Chapter 1 The Bargain

Victoria's POV

The front door crashed open with a bang. My father stood in the doorway, his face ashen, his shoulders sagging like a man carrying the world's weight.

"Dad?" I stepped toward him, a knot tightening in my chest. "What's wrong?"

Brenda peeled herself off the couch, tossing her phone aside. "Maybe he's still pissed about the fight with Mum this morning."

"Brenda!" I snapped, shooting her a glare. "How could you say that?"

"What? It's true," she muttered, folding her arms.

I turned back to Dad, swallowing the lump rising in my throat. "You were gone so long... Mum's been waiting for you. She's asleep now. Should I wake her?"

Dad's hand trembled slightly as he ran it through his hair. "Yes. I need to speak to everyone," he said, exhaling heavily before sinking into the long sofa.

Alarm bells went off in my head. This wasn't normal.

I hurried toward the hallway, but before I could reach Mum's room, I heard her soft footsteps. She appeared, looking exhausted, but concerned.

"Dad's calling you," I said quickly, then followed her back to the living room.

She sat beside him. No hugs. No kisses on the cheek. None of the little things they always shared - the cold air between them practically crackled.

Mum casually mentioned my upcoming tuition for my final year at SUNY Backport, he insisted he doesn't have money yet complaining that the office loan that caused the quarrel from earlier clearly hadn't healed.

I pressed my lips together, guilt gnawing at me. Maybe if I hadn't insisted on the new semester...

Then, Dad said something that made the air disappear from the room.

"You're getting married tomorrow."

The words dropped like a bomb.

Brenda and I jerked upright, voices colliding.

"Who?!"

Dad's eyes flicked to Brenda. "I know this is hard for you, sweetheart."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Relief flooded me - but only for a second. Brenda looked like someone had punched her.

Dad leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his voice cracking. "Mr. Kelvin - the CEO of Brahma Real Estate - he's the one I borrowed money from to buy this house. He's threatening jail if I don't pay."

"Jail?" Brenda whispered, her face ghostly pale. "What does that have to do with me?"

"I begged him," Dad said, voice thick with shame. "But in the end, he made me sign an agreement. His son... he wants to marry my daughter."

The room spun.

"I swear to you," Dad pleaded, "I'm working on the money. Once I repay him, I'll get you out of it."

Brenda let out a bitter laugh, spinning to face me.

"Don't you dare look at me like that, Victoria! I'm not the only daughter here," she snapped. "You're right there! Why is it always me?"

She hurled a pillow across the room, hands tearing through her hair in frustration.

"Why are you so selfish, Brenda?" Dad exploded, leaping to his feet.

"Dad-"

"Shut up!" he barked, the veins in his neck standing out. "I sacrificed everything for you two. Your sister's about to graduate. And you? You can't do one thing for your family?"

Brenda whirled toward Mum. "Aren't you going to say something?!"

"You have to do this, baby," she said softly. "If you don't... your father goes to jail. We lose the house."

"Mom, so you knew about this?" Brenda asked, her voice trembling with fury. Her hands were clenched at her sides, her eyes blazing.

Her mother didn't speak right away. She inhaled deeply, then stepped forward. "Yes. I knew."

Victoria stood frozen, heart hammering. She hadn't meant to overhear-she'd followed the shouting instinctively, dread already clawing at her chest. Now, she watched the truth unravel like torn lace.

Brenda's breath hitched. "And you said nothing? You watched them plan my life like a business deal and just stood there?"

Tears welled in their mother's eyes, but her voice held steady. "I fought for you, baby".

Victoria's stomach twisted. She looked at her mother, really looked-and for the first time saw a woman drowning beneath the surface, gasping in a world built by men who never asked what she wanted.

Brenda shook her head, backing away. "You could've said no. You could've fought more-"

"I did," her mother cut in. "Behind closed doors. But your father signed that contract without asking. I begged him. Nothing changed."

Brenda's face crumpled. "So you just gave up?"

"No, baby. I held on. And every moment, I was trying to find a way to save you."

Brenda broke. The weight of betrayal cracked into grief. Her knees buckled-but before her mother could reach her, Victoria rushed forward and caught her.

"I've got you," Victoria whispered, arms wrapping tightly around her sister.

Their mother joined them, falling to her knees,

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you better."

Brenda sobbed into her shoulder. "I'm scared."

"I know, sweetheart," their mother said, her voice quaking. "But you're not alone".

Victoria held them both, tears slipping silently down her cheeks. Her heart was breaking too-shattered by choices none of them had made, bound by consequences none of them deserved.

"I don't even know him!" Brenda cried, breaking away. "And you expect me to marry him tomorrow? Just like that?"

Tears streamed down her face as Mum led her to the bedroom, murmuring words I couldn't hear.

Dad sank back into the sofa, rubbing his face.

"Mr. Kelvin said he'll send everything needed - bridal clothes, arrangements - first thing tomorrow," he mumbled.

I sat down heavily. "But why so fast?"

Dad shook his head. "His son needs public assurance. Something about a new leadership position at Brahma."

"What position?" I pressed, heart still racing.

Before he could answer, my phone lit up.

Nelson.

I lifted the phone and gestured silently. Dad nodded, waving me off.

I slipped into the hallway and answered.

"Hey, babe," Nelson's voice crackled through the line. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No," I said, forcing a smile he couldn't see. "It's fine."

"You sure? You don't usually pick up this late."

I glanced at the clock. 11:30 PM. My eyes widened. Had we really been talking that long?

"I just... lost track of time," I murmured.

"What were you doing?" he teased lightly. "Chatting with some guy?"

I leaned against the wall, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Why are you like this, Nelson?"

Silence. Then his tone softened. "Sorry, babe. I miss you."

Before a word could come out of my mouth, I tiptoe back to where my father was but he wasn't there anymore, and that gave me the freedom to speak more openly.

"I miss you too," I whispered.

I entered my room as I went on bed, playing with the hem of my shirt. "A lot happened tonight. My sister's getting married tomorrow."

"What?" he said sharply.

"Yeah. To a guy she barely knows. It's a whole... thing. Family stuff. She's being forced into it for some reason known to my father"

"Jesus, Vic," he muttered. "Are you okay?"

"I guess." I hugged my knees. "Will you come? Tomorrow?"

"Of course," he said immediately. "You won't have to face this alone."

A soft chuckle escaped him. "Besides... I still owe you more kisses after yesterday."

I smiled, cheeks warming despite everything.

"We'll have all the time in the world after this disaster," I whispered.

"I can't wait," he murmured.

We stayed on the line a moment longer, neither wanting to hang up. Finally, I said goodbye and ended the call.

I lay back against the bed , staring at the ceiling.

What kind of position could push my father to sell his daughter?

My body felt too heavy to move. Slowly, sleep crept over me, dragging me under.

But before my body gave in to the darkness, I caught a glimpse of Brenda's looking unease, sneaky and suspicious - and in that moment, for the briefest second, I seemed... unsure.

What could she be looking for?

And then everything went black.