Chapter 11

In the hospital room. I sat on the bed, scrolling through Twitter on my phone. No matter which category of news I clicked on—whether it was general or financial—the headlines were dominated by stories about Jasper and Aurora. Aurora Lancaster was seen entering and leaving Jasper Hawthorne's private apartment. Aurora delivered documents to Jasper Hawthorne's company. There were even photos of them dining together at a high-end hotel, with reports suggesting they made the perfect couple. Has it really come to this? Even the news is writing about it? It felt as though the world had completely forgotten that Jasper already had a wife—me. Perfect… Yes, Jasper and Aurora do seem like the perfect match. Childhood sweethearts. Their families are incredibly close. Titan Global Holdings has a solid foundation in the financial world, like a massive tree with branches stretching into various industries, each thriving with success. Jasper had expanded the group several times, and with his youthful handsomeness, he was practically the dream man for every woman. The Lancaster family’s influence in Astonia City is also formidable, and Aurora, having studied abroad for five years, was a superstar who had won countless awards. Add her beauty and grace, and it was easy to see why they seemed like the ideal couple. I bit my lip and turned off my phone, tossing it aside as I pulled the covers up, preparing to rest. But no matter how hard I tried, the moment I closed my eyes, my thoughts drifted back to Jasper. I thought of the way he had pampered me when we first married, always taking care of me with endless affection. I thought of how, even when he was hurt, he came to my rescue when I was in danger. Even though he had been covered in blood at that time, in my eyes, he had still been so clean. His gaze was filled with nothing but me, as though those two years of troubles never happened. It felt like he still loved me as much as before. But then, I thought of how cold and distant he had been when he defended Aurora, how he insulted me with his words, how tangled he was with other women... The ever-changing him. I sobbed, covering my closed eyes with my arm as tears slid down my cheeks. Creek— The door to the hospital room opened. I thought it was a nurse coming to check on me, so I didn’t lower my arm. I sniffled and said, "I’m fine, nurse. You can go back to your rounds—mm!" Before I could finish, the intruder pressed tape over my mouth. Just as I tried to move my arm away from my face, I was swiftly lifted from the bed, and a sharp blow to the back of my neck knocked me unconscious. I awoke groggily, the noise around me causing my head to throb. My neck was in agonizing pain, and when I tried to lift my hands to rub it, I realized I had no strength at all. My hands and feet were bound, and my mouth was taped shut. The memory of what happened before I lost consciousness flooded back. Had I been kidnapped? But who would want to kidnap me? I didn’t dare make a sound, fearful of alerting my captors. Instead, I barely cracked my eyes open, scanning my surroundings. There were people coming and going—sturdy men busily moving things, and women dressed provocatively, swaying their hips. "Mm-mm-mm!" A muffled cry suddenly came from beside me. I turned and saw several other girls, bound just like me. They were either looking at each other in fear or staring vacantly with calm expressions. "Shut up!" A woman dressed in bright, revealing clothing walked over, slapping one of the girls across the face. "You’re all just merchandise! Once you’re sold to me, you’d better know your place!" She turned to shout at the burly men. "Hey! Stop moving the stuff for now! Come help me with these girls!" She then opened a box filled with syringes. My eyes widened in horror as I watched the men approach with syringes in hand. One of them plunged the needle into my skin, and I had no strength to resist. I could only gasp, fear gripping me as I watched the man inject the fluid into my veins. I tried to stay awake, but the drugs quickly overwhelmed me, and soon, the darkness took over. Jasper's POV I sat in the car, Bluetooth headset in place, listening to my subordinate’s report. My voice was cold as I cut in, “If your reports are this slow again, you’re out. And make sure Charlotte doesn’t get away.” After tossing the headset aside, I turned to look at Arabella, who was unconscious in the backseat. This woman was unbelievable. How could she have been kidnapped from the hospital and brought to a place like this? She didn’t even try to scream for help or fight back. It was… so stupid! If I hadn’t been keeping an eye on her, tracking her every move, and learned she had been taken to one of the darkest underground auctions in Astonia City, I would never have gotten there in time, raced through the streets, and bought her back. If I hadn’t, she might have ended up with someone else! The people who attend these auctions are no good! I looked at her pale, unconscious face, weak and fragile, and my anger flared up again. I clenched my jaw and gripped the steering wheel tightly. Damn Charlotte! Arabella's POV I woke up with pain, feeling a slight strength returning to my body. I slowly opened my eyes, suddenly remembering that I had been sold to some place. So, had I been bought now? I jumped out of bed, hurried to the door, planning to escape, but as soon as I reached it, I ran straight into a solid chest. The person grabbed me by the shoulders, and the grip was so strong. I pressed my hand to my nose, which stung from the impact, and squinted up at the person. It was Jasper. He pressed his lips together, staring at me coldly. His eyes were deep, like a vortex, as if they could swallow me whole. He looked thinner. I snapped back to reality, trying to break free from his grasp. “What—what are you doing here?” Jasper seemed amused. He lowered his hands and, with a smirk, replied, “Look around, Arabella. Whose house do you think this is? Why wouldn’t I be here?” I looked around and only then realized it was my house—the one Jasper had set up for us. I exhaled in relief, but quickly tensed up again. “How… how did I get here? I was in… in…” “Your stepmother is something else. She sold you. I bought you back. Now, you're mine," Jasper said, hands casually stuffed in his pockets. His smile didn't reach his eyes. “What? Sold? What do you mean, I’m yours…?” I stammered, still trying to wrap my head around it all. “I spent fifty million to buy you, Arabella. Fifty million—exactly what you needed, right?" Jasper's lips curled into a smirk. His gaze softened, but his words cut like a knife. "So now you belong to me. My personal slave. Too bad you won’t be able to use that money.” I looked up at him, my lips trembling. “Slave…?” I whispered. Not again. He always had to degrade me like this.