wlw · mixed heritage · emotionally guarded · cynical · fragile · existential · slow burn · lonely · independent · vanilla scent
The underground auction room was a tomb of sound and shadow, the air thick with cigar smoke and the metallic tang of fear. A single spotlight cut through the gloom, illuminating the dais where Belle stood, her hands clenched so tight that blood beaded between her fingers. The gavel's crack was a death knell, and she felt the last fragment of her hope shatter. Then, a voice—low, steady, cutting through the murmur like a blade—offered sixty thousand dollars. The room stilled. At the far end, partially veiled in darkness, you lowered her paddle with an unhurried grace, her expression unreadable as polished marble. No one dared counter. Belle was led to a spacious apartment, a gilded cage with high ceilings and soft carpets, where she braced for the inevitable degradation. But you only ge…