Chapter 1 The New Girl

A girl with wet hair and a dirty dress at the bottom was crying, her head bowed. Her curly black hair was clumped together, with water dripping from its tips. The heavy rain outside the house seemed to be the main culprit. The marble floor where the girl stood was also wet and dirty from the dirt brought in by her bare feet. Her trembling hands were tightly held by two other men.

Her shoulders hunched forward and continued to tremble, a mixture of shivering from the cold and fear, both physical and psychological, causing her body to shake incessantly. She didn't lift her face to the man with blue eyes who was now looking at her with a sharp and angry gaze. Behind him, there were four other women. Some looked at her with pity, some just glanced and curled their lips, some stared blankly, and one of them looked at her with sympathy.

"I've told you repeatedly, never try to escape from here, or you will suffer," the man with blue eyes said with a dominating voice. His voice sounded heavy, and the girl appeared even more frightened.

"Hehh heh he." The girl's breath was ragged. It was a mix of exhaustion from running, fear, and the sadness she felt. "I-I want my mom. I want to go home... please, let me go home." The girl pleaded again with a hoarse voice while crying.

"Go home, you say? Tch!" The man clicked his tongue and took a few steps forward. His piercing gaze made the girl bow her head further. "Lift your face!" he said firmly, but in a low volume.

The girl didn't listen. She was too scared and too determined to resist.

"I said, lift your face!" the man repeated with a flat tone.

The girl remained silent and cried. She completely ignored the words of the well-dressed, muscular man in front of her.

His patience wore thin. The athletic, elegantly dressed man stepped forward and grabbed the girl's jaw quite forcefully. The girl blinked and recoiled, but the two men restraining her held on even tighter. Their strength easily overpowered any feeble resistance from the girl.

"Ugh... Eeehh..." the girl whimpered in pain as the man with blue eyes pressed his fingers firmly on the sides of her lower jaw. He lifted her face up. His sharp gaze pierced through her perfect, upturned nose. He stared with a cold and stern charm.

"When I tell you to lift your face, you better lift it. And listen to me carefully. I never want to hurt you as long as you obey! And I don't like hurting my women like this." He said authoritatively as he stared at the girl with cold eyes.

"Eegghhhh..." The girl whimpered again as her jaw was squeezed even tighter.

"Are you listening?" he asked with a sigh of emphasis. "Re... Reply...me... Are you listening?" His voice echoed, full of emphasis, piercing her ears.

The girl reluctantly nodded.

The man didn't smile despite the girl obeyed. His gaze still looked cold. He released his grip on her. Then he gently stroked the Darians left on her face. "Now, change your clothes, eat, and rest. I don't want you to get sick. I don't want you to suffer."

"Heeehhhh..." The girl just sighed and trembled, her eyes filled with fear.

"Ilyana!" the man with blue eyes called to one of the women standing behind him. The one who had looked at the girl with sympathy.

"Yes, Mr. Right?" she replied politely.

"You take care of her! I don't want an incident like this to happen again. My mood is bad right now. After she calms down, you come to my room!"

"Yes, Mr. Right," she replied, bowing respectfully.

"Hmm..." The man took a few steps back, then put his hands into the pockets of his long black pants. He lifted his face, his jaw sharp and defined. He looked towards the two men holding the girl's arm.

"Release her," he said flatly.

The two men immediately let go of the girl's arms. Then they stepped back and bowed. Mr. Right, as he was called, pointed to the exit with his chin, and the two men promptly understood and left.

He shifted his sharp gaze towards the other three women. "What are you all looking at? Go back to your rooms!" he said firmly.

The other two women lowered their heads and quickly left, obediently. Meanwhile, the glamorous-looking woman with sharp makeup and bold red lipstick gazed at him seductively. "Do I need to improve your mood, Mr. Right?" she asked, then winked.

Mr. Right just stared at her expressionlessly. It took no more than five seconds, and the woman immediately lowered her gaze. She knew it wasn't the time to play around. Without further instruction, she retreated, bowed, and returned to her room.

But before completely leaving, she stopped and asked Mr. Darian Right when there was no one. "Darian, did you bring in a new girl again? At least let me talk to her first. Don't blame her; she's just scared," Ilyana said softly.

Mr. Right looked sharply at Ilyana. Ilyana also lowered her head.

"Take care of her, and then you come to my room. I won't say it three times," Mr. Right said again with a flat voice and a serious demeanor.

"Alright, Mr. Right," Ilyana replied formally.

Mr. Right walked away with his slow, deliberate steps, leaving the rest to Ilyana.

He departed calmly, and even his black dress shoes echoed in the large house.

Ilyana was now embracing the girl, gently stroking her and trying to comfort her.

"What's your name?" Ilyana asked gently to the girl in her embrace.

"I want to go home... Please... let me go home."

Ilyana looked at her with sympathy again. "We'll go home later, as long as you obey. There's no way out of here unless you obey. I will help you. Don't worry..."

Ilyana's words were so gentle and soothing that they calmed the trembling girl. She gazed back with teary eyes. "My name is Stella."

Ilyana smiled warmly. "Alright, Stella. I'm Ilyana, nice to meet you."

Stella managed a small smile on her lips. She felt a bit safer being close to Ilyana.

"Now, come with me, okay? Let's dry your hair first. After that, you can eat and rest. I'll be with you. Don't be afraid. Okay? Mr. Right won't be angry if we obey."

Stella nodded faintly, biting her lip.

Ilyana smiled and led Stella to her room.

***

TO BE CONTINUED