Secrets - A slave to my father

Chapter five

Ally’s POV

As I reached the ballroom, my eyes met my father's and he did not look happy. I walked over to him with my head bowed slightly. 

“We are going home now,” he said and began to walk. 

I walked beside him towards the entrance as my eyes suddenly met a familiar face. 

Dylan was on his way over to me. His eyes met mine and a smile appeared on his face. He started to walk faster until he reached us. 

He grabbed my arm softly and I quickly shook my head at him before eyeing my father. 

Dylan gave me a puzzled look but luckily caught on just right before my father turned around to see why I stopped. 

“Sorry for stopping you on your way out, my father told me to make an appearance before you left,” he lied. 

“You must be Dylan,” my father stated extending his hand. 

“That I am,” Dylan said. “This must be your daughter?” He asked while extending his hand to me. 

“Yes. This is Ally,” he said eyeing both of us. This isn’t good. 

“It’s nice to meet you Dylan,” I said as I shook his hand. 

“I’m sorry we can’t stay longer but we have to get going,” my father said. “Let’s go,” He said as he took my arm and led me through the door. 

I turned around and looked at Dylan as I mouthed “Thank you” to him before letting my father drag me away. 

The ride home was as silent as the ride here. I didn’t like this at all. The way my father looked at both me and Dylan showed that he knew something. He couldn’t possibly know what had happened while he was with Mr. Demarco, but he definitely knew that that wasn’t the first time that Dylan and I met. 

The 30-minute drive back seemed longer than the drive here.

When we arrived home, we barely made it through the door before my father grabbed me and pushed me towards the wall. 

“Would you mind explaining to me what that little stunt was about?” He sneered.

“It was nothing,” I tried my best to hide my shaking voice.

“That’s a lie!” He yelled. “I saw the way he looked at you when you shook his hand.”

“We just met out in the garden that’s all,” I said trying to get out of his grip.

“What have I told you about lying huh? And didn’t I tell you to behave tonight?”

“I didn’t do anything wrong, we just talked,” I defended myself. 

“You are not allowed to talk to other men unless I’m there! Do you understand?!” He screamed. 

“But why not? Nothing happened!” I half yelled as I pulled myself out of his hands. 

My father looked at me and then a grin appeared on his face. 

“Because you are to marry another man,” he said like it was nothing.

“I’m what? Who?” I stared at him in shock.

“Our economic situation isn’t what it’s always been,” he said with a shrug. “It’s time you do your part.”

“My part? It’s because of your gambling that we are in this situation, to begin with! And how will I marrying some random guy help with that?” I asked still not catching on. 

“Because… he bought you,” he said with such ease that a chill ran down my spine. 

“Bought me? Y-You sold me?” I stuttered.

“Turns out you’re quite useful anyway,” he said before walking away.

 I stared at my father in disbelief.

“No! You can’t do that!” I screamed making my father turn around. 

“Well, I did. And if I were you, I wouldn’t cause any more trouble tonight!” He said and walked into his office. 

I stormed in after him, slamming the door. 

“I won't do it!” I yelled. “And you can’t make me!” I stood my ground. 

No way he was going to sell me to anyone. I'm a person, not a possession. 

“Didn’t I just tell you not to cause any more trouble?” He said as he walked towards me. 

Two big steps and he had me against the wall once again. 

“You will not argue with me on this, do you hear me?” He said as he squeezed my neck. 

“No.” 

That was all I managed to get out.  

“No?”

“No!” I said tried to push him off. 

It didn’t work out too well. 

Instead, he grabbed my neck harder and slammed my head against the wall before throwing me to the ground. 

“You will not disobey me!” He said as he kicked me hard in my ribs. 

This time I wouldn’t let him have it. I tried to stand up to fight but was quickly pushed back down. He bent down and put his knee at my throat blocking my airway. I gathered every amount of strength I had and punched him right in the face making him fall back in surprise. His eyes turned completely dark as I tried to get up while coughing from the lack of air. I was almost on my feet when he charged towards me. Then everything turned black.

I woke up in the basement chained to the floor like some animal. It was cold and the floor was wet from leaky pipes. My dress was wet as well, not only from water but from blood. I could feel the blood running down my face. For a second I forgot that I was chained down as I tried to lift my hand to my face. I couldn’t believe that this was happening. My own father sold me. To repay his own gambling debt. I was right all this time. He didn’t care. He never did. To him, I was just an asset.  

I lay here broken, unable to move. I always believed things would get better. That I would be free at some point. But at this moment I lost my last will to fight. I’ve become so used to being mistreated that I had almost forgotten how it felt to be treated right. Like how Dylan treated me. At that moment everything felt hopeless. I felt the very last piece of me break and I started to sob uncontrollably until it all became too much for me to handle and I passed out.