Chapter 1

• I stare blankly at my window as the music lyrics pierce right through me.
• Emptiness is the only feeling inside of me.
• Home feels like a prison, one which you want to break through so bad.
• I can hear mom screaming from downstairs, followed by cries and pleas. She is probably begging dad for some sort of thing we both know he would not do.
• I have the strangest family ever.
• We feel no sense of responsibility whatsoever towards one another. We share no bond.
• The only time we ever sit together is for breakfast every morning and that is because it is an order from father, none of us dares to go against it.
• It is time for breakfast already, and I find myself feeling reluctant of joining my so-called family.
• There is no love; not like you can give what you do not have.
• We are just a result of our parent's past mistakes, which they despise.
• My father is the worst. He would do anything to get his hands on what he wanted, even if it means sacrificing any of us.
• His greed is the size of his ego, and that is huge. He talks dirty and acts like shit too, as if that is not enough, he possesses a high standard of wickedness. In short, he is pure evil.
• Most times, I keep my head down to stay out of trouble. I try to avoid conversation with them, not like we ever talk to each other anyway.
• I walk down the stairs to join them in the dining room, where everyone else is already seated.
• “Good morning,” I greeted without expecting an actual response from anyone.
• Mom looked at me like she wanted to dig a hole in my head, and I wondered what I did wrong this time.
• Dad, on the other hand, has a big sly smile plastered on his face. I wonder what is going on in his head.
• I pulled a chair directly opposite dad, giving me a clear picture of his facial expressions.
• This man is up to no good, I thought to myself as I try to eat as fast as I can so that I can leave the table.
• “Lila” father called out, catching me off guard.
• He never talks to anyone unless he wants to bash out or give out some order.
• “Yes, father?” I answered, quite unsure.
• “You know, I have always known you are my greatest asset among your siblings.” He smiled evilly as if he just complimented me.
• Really? Asset, is that how lowly he thinks of me?
• Like I am some kind of property he possesses, I thought to myself.
• I looked in mom's direction and if I don't know better, I would think she lower her head out of guilt, or is it shame?
• I waited for the man sitting in front of me to finish off his nonsense.
• As if he is enjoying the whole thing, his eyes dance with amusement.
• “There will be a meeting I would like you to attend with me tonight. I have called for a makeup artist that will help you blend in with that look of yours, or at least make you look like you are fit.
• A car will be here by 7:00 pm. Get yourself ready before then.
• I do not need you to do anything once you get there, just put on a smile and follow my order.
• I will have a dress sent to you as soon as I leave this place, I won't have you embarrass me with your pathetic look.
• Don't ruin this chance for me,” he warned.
• He excuses himself immediately after dropping the bomb.
• I look over at mom, who looked like she wants to break her plate. I look over at my brothers, both looking unbothered by the whole thing.
• Likewise, I have always known these idiots are cowards, but I never expected them to be this calm like I was a total stranger. Likewise, I know we don't share any bond, but anyone could tell that whatever it is that father is planning will be up to no good.
• I excuse myself without a word, leaving my food untouched.
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• I am Lila Brown, the only daughter of the Brown family. I have two elder brothers, which are Michael and Davis. The only ties we share is our surname
• We were raised with zero love hence, we felt nothing towards each other.
• One would think Davis and Michael will at least be the close ones among us all since they are both guys, but heck, who am I kidding? They are the worst.
• Always competing over everything.
• They would do anything to get their father's approval. In short, they are a bunch of cowards.
• My father, on the other hand, is no other than James Brown. A man of zero integrity. His greed always overshadows him. In his quest for more, there is nothing he would not do.
• And mother, her introduction is for another day. Her whole life has been a misery. That, I can tell from all the things I had witnessed her go through. I want to pity her so bad at times, but she brought this upon herself, and I hated her for dragging us into her failed love life.
• Thinking about my family alone makes me lose my sanity.
• My thought was cut short by a knock on the door.
• I opened the door to see some woman in her late 40s, I guess.
• “Hello” I greeted
• “Hi, I'm grace. Your father called me over to do your makeup.”
• “Oh!” I muttered.
• I let the woman into my room to do what she is here for so that we can get done with the bull shit and I can finally resume back to my normal life like I have any.
• Once she finished her work, she brought out a bag I didn't notice from earlier. Inside it is a red strapless dress.
• “Here, your father said you should put on this dress and be ready by 7:00 pm. A car is waiting outside already.”
• Reluctantly, I took the dress from her and examine it over a thousand and one times. This is ridiculous. Why should I wear something this revealing?
• Knowing how much my father keeps to time, I walk into my closet to wear the dress and heck, I feel disgusted with myself.
• I look at myself in the mirror, and I am ashamed of what I see. I look like a whore, a very cheap one at that. One can have a clear view of my boobs in this dress, not to talk of how the dress is barely reaching my mid-tight.
• If I try to bend down, one can see the colour of my panties, if not a clear picture of my ass.
• What the hell was this man thinking when he picked this dress?
• What am I?
• A slut?
• I looked at myself in the mirror, and it took everything in me to stop myself from ripping this dress off my body.
• “Hot” the obnoxious makeup artist commented the moment I came out.
• I ignored her completely as I took my phone and my purse while I prepare to leave.
• The moment I stepped into the sitting room, Davis who was sipping a drink split it out immediately.
• “Oh, shit! What are you, a slut?”
• I wanted to insult him so badly but then, Michael came out of the kitchen smirking.
• “ I bet you are getting some tonight, he whispered.”
• I have never felt so much hatred towards someone in my entire life, the way my heart is burning with anger right now.
• I can tell Michael knows the exact thing that would be happening tonight because he is our father puppet, but I can't deal with their shit right now.
• The moment I got out, I saw a car waiting for me already. This man must have a mean business, I thought to myself.
• He drove us to some expensive club and I begin to panic. Why is he having a meeting in a club?
• The driver called him immediately after we arrived and some bouncer came to fetch me.
• The club is not the usual one. This is a stripper club. Men were ogling at me the minute I entered and one even have the nerve to grab my ass.
• I was on the verge of hitting him when the bouncer gave him a hard punch, making him fall back before leading me to the VIP section.
• I lock eyes with my father Immediately I entered. He has a huge smile plastered on his face, making me look back to check out if there is anyone behind me. There is no one, though.
• “Lila” he called out in an extremely friendly voice as he walked up to me.
• What is going on?
• “ Do not use your shenanigans' behaviour to ruin tonight for me, or I will make your life a living hell.” He warned.
• He took my hands in his as he introduces me to the table.
• “Guys, this is my daughter, Lila.”
• A young man who seem to be in his late twenties peered right through me as if he is searching for something, checking me out from head to toe without missing a thing like a pervert.
• Then, he smiled in satisfaction, making me feel sick.
• “She is not as bad as I had expected, he said.”