Emily woke up.

She looked around and realized that she spent the night in Curtis's office.

She sat up on the brown leather couch where she slept on and noticed that she was wearing Curtis' jacket.

She looked around but couldn't find Curtis.

Then she heard a snore.

She looked down and saw Curtis sleeping on the carpet floor.

She smiled and shook his shoulder.

He said in his sleep"Five more minutes." She smiled again and shook his shoulder harder"Wake up. We need to get home."

He woke up with his sleepy brown eyes and stretched.

He sat up on the floor and looked at his watch and asked while yawning: "How about we do breakfast and then go home?"

"Curtis, I don't wanna get beaten up."

He looked at her and said"They won't beat you up because of breakfast. We're going because I badly need coffee." She smiled, standing up and helped him up too.

They had breakfast and then went home.

when Curtis and Emily reached home, their maid, Lucy came running to them and said"Master Curtis, you should take her away. Master David is very angry."

Curtis asked, "Has he slept?" Lucy replied"He's been waiting for you both all night. All of them. Take her away, now."

But they were too late. David already came out through the door and held Emily. He choked her neck and said"You little bitch!"

Tanya and Melissa looked smilingly. While Lucy was afraid and Curtis was trying to push his father away.

David pushed Curtis on the floor and Emily cried as he saw Curtis fall down.

David clenched her hair tightly, making her yelp in pain. He continued"You slapped Liam Knight in front of everyone! I told you not to embarrass me! I should've killed you the day you turned 18!"

After that, he slapped her two more times. He pulled back her hair and said"Now listen to me very carefully, you brat! Liam Knight has called and he's coming today to meet us because he wants to talk. You will apologize to him and you will do whatever he says. Understand?!" He pulled her hair a little harder as she said out loud, crying in pain"Understood."

He pushed her but Curtis caught her before she could reach the ground. She cried in his arms as all of them walked into the house.

After crying for 10 minutes straight, he took her inside and saw his family having breakfast. Tanya and Melissa were on their phone and David was reading news on his iPad.

Curtis hated being born in this family. He couldn't understand how can they be so calm and enjoy their day after beating up an innocent.

He helps her upstairs to her room and gently helped her sit on the bed. He kneeled and asked, "Are you okay?" She puts a fake smile on her lips, lying through her teeth" I'm okay, Curtis. I'm used to it." He looked at her with sympathy in his eyes because he knew she was lying. Before he could say anything more, she said"Can you go? I need to change." He nodded and left.

She got up and locked her door before anyone could come in.

Especially David.

There was a blade that she had taped behind her side drawer.

She took out that blade and just looked at it and thought:

Maybe fourth time is the charm? Maybe this time it'll all be over. Maybe this time, I'll be finally free. But I can't. I promised Curtis that I won't do it again.

She taped the blade again behind her side drawer and walked to her broken full-length mirror.

She unzipped her dress from the side and let it fall on the ground.

She looked at her body. The marks were covered with layers and layers of makeup that Tanya put yesterday. But at some spots, it was fading.

She unclasped her bra and pushed down her underwear. Taking the small face white towel, she soaked the towel with makeup remover. Soaking it wet and slowly began rubbing it on her body. The makeup getting cleaned but not the marks.

She had only cleaned her stomach and chest, staring at herself naked in the mirror. There was not a space on her body that was not bruised.

David's bite marks. Melissa's hunter torture. Tanyas punches and slices.

Her front and back were filled with them. Even a bite mark encircled her nipple that David gave her when he first touched her.

That was David's idea into pleasuring himself. Just like the idea when he asked her 'Understand' and she'd answer 'Understood'. It was all his twisted sadistic pleasure. His idea of pleasure was torturing her.

Since then the bite bruises healed but the marks remained.

She cried and whispered to herself"When will this torture end?" She wore a pair of black leggings and an oversized grey hoody that Curtis recently bought for her.

Liam rang the doorbell and David answered the door with a smile. He said, "It's good to you see you again, Mr. Knight." Liam shook his hand and said, "David, please call me, Liam." David smiles more and said"Come in... Liam."

They went to the living room. Liam saw Tanya, Curtis, and Melissa already sitting there.

Tanya smiled at him, thinking that he'd sit on the couch beside her but he sat on the opposite side on the single sofa chair.

Tanya kept eyeing him. He gave her his beautiful smile and said"I'll get straight to the point. I wanna marry your daughter."

Liam was a zillionaire. He had more money than Parkers. Melissa looked confused and David roared"Why would I give you my only daughter, Knight?"

They thought that he was asking for Tanya's hand. Curtis didn't show any emotion because he didn't care. But Tanya happily and seductively smiled at him. Even though she had money, but she was still a gold digger. Age didn't mattered to her as long as someone was spending money on her.

Liam smiled, "I'm not talking about Tanya." David looked at him more confused but Liam continued"I'm talking about Emily. I wanna marry Emily. Your other daughter."

This time nobody cared except for Curtis.

Curtis said, "We are not giving her hand to you." David looked at Curtis and he quiets down. David asked for his benefit"What's in it for us?" It was always the benefits that he wanted for himself. Liam smiled "Partnership between Knight Enterprises and Parker Incorporations." He added a pun with a wider smile"Till death do us part."

Melissa protested"Shouldn't your parents or grandmother come here to ask for her hand?" Liam smiled brighter and he saw how Tanya was staring at him with practically heart eyes"They should but they're not the CEO of a multi-billionaire company. Or even the head of this collaboration. I'll be the one who'll hold this project in my hands."

Without thinking, David said"Deal! Emily is all yours." Liam smiled at him.

When Emily came inside with snacks and tea for everyone, Liam looked at her. She looked back at Liam and he smiled like he had victory over everything.

She was about to apologize to him for slapping but he got up and strode to her. He looked at her with a smile and whispered"You slapped me for asking you to be with me in my bed. Let's see how many times you'll slap me when you'll be in it forever..." he put a biscuit from the tray" my beautiful soon to be wife, Emily."

Her eyes widened as he bit the butter biscuit between his teeth and winked at her. Walking past her.

David was happy. Partnership with Knights meant more money and getting rid of Emily as well.

He got up and exclaimed, "Thank God I didn't kill you." She looked at Curtis as he mouthed"I'm sorry."

She asked in a low voice"What happened?" Curtis said"He asked for your hand and father gave it to him. You're gonna marry Liam Knight in 13 days."

A shiver went down through her body. She felt like she would faint at any moment.

Tanya was angry. She walked up to Emily and said in disgust"Why does Liam Knight want her?! You're not even that pretty. AT ALL!"

David said"Now listen to me, whore. You will not tell Liam about anything. About the bruises, about how you live. Nothing. You will cover your bruises every day. Not letting anyone know. Understand?" She quickly said"Understood."

Everyone left but Curtis remained.

She kept the tray on the table without saying anything.

Curtis looked at her and said, "Say something, Em." She looked at him" Like what, Curtis? What can I say? I'm sold to another man who wants me to be his wife because I slapped him for taking me for my body." Her voice broke as she said, "They sold me like a piece of gold."

She ran out from there crying her heart out.

•••••

Poor baby Emily.

I hope you like this chapter.

See ya at the next!

Bye!!!!!

Love, Hope

♥️♥️

(Edited)