"Then I'll go find her." Michel slams his hand on the table again, making his point.

"No, you won't. You can't decide what you're going to do. The same goes for the new girl you just bought here. For all we know she could be one. Phoenix or a Davies woman was left behind when they broke in. Now we're going to force her to give her information and use her that way, but that's the way I'm going. I'll get rid of her right after that. Let's get to work now." Vengo stood up and looked around the room, expecting his men to obey him immediately and accept what he had set out to do.


"Damn it, Vengo."

"What did you say?"

Michel straightened his shoulders as he stood to his full height and repeated what he had said with even more determination, his eyes like two hot flames that wanted to burn everything and everyone in his way.


"I said: damn it, Vengo."

Vengo stared back for a moment, saying nothing but warning the person in front of him.


There was an earthquake going on in his head, so he chose his words very carefully.

"Is that a challenge, Michel?" He was almost threatening.

"It's not a challenge. It's a fact. There's no race. I'm myself and you're only the leader because I permitted you. I'm the rightful heir. I don't have to answer you."

The weight of Michel's words knocked the air out of Charles and Andy's lungs immediately as they searched each other's faces to confirm that this had indeed just happened.

Out of everyone, Vengo was speechless, opening and closing his mouth several times before he could find his voice and thus eventually lost it completely.

"What's the matter? All this for one girl, Michel? Are you serious?"

But Michel just lifted his chin and kept Vengo's gaze.

Suddenly his expression changed to something else.

Something holds authority.

Something was holding all the power.

That is the face of a leader.

"Say what you like, but mark my words. You will answer me or you will face my wrath. It's up to you. And just so you know? Charles and Andy will support me on this."

"Sorry?"

"Let's go. Ask them. Ask if they'll leave Fanny behind."

Vengo looked at each of them and was surprised when Andy was the first to stand up.

"He's right. I'm not going to just sit and do nothing about it."

Not even dignifying him with an answer, he then turned to his brother and waited in expectation.

But Charles shook his head, just verifying Michel's assumption.

"I was expecting this from a rookie but not from my brother."

"That's the right thing to do, Vengo."

And with that, the family is suddenly split in two with Vengo and Carlos on one side while Michel, Charles, and Andy on the other.

---

Fanny's eyes fluttered open as she slowly regained consciousness.

Her head throbbed, and her muscles ached.

Her whole body ached.

When her vision finally cleared, she gasped, her body cold as sudden nausea hit her.

She has to re-swallow working saliva from her stomach and into her throat.

She can't move her arms or legs and feels trapped.

She was trapped.

They had her.

She is completely dependent on their mercy.

Her chest tightened as she choked on sobs.

Tears silently fell down her cheeks as she thought about her father. She loved him so much that her heart ached at the thought of never seeing him again.

He died.

Trying to raise her arm, Fanny was horrified to learn that she couldn't.

When she tried to move her legs, she couldn't either.

Fanny felt heavy, and unmistakably the coldness of the steel wire wrapped around her wrists or ankles.

She moved again, and the sound of metal swaying filled the darkness.

She is chained.

Frightened, Fanny tried to move, twisting her arms and legs but only ended up screaming in pain as the metal bit into her skin.

She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes in despair.

Her hands and feet were tied to a damp stone wall.

She was chained to the wall like a slave.

Her throat tightens as she tries to breathe but her vision swims with vertigo, and her head leans against the wall as she tries to open her eyes.

When she heard footsteps approaching, her stomach twisted and she whimpered in fear.

Fanny's pulse pounded against her temples and throat while her chest felt heavy under the pressure of panic and fear.

She leaned against the wall shivering, waiting for her impending fate.

And then suddenly, she was no longer in the dark.

The lights were on, and her eyes closed instantly to the sudden glare.

Trembling, Fanny pushed her body harder against the wall, as if it could protect her.

She tried to cover her face with her hands, but they were brutally pulled down.

Opening her eyes, she was immediately confronted by the man she recognized.

Mr. Aiden. Gwen's father. The head of Davies's house.

Fanny cried out in pain as he tightened his fingers around her arm.

When he smiled, she flinched.

"Shh, beauty." He spoke in her ear, his tongue licking down her neck.

Fear immobilized her. His fingers wound around her hair, pulling her head back until she was staring at him.

"You miss me don't you?" He hissed, his face red with anger.

Her heart sank. She knew this day would come.

As Michel said, she was too childish to think she was safe.

Mr. Aiden looked frantic as his hand twisted in her hair.

Fanny winced as her scalp burned like fire.

"Michel's little slut. Did you let him trick you?" He asked, grabbing her chin.

His fingers dug deep into her skin, and Fanny had to bite her lip to stop her from crying.

"Of course he does. He touches you. You're his little play kitty, aren't you? What about the others? Andy maybe? Charles?" Mr. Aiden growled at her face.

She cringed and shook her head.