"Take her."
Fred's voice thundered through the room, cold and commanding. Two guards moved instantly, dragging Pearl away from the blood-soaked floor where her parents lay lifeless.
"No! No, please! I didn't do anything—please don't take me!" Pearl screamed, struggling against their grip. Her voice broke, her tears hot and endless. The images of her murdered parents replayed in her mind like a nightmare she couldn't escape.
Just hours ago, she'd returned home from an evening with friends. Now, her entire world was gone.
Her knees buckled, but the guards didn't stop. Fred stood before her, tall and terrifying, hatred burning in his dark eyes.
"What did my parents ever do to you?" she cried. "Why did you kill them? What offense could—"
Her words were cut off by the sound of a slap that echoed across the hall. Her face burned, and she staggered back, her vision blurring.
"Keep your mouth shut," Fred said coldly. "If you speak again, I'll cut out your tongue. Do you realize who you're talking to?" His gaze hardened. "From now on, I am your master—and you are my slave."
The words froze her blood. She stopped fighting. Silent tears slid down her cheeks as the guards dragged her toward a black van waiting outside.
Pearl knew it then—her life was no longer her own.
They tied her wrists and ankles, blindfolded her, and drove off into the night.
---
"Take care of the bodies," Fred ordered his right-hand man, Jasper.
Jasper exhaled smoke, eyes fixed on the corpses. Known as The Silencer, he was the kind of man who could smile while ending a life.
"What are you planning to do with Hudson's daughter?" Jasper asked. "Why not just kill her now?"
Fred lit a cigarette and replied, "Death would be too easy. She'll suffer for her parents' sins first. She'll be my slave… until I'm done with her."
Jasper smirked. "Interesting. Maybe let me have a taste too?"
Fred didn't even glance at him. "Do whatever you want. She's mine first."
He flicked his cigarette and walked away toward his car. The sound of his tires faded into the night.
---
★ Dark Cobra Clan ★
Hours later, the van stopped.
Pearl could feel it — the air around the mansion was heavy and cold, filled with unseen danger. The guards dragged her out and led her through a long hallway before finally removing her blindfold.
Blinking against the light, she found herself in front of an older woman.
"Master said you should prepare her. You know what to do, Madam Maria," one guard said before leaving.
Madam Maria nodded. "Yes, I know."
Then she turned to Pearl, her tone softer. "Follow me, dear."
Pearl hesitated. "Please, ma'am… where am I? Why am I here? Are they going to kill me?"
Maria sighed, pity flashing in her eyes. "No, child. If the master wanted you dead, you would already be gone."
Pearl's shoulders trembled. "Then what does he want from me?"
Maria's voice dropped to a whisper. "To make you one of his slaves. His… sex slaves, to be precise."
Pearl's eyes widened in horror. "What?"
"I'm sorry, dear," Maria said. "Every girl brought here serves the master's desires. But for you, it's worse. You're the daughter of his greatest traitor. You'll suffer for their mistakes."
Pearl swallowed hard, confusion and fear twisting inside her. "But my parents never even knew him. Why would he—"
"I can't answer that," Maria interrupted firmly. "For your own safety, don't ask anyone about it again."
Pearl bit her lip, holding back tears. I deserve to know the truth, she thought silently.
Maria led her to a small bathroom. "Clean yourself up. The master doesn't tolerate dirt or defiance."
Pearl obeyed. She washed away the blood and dirt, though nothing could wash away the pain. When she stepped out, Maria handed her a plain black dress—the clothing of a slave.
"Get dressed, dear," Maria said softly. "Before the master returns."
Pearl stared at her reflection in the mirror — the tear-stained face, the trembling hands, the emptiness in her eyes.
Welcome to hell, she whispered.