Sold To The Billionaire

CLAIRE'S POV

I hid behind the door, my palms clamped tightly to my ears in a bid to shut off the agonizing scream of my mother as my father pounded her with his fists, like she was a punching bag. Even with my hands on my ears, I still could hear her muffled screams, and each one of them pierced through my heart.

It was a normal occurrence in my house, but for some reasons, I still wasn't used to it, and I couldn't wait to get to college. I swallowed a choked sob because I knew what would happen if he heard me.

My mother and I were just like slaves to him; all we ever experienced from him was hatred towards us; we have been subject to his maltreatments, and each time he punished her, he'd make sure nobody interrupted him; he would cover her mouth with his hand to avoid the sound of me crying getting outside the house, or else he'd turn back to her with full force.

He continued hitting her, and I could see blood trickling down her nostrils. I muffled a sob that threatened to break free and decided that I'd had enough. She was in that situation because she tried to save me from him.

"Father! Father! It's... it's enough," I stuttered in exclamation as I stepped out of my hiding place.

He stopped and suddenly whipped his head back, glaring at me murderously. I had never seen him look so scary and instantly regretted my decision.

"You," he snarled as he took a step forward, and I gulped. I didn't need someone to tell me that I was going to be his new punching bag.

"Please, please stop; let my mother go." It came out in a whimper, and I shuddered as I saw him clench his fist.

"You pitiful bitch!" he growled loudly.

I stumbled backward, and he lunged at me, wrapping his blood-stained fingers around my slender neck and tightening his hold. I choked, and no words came out as I tried to beg him, not like begging him would even do anything to help my plight.

My mother was curled into a ball on the ground, and I saw her struggle to stand up. I couldn't approach her, but my heartaches to see her weakling body on the tiled floor.

"You dirty whore!" he said through gritted teeth as he lifted me, high above the ground. I clawed at his fingers to be freed of him as I felt life slowly seep out of me.

His eyes darkened as I saw him bring out a switchblade from his pocket with his other hand. I shuddered with fear. I remembered he had only used a knife on me once, and that was a long time ago when he was sober, so ever since then I've been avoiding him.

I still reminisced on that fateful day that he revealed that I wasn't his daughter, and I was only his stepdaughter. I had never expected such a statement to come out from a man I've lived my youth to call my father.

I blinked back tears that threatened to come out because he hated any sign of weakness, which gave him the motivation to even worsen his punishment.

"Please... please, I'll be good, please. I promise.." His eyes glinted with mischief, and I couldn't stop the tears from falling. I didn't know what he wanted to do to me, but I knew very well that it would be bad-really bad!.

"By the time I finish with you, you'll be good," he shot out, and I whimpered as he raised the knife.

Suddenly, I saw my mom's arm, holding his hand tightly, preventing him from cutting me.

"Stop! Stop this, Gary." I exclaimed aloud.

The anger on his face was unlike any I have ever seen as he suddenly dropped me, making me land my butt hard on the ground. The next few seconds were a blur as I saw a raised knife stabbing through her chest.

Someone was screaming, but it didn't sound like it came from my lips.

Time stopped, and I became numb. I felt myself going up and then falling back down on the hard floor; it was as if someone was hitting me repeatedly, but I was just too numb to feel anything and saw only a light; it was glowing so brightly that I wanted to be it. But then, the darkness finally overwhelmed me.

"Wake up! Wake up, you stupid slut!" I suddenly jerked up and winced as a hot pain seared through my body.

"Did I faint?" I gasped as the events of the past hours came rushing back to me. My mother was dead, murdered by my father, or, let me say, my stepfather.

My eyes were filled with tears rolling down my cheek very fast, and I realized I had been lying on the ground. My dad was looming over me, glaring at me murderously, and I glanced at the knife on his hand, still stained with the blood of my mother.

"She's pretty," said a strange voice.

It was then that I noticed that another person was in the room. He was a menancing-looking man with tattoos all over his body.

I whimpered and moved away from then, but I wasn't fast enough as my father yanked my hair with his fists, pulling me up to my feet.

"Be careful. Don, won't pay the full money if she's in any way damaged." the stranger uttered, I know his concern wasn't for me but for their product to be delivered not damaged.

However, they continue talking to me like I was some sort of animal.

My father muttered a string of curses under his breath as he let go of my hair, letting me stagger to the floor.

The man with the tattoo was staring at me, he had a smile on his face as he glanced at me, it was as though he was studying me.

I whimpered as he walked closer to me. "It's okay, darling," his grey eyes were fixed on me.

"Stand up," his tone was authoritative and my eyes flew to my father. He furrowed his brows as our eyes met.

"Do it!" he commanded.

I stood up slowly. His eyes roamed around my body and he muttered something in a foreign language and nodded.

"Will do. Don will like it." he muttered in silence with his deep voice.

What were they talking about! Who were Don and what was he going to like!

"Let's go," his eyes were on me and I frowned. Go? Go where? I questioned, with my trembling voice.

"What? Stand up and go with him right now before I change my mind!" my father said angrily.

The man's expression changed instantly and he frowned as he brought out a revolver, aiming it at me. I heard something click as a cold metal was pressed to my forehead. My heart rate sped up and I became instantly speechless.

"You can kill her if you want to, but not in my sitting room. That's going to be too messy!" my father declared, with a wicked smile.

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. He would be very okay if I was killed!

"Please," I muttered, trying to be on a safer side.

I was already tired of life, but that didn't mean that I wanted to commit suicide.

"There are three bullets in this revolver and I came here with the intention of using one. Now follow me before I blow your brains out!"

I didn't need further convincing and I walked slowly towards the door. Just before I got to the door, I spun around to look at my father.

He had a smile on his face as he counted wads of notes. I wondered where those had come from because I knew that he didn't have money. He had killed my mum, sent me to meet a total stranger who wanted to do God knows what to me. There was no way I'd forgive him. Never.

I was led to a black sedan that was waiting outside and as I got into the car, there was only one thing on my mind, Revenge.