Chapter 1 First Encounter
Isabella was busy packing up some books, snacks and play toys for Daisy, her little sister.
"Is daddy going to beat you today, sister?" The little voice of her sister made her freeze for a moment.
She cleared her throat, "No, Daisy. We will be long gone before he comes back. And have you forgotten, we haven't seen him since Monday." She ruffled her hair.
"Such a cutie! Go wear your shoes, I'm done packing." She smiled, hiding the pain that clutched hard against her heart.
"Yippee..." Daisy threw her hands in the air. "And we are going to have lots of snacks and fun."
"Yes, Daisy. Now hurry up."
Daisy rushed out from the room jumping in excitement.
Isabella's mask finally broke, she let her hands fall to her side as she inhaled sharply.
For the past six years, she endured a series of beating and dirty words hurled at her from her drunken father.
He usually left the house in the morning only to return at night.
And it was hard for Isabella to take care of Daisy while working in the club at night, knowing fully well that her father was abusive. Luckily, she still had her friend, Serah, who allowed Daisy to spend the night at her place.
She zipped the duffel bag, slinging it over her shoulders as she went to Daisy's room.
"Hurry up, Daisy, we have a few hours left to leave." She said walking up to Daisy's room.
She didn't get a reply from her sister.
Weird! She thought.
Had her father come back?
She swallowed hard, fear hitting the back of her throat as she pushed Daisy's room door open.
"Daisy," She called softly, stepping into the room as she let her eyes roam around until they caught the sight of her sister.
"Daisy!" She screamed, rushing to her sister.
Her father was right there, standing barely sober as his hand covered Daisy's mouth.
"What the hell are you doing? Let her go!" Isabella tried pulling her sister out from her father's grip but he was too strong, even in his not-so-sober state.
"I'm sorry -"
"Shut the fuck up and let her go this instant. You stupid drunk fuck!" Isabella cursed at him sharply.
She didn't care whatever her father did to her - he could beat her, slap her, throw her inside a wardrobe for hours and she would take it but when it came to her sister, she would tear him down without giving a shit.
Isabella thrashed at him, throwing her fingers at his face, scratching and biting his neck until he released Daisy.
Isabella caught her sister, crouching down to her level.
"It's okay, Daisy." She whispered softly, her thumb brushing away the tears that fell on her cheeks
Daisy shivered, her eyes reddened with tears. "I'm so scared!" She said, her body trembling.
Isabella didn't say a word. She held, Daisy's hand and led her to the closet.
"Do not come out, no matter what you hear, okay? I promise everything will be okay." She pressed a kiss to her temple and closed the closet.
Everything will be okay?! She didn't even know how she was going to face her father.
He wasn't supposed to show up this morning. He only came back at night, so why is he here?
"You dirty bitch!" Her father, Richard, swung his arms, aiming for her face and Isabella stood waiting for the sharp stinging feeling but then...
Bang
The door was shut down with a loud bang.
Isabella shuddered, turning her head to see a group of men in black walking towards them.
"Get him!" She heard the voice of the one standing in front of everyone. His tone was cold and lethal.
Within a nano second. She watched her father pinned to the floor, fast and hard. His cheeks pressed on the cold floor.
Richard watched the man standing before him in horror.
Nikolai Volkov.
He had borrowed money from him and ran away. He wasn't expecting Nikolai to hunt him down.
Fuck! He was doomed.
"I - I... Forgive me. You can take my daughters in exchange for your money!"
What?!
Isabella looked at her father in disbelief.
Yes, he was all sorts of things but was he selling her off right now?
"What a pussy." Nikolai clicked his tongue, "I don't need bitches, Mr. Richard. You went against your word, now you pay with your life."
"Please-"
He tried begging but a bullet went straight into his forehead immediately. Blood spluttered from his mouth, his body shook vigorously as if trying to hold on for a minute before he slumped flat to the floor. Silent and unmoving.
Isabella's eyes widened at the sight, fear flooding up her nerves. Goosebumps all over her body as she stared at her lifeless father.
Isabella looked up at the man in front of her, body shaking, hands turning clamming as his steel cold black ones stared at her intently.
She Instinctively took a step back, her legs wobbling behind her.
Isabella didn't need anyone to tell her that the man in front was the leader.
It was written all over him, his aura was too strong, jaw taut, eyes cold and his voice? The most nerve chilling sound she had ever heard.
"What do we do to her?" One of the men asked.
"Kill her." He answered flatly.
Isabella breath hitched, a cold shiver ran down her spine and when she heard the gun clicking, her blood turned cold.
She needed to think fast.
She can't die here. For what exactly? She didn't do a thing!
The gun was aimed straight at her, ready to be pulled.
"Wait!" She said in a hurry.
Think, Isabella think!
The man looked at her, he was not interested, he looked at his guard with a warning stare.
"Do you wish to be in her position or will you pull the trigger?"
"Pull the trigger and your deeds will be shown to the world." Isabella said immediately, her lips stretched into a smirk.
She didn't know what she was doing, she just knew she had to act fast and had just said the first thing that came to mind.
The man stepped closer, "what do you mean?"
She pulled out her phone from her zipper pocket.
"You see, everything that has been said and done in this room, has been recorded in this device. One click and it will be sent to the police."
The man let out a dark chuckle, and for some reason, the sound made Isabella's stomach knot but she ignored it.
A dangerous man was standing in front of her, she couldn't be swayed.
He took a step forward making Isabella take a step back until she hit the cold wall and he was standing dangerously close to her.
She felt
his warm breath hitting her nose.
"Are you threatening me, Malyshka?"