Chapter 2 A Prison Of Luxury

After countless attempts to open the door, Bella finally gave up and sat on the floor, her arms wrapped around her body and her face buried between her legs, weeping.

Despite the exhaustion from her tears, Bella continued to cry, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The sound of keys jingling soon made her jump up, thinking that she would finally be released from the room. However, instead of freedom, a guard appeared with a gun in his hand, causing her to retreat, knowing that resisting would only bring harm. A tray of food was pushed through the door, and it was immediately locked again.

This only fueled her determination to escape. She pounded on the door with all her strength, but there was no response, no one to open it.

Defeated, she slumped back onto the floor and angrily threw the plate of food against the wall.

All she wanted was to be free from this room, to see her father and throw herself into his embrace, and food was the last thing on her mind.

Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and her body felt weak. She couldn't muster the energy to move any longer, so she lay on the cold floor and fell into a deep sleep.

She awoke to the sound of keys jingling again. Her body immediately tensed as she waited for the door to open. The hallway light spilled into the room as the door swung open, revealing old lady Amato and two maids behind her.

The maids approached her and pulled her up, dragging her off the cold floor with them out of the room to god knows where.

"I demand to know where you're taking me to, let go of me this instant," Bella yelled angrily, trying to free herself from the tight grip of the two maids who paid no attention to her.

After walking for some minutes, Old lady Amato finally stopped Infront of a wooden door and swung it opened after which she entered with the two maids who dragged Bella in with them.

The scent of strawberries soon filled Bella's nostrils, promting her to raise up her head as she looked around, taking in her new surroundings.

A bath filled with steaming water and decorated with rose flower petals awaited her, and a young lady stood beside the bath, dressed in a white long fluffy gown and a black apron. Her hair was tied into a bond and her lips was curved into a beautiful smile.

A pink, fluffy gown also hung on a wooden stand just beside the bath, and lotions of different kinds and beautiful jewelries were placed on a table just beside the bath.

Bella does not need to be told that she was here for a bath.

"Undress!" commanded the old lady, her gaze unwavering. Bella hesitated, feeling the weight of their stares. She couldn't bring herself to remove her own clothes.

"Why should I undress? I never said I needed a bath," Bella managed to utter, even though she knew this would make the old lady standing in front of her get more angry.

Growing impatient, old lady Amato made eye contact with the other maids, who understood and moved closer to Bella and began ripping off Bella's clothes. She fought against their grip, yelling for them to let go, but a sharp slap soon silenced her.

"You will do as you're told. I make the rules here, so you must follow my rules," old lady Amato said with a hateful glare.

Bella stood frozen, her hand pressed against her stinging cheek, desperately holding back tears. She could swear that she saw stars the moment Old lady Amato hand landed on her left cheek.

The maids continued stripping her until she was completely naked. She tried to cover herself with her hands, feeling exposed and vulnerable.

'Let go of me, you'll surely pay for this," Bella cried bitterly as the tears which she had been struggling so hard to hold back, started falling down freely down her cheeks.

The maids guided her into the bath, the hot water scalding her skin. The lady by the bath scrubbed her soft white skin gently after which she began washing her long raven black hair.

After an hour of bathing, Bella was assisted out of the bath by the two maids.

They dressed her in a fluffy gown and a corset that accentuated her figure. Her hair was styled and adorned with beautiful accessories. Finally, her makeup was applied.

Bella was led to a large mirror and seated in front of it. She couldn't deny her own beauty, but it meant nothing in her current situation. Her life had been shattered the moment she entered this mansion.

The maids pulled her up and followed old lady Amato out of the bathroom now into a grand room. The aroma of food made Bella's stomach growl. She looked up to see a lavish spread of dishes on a golden table, surrounded by golden chairs.

They pulled out a chair for her and she sat down, and old lady Amato commanding her to eat. Bella was no doubt starving, so she obediently began devouring the food, unable to resist, telling herself that she would need the food to have strength in as much as she wants to escape from the prison-like mansion.

When she had eaten her fill, the maids cleared the table. They led her out of the dining hall, with the old lady Amato leading the way.

They soon stopped in front of a massive golden door, which old lady Amato unlocked and Bella was pushed inside while the door was locked from behind.

The room was opulent, filled with gold furniture, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and a luxurious queen-sized bed with a white bedspread. The dressing table was adorned with lotions, jewelries and different shades of makeup.

"Father! I miss you father," Bella cried bitterly as she walked towards the queen sized bed and took a seat on it.

Tired and weak, Bella couldn't resist the allure of the neatly made bed. She lay down, facing the ceiling, and closed her eyes, succumbing to sleep.