Chapter 1 Betrayed by Love

Aria's POV

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I'm standing in the middle of the club, but not to dance. I'm standing here because my husband wants to sell me to the club.

Moments ago.

"I still don't understand why we are here, babe," I whisper to Rafael. Raising my head to look at my husband.

Tightening my grip on his arm, my heels clicking against the polished marble floors as we passed through different people.

"I just don't belong here," I whisper to myself.

The loud music pounds through my chest, a deep, banging beast that drowns my whole thoughts. The club is alive with flashing lights.

The Scent of expensive perfume and desperation is unmistakable on their faces.

"Just trust me, my love," he said. Squeezing my fingers with his for a little moment. I want to believe him, but something about this doesn't feel right.

But I do love him so much and I trust that he would never do anything to harm me. Rafael wasn't the type of husband who always took me out to have fun.

We didn't have the money anyway, with bills piling up every day for us. It wasn't an easy life, but at least we had each other.

When he told me to dress up tonight, I did. At least I was very happy that after a long while, we could finally go out and have fun as we both deserved to.

We entered into a private lounge called the VIP section. The scent of expensive whiskey immediately fills our noses.

But also something darker that makes my skin prickle. Rafael tightens his grip on my hands as he leads me to the posh, black leather seats, guiding me to sit down with a gentleness that makes things feel even worse.

A man was sitting across from us, a large cigarette dangling between his fingers. His suit is quite expensive, his dark eyes piercing my direction as they settle on me.

He looked like the guy who ran things around here- someone who took things he wanted by any means necessary.

I shift in my seat, coldness creeping into my skin despite the heat of the club.

"She's even more beautiful in person."

"She would be perfect."

The man says, exhaling the smoke through his large nostrils.

My gaze immediately shifts to Rafael, who is already looking at the man, nodding to him with a sly smirk forming on his lips.

My heart stops for a moment looking at this.

"What....what's happening, babe?"

"Who is perfect for what?"

But he doesn't even answer me.

"You see that she is worth more than we discussed." Rafael continues his conversation smoothly as if he is negotiating a business deal.

I just sit there, staring at him, waiting for an answer, for him to say this is nothing more than a cruel joke, that it's not real.

"Babe wouldn't cause me any harm.

He wouldn't.

No...no, I can't.

"Rafael?" My voice barely whispers.

"What are the both of you talking about?"

His eyes meet mine, and for the first time in all the years we have been married, I finally see him for who he truly is.

Not my husband

Not the love of my life

There is no love, no sympathy, or care for me.

Only calculating, cold.

Ruthless greed.

"I'm sorry babe, but I have to do this for me."

I'm tired of being poor, I need all the money and power I can get."

"And if I have to sacrifice you, I will do that." He shot back.

"You said you loved me." My voice shakes as I plead with him.

I force the words out even as my throat tightens, betrayal digging its claws deep into my bones.

"I do love you."

"But love won't give me all the money and power I need." He shoots back.

The man across us chuckles, a wicked sinister smirk curling from his lips.

Suddenly a hand grabs my thigh, squeezing it so hard that it leaves a mark on my skin.

"No," I gasp, struggling to escape his tight grip. But Rafael's hands immediately grab my waist, holding me down like a goat that is about to be slaughtered.

"Babe please!"

"Please don't do this to me!"

"Try to make this easy for me if you love me, babe."

"Can't you do such a little thing for me?"

He whispers to me, raising my chin to look at his face one last time. His voice is gentle, almost affectionate.

One of the things that made me fall deeply in love with him was his eyes were nothing but empty.

It carried no emotions.

It's a struggle as I claw to fight back, to try to escape this hell hole, I wasn't supposed to meet this type of fate.

But there are too many hands already on me as more men enter the private room- pulling me to the floor and restraining me from moving.

I scream for someone to help me, but it's useless.

"The room is soundproof, sweetheart; no one will hear you scream." The man says, laughing mockingly to my face.

All I can hear is my desperate breathing, and the loud music in the room pounding heavily in my ears.

This was terror in human form, the end for me.

I had no other choice but to accept what would come after this, I didn't even know if I would ever survive this.

But what hurt me more than this, piercing like a knife deep inside my chest was the betrayal that came from the man I could do anything for.

Pain.

A sudden, sharp burst of pain was the next thing that I felt as a knife pressed into my heart.

Hot and blinding pain that had no mercy.

I choke on my screams, but a hand forcefully covers my mouth.

The knife found itself repeatedly in my chest over and over again without any human sympathy.

I collapse, my vision fading.

Everywhere darkened around me as the world seemed to disappear.

Rafael's face is the last thing I see before everything fades into nothing.

His cold dark eyes.

Unmoved.