~Alyssa Brown~

"Get her more drinks and get me more condoms. Go!" My boyfriend yelled at me. Nodding, I swallowed my pride and reached for the closet.

As I leaned over, I felt his presence behind my back.

"Will you give up on your pride at least now?" He asked, his voice full of malice.

"Never.' I answered, shoving the new box of condoms.

He was 6'1 tall, covered in tattooes and drowning in the stench of unshakable pride. I hated him to the core.

But he had threatened my lineage, and I had to do something about it soon. So I agreed to be his lover.

That was 4 years ago. Since that day, he's been treating me nothing less than a maid. I was never his lover.

"You'll regret this, Alyssa." Tristan Bane whispered in my ear, sensual breath paired with resentment.

"I won't. You'd be the one who will." I said. Walking out of his grand bedroom, I waited in the hallway as per protocol. While other guards stationed far away from the door, I was forced to listen to them mate passionately.

Tristan had a new love interest despite having several women hoard around him otherwise. Her name was Tavisse Tao, Tavi for short. She was a mafia princess who stole his heart and bank four years ago.

Broke his heart hard enough to turn to me and ask me to be his lover. He wanted a little show off. That he could pull 'normal, decent civilian' and woo her too.

Poor Tristan. He never knew the truth.

Moments later, the door burst open and Tristan walked out, bedsheet around his sweaty waist.

"Clean up." He ordered to me. Nodding curtly, I walked in with pre-solution of bodily fluid cleaners. Yes, I had to invent that.

"Hey, loser..." Tavi threw a condom close to my feet.

"That's the 16th one this week. It's still Thursday." She boasted. I didn't utter a word.

I held in my disgust. My stomach churned uncomfortably looking at the white sight.

"You're going against the protocol. Again!" Tavi suddenly slapped her hand into my face and pulled the mask off. My earring tore open through my skin, getting lost somewhere under the broken bed.

"Sorry. Miss."

"...your apologies were never sincere. Well, good luck on the masquerade tonight. Show off to the world that a boring bitch like you is Tristan's safe bride. Now get out of my face." Tavi pushed my head away harshly, but I knew I'd be punished if I didn't clean up the mess they made. As usual.

Evening came by. Tristan and Tavi kissed loudly in the middle of the mansion.

"Ew. What is she wearing?" Tavi asked Tristan, turning to me.

"Some hand me down gown. Was it not yours?" Tristan asked Tavi. I looked down at my feet.

"Not mine. That hideous thing could never be mine. Get lost with her and get back home as soon as possible." Tavi wrapped her arms tighter around Tristan.

"I will. But I can only try. You know how stern Uncle Gayle is." Tristan said as Tavi rolled her eyes.

"Dad won't scold you for coming back home to me. It's Don Fernandez you should be worried about." Tavi assured. Don Fernandez was the top dog of our nation, aiming to go higher up the ladder. And this meeting was to ensure that.

"Play good like a dog. Scram." Tavi turned to me and instructed.

"Yes, Miss." Saying, I turned to follow Tristan to the Lambo. I had to open the door for myself. The car hit the road to Drei Mansion, Hong Kong.

"We're alone again after a long time..." Tristan scooted closer.

"I realized that," I replied indifferently.

"Why don't we enjoy that...being alone without Tavi rapping our ears off?" Tristan suggested. He was nuzzling his neck into me.

"I'd tell Tavi you're cheating again," I said, Tristan's mood went downhill.

"Bitch." He cursed but retracted.

"If I wasn't bound to Tavi by the Syndicate and her bloody father, I would've made you mine already," Tristan said. I resisted rolling my eyes.

We reached the venue. It was buzzing ferociously. Themed in scarlet and rubies and gold, it was more a festival than a masquerade. The Underworld surely loved their hues of red.

"Don't stop pretending until we're back in the Lambo." Tristan warned, his hand clasping into me harshly.

"Don't need to tell me twice." I replied.

"Such a good dog~" Smirking down at me, Tristan walked into the crowd. We all were given a masquerade mask each.

Despite the mask, few people recognised us. Who wouldn't recognise the merciless, cold blooded Tristan Bane? He's even on the good books of Gayle Tao and Don Fernandez.

"Heyy! My boy! How many dealerships since last time!?" Gayle Tao walked into Tristan, dapping him and asked,

"56 since last time sir. More tonight by the way. It's all good." He said the metric.

56 dealerships in the Underworld is a huge thing. Herculean even. That's why,

"Tristan Bane, Don Fernandez is calling for you." Said an underling of the big man.

"I'll be there. With my slut," said Tristan, pointing to me. The underling raised an eyebrow and left.

"Don Fernandez..." Tristan kissed the knuckles of the fat Italian man on the couch. His fingers were adorned with precious jewels, carats bigger than the previous. I noticed he added a ruby ring to his ring finger on the right hand. It wasn't there when I last saw him.

"Who's this woman?" Fernandez asked.

"She's no one. Just a normal slut. Civilian." Tristan said. I was done being treated this way.

"Hmm. We're starting an op'. I want you to lead it." Said Don Fernandez.

While Tristan was delighted, my eyes widened.

Was this the signal I was waiting for?

"Keep using her as a shield. Hide your identity.' Don Fernandez added.

"As you wish, sir." Tristan bowed to the man and we left. The next moment we were in the car travelling back home.

As soon as I stepped in, hot water on my head welcomed me to the doorstep.

"Tavi! What are you doing!?" Screamed Tristan, punching the kettle off her hands.

"She was all over you at the party! I saw everything!" Tavi screamed, jumping off the step.

"That was nothing baby! Wait- you were spying on me!?'

"I was spying on her!"

And their arguments escalated as usual. The guards all grimaced around me. The water was scalding. I think I might have lost a patch of hair.

Containing my rage and pain, I simply walked away from the scene. While doing so, Tavi suddenly pulled me back.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going!?" She screamed.

But it was heard as mere muffles. I was losing consciousness.

"...Tavi. Wait. She's hyperthermic. Guards!" And that was the last thing my brain tried to comprehend before everything went black.

Three hours later, I woke up in an ice bath tub. Someone was splashing cold water on my forearms.

"Good morning, love."

It was Tristan.

"I'm cold." I couldn't help but say once I was in my senses. My neck felt stiff from the odd lean over the ceramic bathtub too. Couldn't he have at least given me a towel?

I'm sure he wouldn't have been so careless if it were Tavi in my place. He'd bathe her in rose petals, adorn her with jewels only his kind of men preferred - rubies, and certainly keep a towel under her head.

"You're fine. Your temperature is coming down." He said. I looked down at where his gaze followed. He was looking at my blurred naked body under the surface.

"Forget it." Saying, I tried to stand up but realized the bathtub was too slippery for me. Or I was too weak.

"I rubbed oil against the surface knowing you'd do something like this. Stay here until dawn. That's what the doctor said." Tristan spoke indifferently.

"In that case I'd be hypothermic. I'm pretty sure he said to coat me in layers of cold towels. Not dump me in ice water." I said calmly.

"It's the same thing. You're recovering. That's what we need. Anyway, I'm going back to the room. Sitting with you was always boring. You're such a waste of time." Tristan stood up.

I stared at the shower cell in front of me.

As expected, the sounds of their intimacy penetrated the air as I closed my eyes. I was so done with everything.

Tristan didn't have the decency to close the door this time. He had an intention. The act was deliberate.

I scoffed to myself. Decided to wait until their activity ended.

I opened my eyes after what seemed like an eternity. They were breathing ruggedly. I slowly crawled out of the tub with great difficulty and slumped on the carpet.

The warmth of the carpet made me appreciate life. Draping it around me - not caring if it was dirty - I walked out.

"Didn't know you kept zombies as pets, Tristan." Tavi spoke on my back as I nonchalantly walked out of their room.

"Don't forget to clean up!" Tavi yelled as I twisted the door knob. Suddenly, a cold, slimy substance was thrown on my neck as it slid against my back.

"Looks like a huge bird pooped on her!' Tavi and Tristan laughed. I was too weak to even process my anger. I walked out without protest, like usual.

In my room, as I was showering, I heard a soft ping from my room. It's been ages since I got a message from anyone.

Unknown contact: Everything is set.

I raised an eyebrow.

I looked around the tiny room. I've gotten accustomed to this lifestyle. Was I ready for this change?

Maybe I had to embrace what's best for me and not what was forced onto me as a lifestyle.

That's right. It's time for change~

But first, I needed to feed myself something so I won't die of starvation.

The next day, I woke up covered in sweat and realized I was having a fever.

Tiredly, I sat on the vanity - I wasn't sure what else to call it - and looked at the broken mirror.

My room was the rusty attic of the mansion. I could hear birds and the raindrops on the delicate roof alike. But it had become my cave. No one dared to walk in here because of the stench that greeted them each time.

But somehow, Tavi reached up and poured a glass of orange juice on my makeshift bed.

"What are you doing here, miss?" I asked, not forgetting the courtesy.

"Hmm." She gave me a smug look, jumped her shoulders and walked away covering her nose and mouth.

Well, looked like I had to throw out my juice soaked broken mattress.

I got my focus back on the mirror.

My hair...it was falling out in tufts. I hated it. I looked at my jet black hair and regretted agreeing to whatever was happening with me.

"Lord...save me.'

And I knew who exactly was my lord.

***

"She's finally down. Take her to my room and get her dressed. We're going shopping!" Tavi called gleefully.

"Why do I need to be dressed for this?" I asked out of genuine curiosity.

"Because we will need an assistant!

Tristan and I are getting married in five days! Yay!"

I tried hard not to glare at Tristan. But he shrugged at me nonchalantly, as if to say, "It's just a wedding"

But here's the thing:

Tristan is totally in love with me.

All the other girls are there to satisfy his thirst as a man. But I was exclusively there to quench the thirst for his soul. In his mind, I belonged to him.

Three weeks before, Tristan caught a guard talking to me. He perceived it as though he was flirting with me.

The instructions to everyone in the Mafia Mansion was clear : "Alyssa is and forever will be TRISTAN'S GIRL"

And as per rules, those whoever tried to flirt with me would be facing grave consequences.

I was in the garden by myself when I heard the brutal public execution of the poor guard. It happened in the mansion. And the floor was stained with his blood which I had to clean later. The kid was barely 19 and was a sweet soul.

My hate towards Tristan only grew day by day. At the moment, I couldn't even physically or mentally process the resentment I had for him. My loathing towards Tristan had reached a metaphysical realm.

I was in a whacky maid outfit while the two in front of me matched in beige and marroon combo. I rolled my eyes when Tavi clicked endless pictures of them.

*ping!*

I turned to my little, barely functioning phone to open the message.

It was from Tavi,

Tavisse Tao: ATTACHMENT

I clicked on the attachment, raising an eyebrow to judge. She was licking his cheek as he enjoyed it with a masculine grin.

The caption read: He's so tasty~

"Losers." I muttered under my breath.

"Get the driver. And throw her in the backseat." Tavi said with an unbearable screech in her voice. I followed them to the said car.

I sat in the backseat. First destination was Salvano Co.

"Hmm. I like this and this one too." Tavi said, picking her bridal outfits.

"Wear it and show it to me." She threw the dress on my face.

"But I'm 2 sizes bigger than you." I stated the obvious. I was curvy and well maintained. She looked like a tall skinny man with no beard. There was a lot of difference.

"Don't speak back to me." Tavi hissed, pushing me back by the shoulder. The shop helper looked at me with pity.

I tried the dress on, which barely climbed past my hips.

"I- I cant pull it any further." The shop helper whispered to me, behind the curtains.

"I'll try myself." I said and did my best to squeeze into the dress.

I was breathless and felt as though my trunk was trapped in a cage. The pressure was too much. I'd have blood clots everywhere on my abdomen and chest after this.

I walked out to show Tavi. Her face twisted in disgust.

It was an A-line dress with simple lace on the top part.

"Mid. Give me another one." She said.

However, as I was stepping down from the platform to show, a small bend in my back tore the fabric from the stitches!

Loud gasps filled the air.

"YOU BITCH!" Before I attained my freedom to breathe, Tavi rushed in and smacked a harsh slap on my face!

I fell to my knees.

"That costed at least 238,000$!! You're such a money hungry whore!" She spewed and kicked me in the chest.

All air out of my lungs flew out and I saw nothing but black.

The next moment I was awake, I woke up in the middle of humongous shopping bags all around me. I would've thought they were for me, but I knew they weren't.

"Look who's awake. Tch." Tavi's muffled voice was heard. I paid no attention to it and looked out of the window.

They stopped at a small road side food stall.

"Get me something to eat." Tavi threw few bills at me and sent me away.

"Yes, Miss." Picking them up from the road and under the tires, I headed to the food stall. Only to realize it was a bad set up.

"GET DOWN!" Before one of the guards could yell, the outbreak had commenced. It was a rival gang, probably a mob with unrealistic self esteem. They wanted to defeat Tristan - who was at least a Yakuza level in this country.

Guards piled up and gunshots began. I had no weapon of my own. I covered my ears and ducked against the car.

"Argh! Fuck!!" A bullet went through my arm, puncturing a huge hole. I knew I had no choice covering myself under the car. The dangers were high and my space to run out of danger - low.

"What the—" I stared wide eyed at Tavi who looked scared inside the car. She looked like she just pissed her pants.

She was Tristan's pillow princess mafia girlfriend - never been in a fight nor witnessed one either.

But it was common sense to not lock the doors when people of the SAME GROUP were right outside!

As a result, a bullet went through my back and I collapsed amidst the mishap.

I hated passing out so many times.

When I woke up, I was informed by the infirmary guard that I was out for 3 days. I was high on morphine drip, almost maxed out because of my seizures and pain.

But guess who refused to give me the treatment after I had awoken?

"She'll be fine without it. Baby, I need it more~" Tavi was lying on the bed opposite to me. Tristan attended to her. I watched as the doctors, on gunpoint, detached the morphine drip from my plugs and attached to hers.

She didn't even need a morphine drip.

She barely had a scratch on her cheek and a broken ankle.

While I sustained two gunshots...

The next few days were spent in hell. With Tavi smirking at me every chance she got.

She rejoiced in my agony filled screams, day and night.

I was going to get my revenge in the best way possible...from Tristan's Mafia Lover.

One week wasn't enough time for wounds like that to heal. I was in pain throughout.

Tavi didn't miss one beat to record me crying in pain, without the morphine, smirking as she laid happily across me.

I looked at her. Hot tears poured down my eyes.

"Well, guess what? Because of your revenge against me and Tristan, he impregnated me. That's right. I'm being forced to carry his baby." I heard her through my pain.

"What...?" I asked, unable to comprehend nor believe.

"I know, I know. THE Tristan Bane was forced to have children with me. He hates children. But did you know what he blurted out last night when he found out I was pregnant?" Tavi got down from her own bed, walking to me with a knife in her hand.

"Tristan said...he'd better gitten a chance to impregnate you...to have YOU as the mother of his children. A whore like yourself." Tavi whispered to my face. The knife edge was sliding across my jaw as she took her sweet time with it.

"You enjoy torturing me too much. Having one kid of your own won't hurt." I said nonchalantly. I didn't care if a knife was literally at my neck.

"There's another catch right here, bitch.

Tristan wants you to be the mother of this child. Why don't you ever let him sleep with you? Bear a child yourself. Why do I have to suffer because of you!?" Suddenly, her rage channeled into the knife. She raised it in the air and jabbed into my thigh.

A blood curdling scream escaped my chest. My gown, my bed had all turned red.