened the drawer by her bedside and brought out a small first aid kit. She sat on the bed, treating her reddened wrist that was caused by Aurelia's violent grasp.
Rubbing the ointment lightly, Madeline let out a sigh, finally enjoying the peace of being in her room alone and away from those two monsters that she thought were family.
"If you wanted the will so bad, you could have just asked." Came the heartbreaking words that tore from her lips, but she didn't cry, she was never the type to cry, she's known herself to be stronger than that. No matter how much it hurts, she was capable of withstanding it.
"Now how do I escape from here?"