Lana's chest rose and fell in shallow, panicked bursts. The rope cut into her wrists, tied cruelly tight in front of her. A blindfold pressed against her skin, damp from her own tears. The air inside the car was suffocating. it was thick with silence, thick with fear.
Her body trembled, as she tried to listen to what was happening around her. She had no idea where she was being taken. No idea who these men were. The questions clawed at her mind until they hurt.
Was this it? Was this how her life ended?
Her heart pounded painfully.
She forced her lips to move. Her voice came out cracked and thin.
"Wh… where are you taking me?"
The words barely left her mouth before the silence swallowed them. Neither of the men beside her answered. They didn't even shift. They sat like stone.
Her throat tightened.
"Please," she cried louder this time. "Don't do this! I'll pay you back... i'll pay every single penny I owe!"
Still nothing.
It was like she wasn't even there.
Lana's sobs grew ragged. She hated herself for begging again, but what else could she do? Her whole life had been one long plea, pleading with neighbors, with lenders, with strangers. Always on her knees, always begging. And now? Not even that could save her.
I need to think. I need to get out of here.
But how?
Her hands were bound. The blindfold stole her sight. If she even tried to free herself, they'd notice in seconds.
Suddenly The car slowed down and Stopped.
Her heart lurched violently.
No. No, if we've arrived… then I'm done for.
A heavy silence followed, more frightening than the ride itself. Then there was movement. A hand reached toward her face.
She recoiled instantly, her body shaking. But instead of pain, she felt the fabric of the blindfold tugged away.
Light rushed in, blinding her. She blinked furiously, squinting until her eyes adjusted to the light.
The man in front of her wasn't what she expected. No tattoos, no wild look, no rough loan shark appearance. He was dressed head to toe in black, sharp as a blade, with the calmness of a bodyguard.
The man look Professional but also Dangerous.
"Get down," he ordered, his voice deep and steady.
The door swung open.
Lana hesitated, her breath stuck in her throat. But his stare was hard enough to make her legs move on their own. She stepped out of the car and then froze.
Her jaw dropped.
A mansion towered before her, glowing faintly in the night like something from another world. Its sprawling walls stretched impossibly high. Its gardens were pristine, gates ornate, doors massive. It looked less like a house and more like a palace.
Lana's knees weakened. She couldn't breathe.
What is this place?
It wasn't the kind of place debt collectors came from. This was wealth beyond imagination. Untouchable wealth.
Did Father really borrow from someone here? From people like this?
If he had… she was finished. She could never repay a debt like that, not in ten lifetimes.
The man tugged her arm, snapping her back to reality. His grip wasn't rough, but it left no room for resistance.
Each step closer to the mansion only made her chest squeeze tighter.
By the time they reached the massive mahogany doors, Lana's thoughts were spiraling again. She didn't even dare imagine what awaited her inside.
One of the guards pressed the bell. A chime echoed faintly from within.
Moments later, the enormous doors creaked open.
Her pulse thundered as she was pulled forward.
And with that step, she crossed into a world she never should have entered.