Chapter 3 SOLD

Lena knew something was wrong when her father asked her to come into the study. Adrian rarely called for her unless he needed something done, so she stood outside the open door with her hands folded in front of her, waiting for him to tell her what he wanted.

“You asked for me, Father?”

“Close the door.”

Lena did as he asked and took the chair opposite his desk. Adrian sat rigidly behind it, his usual controlled expression still in place, but there was tension around his mouth that Lena had not seen before. A sheet of paper lay beneath his hand, and his fingers remained pressed against it.

“What is it Father?” she asked.

Adrian looked at her for several seconds before speaking. “You remember the debt we discussed?”

“I remember.”

“It has to be settled.”

Lena watched him carefully. “What are you going to do?”

Adrian’s fingers shifted against the paper. “I’ve made arrangements.”

Her stomach tightened. “What kind of arrangements?”

“You’re going to the Moonlit Auction House.”

Lena stared at him, waiting for him to explain, and when he did not, she asked, “For what?”

Adrian’s gaze dropped briefly to the paper before returning to her. “You will be sold there. The payment will be used to settle the debt.”

The words took a moment to reach her, and Lena’s hands tightened in her lap. “You’re sending me to be sold?”

“I don’t have another way to settle it and as you already know, you add nothing to this family so why keep you” His voice was clipped, but the strain around his eyes remained.

“When?” lena asked trying to understand if he actually meant it. “Tomorrow.”

Lena’s eyes widened. “You’ve already arranged everything?”

“The agreement has been made.”

“So there is really nothing I can do?”

Adrian’s jaw tightened. “Lena, arguing with me will not change the debt.”

She lowered her eyes. He had always been difficult to argue with, but this was different. He was not pretending the choice was easy. He was simply refusing to look for another one.

“And Elara?” Lena asked.

Adrian’s expression changed slightly. “What about her?”

“Is she staying?”

“She isn’t part of the arrangement.” Lena nodded slowly. “I thought so.”

Adrian’s gaze sharpened. “Don’t start” She folded her hands more tightly. “Does Mother know?”

“She knows.”

“And she agreed to this?” Adrian looked away for a moment. “Your mother understands what the family is facing.”

Lena glanced around the study. She had stood in this room many times while Adrian gave her instructions, corrected her, or reminded her where she belonged. Never had she imagined sitting here while he explained that her future had become part of a debt.

“What am I supposed to take?”

“Clothes. Whatever personal things you cannot leave behind.” She nodded. “Anything else?”

Adrian shook his head. “Don’t carry things you won’t need.” Lena looked at him. “Will I be allowed to keep my own things?”

His eyes flickered toward her. “Just take what matters to you.” It was the closest thing to kindness he had offered during the conversation. Lena looked down. “Father?”

Adrian’s shoulders stiffened. “What?”

She almost asked whether he was sorry. Instead, she asked, “Is that all?”

He glanced toward the papers on his desk. “For now.” Lena stood, then reached the door, but Adrian spoke before she could open it. “Lena.”

She turned. His expression was hard again, but the strain around his eyes remained.

“Don’t make this harder than it already is.”

Lena held his gaze. “I won’t.” She opened the door, walked into the hallway, and the door closed behind her.

Lena stood there for several seconds before moving. She had imagined herself fighting if her father ever tried to take something from her, demanding an explanation until he listened. But Adrian had already made the arrangement, and she knew what arguing with him would bring. Nothing.

Lena turned toward her room.

She had nearly reached her door when she heard Elara behind her.

“Lena.”

Lena stopped. Elara stood at the end of the hallway, her long hair neatly tied behind her as always.

“I heard Father was sending you to an auction house tomorrow,” Elara said. “Yes.” Lena knew either one of her parents told her or she was eavesdropping on their conversation.

Elara looked toward Lena’s room. “Have you started packing?”

“Not yet.”

“You should.” Lena studied her sister’s face. “Are you relieved?” Elara did not pretend otherwise. “I am.”

The honesty caught Lena off guard. “Because it isn’t you?”

Elara held her gaze. “I wasn’t going to give up my future for father’s debt”

Neither spoke for a moment. Lena had spent years believing that, beneath everything else, Elara might still care about her as a sister. She had not expected Elara to fight their father or take her place. She had only wanted to see some sign that losing her would hurt.

Instead, Elara simply looked uncomfortable. “I don’t know what you want me to say,” she said.

“Neither do I.”

Elara’s expression softened slightly. “I’m sorry.” Lena looked at her. The words were quiet, but they carried no offer to help and no attempt to change what had happened.

Lena nodded. “It’s fine.” Elara glanced toward the bedroom door. “You should pack what you need.”

Lena gave a faint smile, more like it was forced than happiness. Elara left, and Lena watched her disappear down the hallway before entering her room.

The wooden chest beside her bed caught her attention. She crossed to it, unlocked it, and lifted the lid. The faded blue ribbon lay where she had left it, folded carefully among the few things she had kept hidden from everyone else.

She picked it up and ran her fingers over the worn fabric. There had been a time when Lena believed her family might eventually see her differently. She had never expected much. A kind word from Adrian, approval from Miriam, or concern from Elara would have been enough.

She had kept waiting because hope was easier to carry than the truth.

A knock came at the door. Lena placed the ribbon in her lap. “Come in.”

Miriam stood in the doorway, her sharp eyes moving immediately to the clothes spread across the bed. “You need to pack, you don’t have much time”

“I’ve started.” Lena folded a dress and placed it beside the others. “Did you know?” Miriam looked at her. “Know what?”

“That Father was going to sell me.”

Miriam’s mouth tightened. “Your father had to make a decision.”

“And this was the one he made.”

“He did what he believed was necessary.”

Lena looked down at the dress in her hands. “Were you going to tell me?”

“You have been told now.”

She placed the dress on the bed. “Did you think I would refuse?”

Miriam’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you would understand the situation.”

“I do but..”

“Then don’t make trouble before you leave.”

Lena met her mother’s gaze. “yeah sure like I always do.” Lena said with sarcasm in her voice.

Miriam’s attention shifted to the blue ribbon in Lena’s hand. “You won’t need that.”

Lena closed her fingers around it. “I’ll decide what I need.”

“Be sensible child. You don’t need that” Miriam gave her one last look before leaving, and Lena waited until her mother’s footsteps disappeared before returning to the chest.

She placed the ribbon inside, then continued packing. There were only a few clothes to fold, along with the handful of personal things she considered worth taking. She had never owned much, so preparing to leave took less time than she expected.

When she finished, Lena reached beneath her pillow and pulled out the small key to her wooden chest. She held it for a moment before unlocking the chest one final time. The blue ribbon rested inside.

Lena touched it gently, then closed the lid and locked it.

Tomorrow, she would leave this house because her father had sold her to settle a debt. Lena slipped the key beneath her pillow and sat quietly on the edge of the bed, staring at the locked chest.