Chapter 2 Sold to a stranger

Chapter 2

The past three days have been the worst days of Lilian's life as she still hasn't been able to get over what happened in the company. She has been used to people bullying her all her life for her looks, but the only person that ever referred to her as an 'ugly thing' is her stepmother, and hearing it from a stranger for the first time hurts so much. If anyone ever told her that an innocent-looking man would be so mean, she would never have believed the person.

Trying to get herself distracted with the novel she bought recently, the sound of the knock on the door pulls her attention, and she groans angrily. Not that she needs anyone to tell her that it's her annoying stepmother. What does she want now?

"Lilian..." Her voice sounds from outside, confirming Lilian's curiosity.

"Yes, ma'am Felicia," Standing up from the bed, she strides to the door and pulls it open, revealing her ugly-looking face.

"Good morning, ma'am,"

"This is why you're not losing weight. What time is it, and you're still sleeping?" She scoffs as she rolls her eyes. The last thing on Lilian's mind now is to argue with her. She has so much going on in her mind already.

"Do you need me to do anything for you, ma'am?" She asks her politely.

"Come with me," She turns and walks away afterward.

Dragging her feet sluggishly along the hallway, she arrives at the living room, but the sight that welcomes her makes her stop on her track and her face dilates in anger when she finally recognizes him. It's the CEO from the company. The one that insulted and called her names the last three days she went for an interview. What the heck is he doing here?

"What are you doing here?" He snaps his head to look at her as soon as he hears her voice, and his face dilates in shock as soon as their eyes meet.

"Is she the one you're talking about?" He ignores her and turns to ask her stepmother instead.

"Yes, Mr. Ren. I'm sorry for her manners," Seeing the way her stepmother suddenly become polite and mannered, for some seconds, Lilian thought that maybe her ears and eyes are the ones playing tricks on her. She has never seen this hypocritical woman smile this genuinely.

"Behave yourself, Lilian," She turns to scold her before turning her attention to the man again.

"Mr. Ren, this is Lilian, the one I was telling you about," She smiles at him politely.

"You're expecting me to consider this thing? What makes you think that I will accept her?" He scoffs after he scrutinizes her carefully with his eyes while having a dissatisfied expression on his face. As much as she wants to insult this man and throw him out of the house, she can't help but get more curious about what he's doing here and what he and her stepmother must've talked about.

"Hey, Mr., my name is Lilian, and not..."

"Oh, shut up. You don't talk when I'm talking..."

"I don't know you, and I don't want to ever know you, but you have no right whatsoever to come to our house and insult me like you did back at your company. I won't take that ill manner from you," She fires at him.

"Shut your dirty stinky fat mouth, you shameless ugly thing," Her stepmother finally cuts her off as she glares hard at her.

"Your daughter is not just fat and ugly, but also mannerless. How can you expect me to take her in exchange for the money you're owing me? Do you think two hundred thousand dollars is a joke?" His words ring in her head, and for some minutes, it feels as though her ears are deceiving her. What's he saying?

"I know she's not worth it, but she's all I have... I don't have anything I can sell to..."

"Wait, let me get this straight. What is going on here?" Unable to keep quiet anymore, she finally ask curiously.

"What does it look like to you? Your mom borrowed money from me and couldn't pay up at the allotted time, so she's using you as collateral," He replies to her sarcastically as if what he just said is not even a big deal.

"You're joking, right? What's going on here? Can you just speak up already?" Her lips tremble as she turns to look at her stepmother questioningly.

"Where do you think we got the money to pay for your dad's surgery months ago? You thought I sold my kidney to raise the money, huh?" Her stepmother snaps at her, and she shakes her head, still confused. Some months ago, her dad was diagnosed with stage one lung cancer for which he needed surgery, and she paid for it. She told her not to worry when she asked where she got the money from.

"But..."

"Since there's no one else, I'll take her with me," He cuts her off before she even started to talk, and her heart sinks into her stomach. Staring at the heartless woman, her heart wrenches in pain as the tears she has been fighting back finally find their way down her cheeks. Would she do this to her if she were her child?

One hour later...

Her stepmother has successfully sold her out to a stranger and she didn't even care about what happens to her there. Is this how heartless she is? Glancing at the man sitting next to her in the backseat of the expensive car, she finds him staring down at his phone keenly while having all of his attention on it. What does fate has in store for her, or rather, what does this man have in store for her? Why does their fate have to be entangled in this manner? Just three days ago, this man bullied her for nothing and she didn't want to ever see him again, but now it seems like that can't be dodged. She's going to be spending maybe the rest of her life with him, depending on what he wants.

"We're here, Sir," The driver's voice pulls her attention, and she looks out through the window to find herself in the middle of the compound of a magnificent building.

"Are you not going to get down from the car?" His cold voice pulls her out of her train of thought, and she quickly pushes the door open, stepping out of the car afterward. Staring at the magnificent building standing in front of her, she can only admit that it's much more beautiful than some of the houses she has seen in magazines before.

She trails behind him as he strides to the building. Her mouth almost drops open as soon as they step into the large living room. The couches are sparkling neat and beautiful. The house is extremely beautiful but too bad that she doesn't even have the energy to admire it now. She has so many things going through her mind, and the last thing she wants to do now admires the house.

"Lisa... Lisa..." He calls out, and a young lady of the same age as Lilian, came running into the living room.

"Sir..."

"Take her to the room next to mine," He says to her before he walks away.

"Hi, my name is Lisa, one of the maids. It's nice to meet you," Lisa says to her while having a smile on her lips.

"I'm Lilian," She replies to her, and she nods her head. She thought Lisa was also going to look at her the way other people do, but it seems like she's not even thinking about that.

Hours later

She has just spent a few hours here, and it already feels like hell. She wishes that there was a way she can escape from here, but it's like being in a pit of hell that one can't escape from. She misses her poor dad. How will he feel when he wakes up from coma and finds out that his wife sold out his only child? How wicked of her.

After crying her eyes out the whole day, she finally drags herself into the bathroom and had a long relaxing bath. The house is filled with luxurious things, but she doesn't find them attractive enough. She just wants to go back home and be with her dad, is that too much to ask?

Walking back into the room after she had her bath, she stops on her track as soon as she spots Ren, sitting on the edge of her bed with his white robe on. What's he doing here?

"Wha...what are you doing here?" Scared, she steps back as she holds the towel tightly around her chest, causing him to raise his gaze to look at her.

"I have been waiting for you, Lilian. It's time to do what you're here for," With a smirk dancing at the corner of his lips, he stands up to his feet and loses the rope, connecting his robe.

"What are you doing?" Her heart beats rapidly against her chest as she presses her back further against the wall. What is he up to, now?