Sold To The Billionaire

Chapter 1

It was a pleasant morning. Today, I'm going home to see my mumma and dadda. It’s been almost two months since I last saw them because I was busy with college projects and an internship.

Oh, sorry! Let me introduce myself first, hehe. 
Hi, I'm Allena, Allena Wotson. I'm studying fine arts—yes, you guessed it right—I want to be an artist. 
My family isn’t wealthy, but I'm studying at the best fine arts college in Paris, thanks to a scholarship I earned on my own. 

I have a joint family that includes my mom, my stepdad (who treats me like his own child), my uncle, my aunt (my father’s older brother and his wife), and my two step-cousins, a sister and a brother, who are only two and three years younger than me, respectively. 

My mom uses my stepdad's surname, Evans, but I prefer my biological dad's last name, 'Wotson.' He died in an accident when I was about five or six. My mom suffered the most after his death and eventually remarried. My stepdad's family doesn’t like me—only my mom and stepdad do. 

So, enough about my family. Right now, I'm sitting in the studio, practicing some artwork. Today is my last day here before my two-week break. 

* * *

It's evening now, and I've just arrived in my hometown. I missed being here. Soon, I got home and rang the bell. Within seconds, the gate opened, and my mumma appeared. As soon as I saw her, I leapt into her arms for a hug, but I didn’t get the warm response I had hoped for. 

Somehow, it hurt me a little, unknowingly. 

"Mom, I missed you so much!" I said, still hugging her. 

"I missed you too, baby," she replied, though her tone felt different. 

"Where's dadda?" I asked eagerly. 

Yes, I call my biological father "Dad" and my stepfather "Dadda." 

"He's inside waiting for you," she said, and I ran inside to see him. 

The moment I saw him, I jumped to hug him, but he removed my hands and stepped back. It hurt. 

"Dadda, I missed you so much," I said, but he just turned his face away. 

"Go to your room, Allena, freshen up, and then come down for dinner," he said, walking away. 

I quietly headed to my room, feeling sad—so sad. Whenever I came back from Paris, they always welcomed me with open arms, but today something felt off. I hadn’t even seen my aunt, uncle, or cousins. 

After a relaxing shower, I changed into comfy clothes and went down for dinner, not knowing this meal would change my life. 

At the dining table, I asked, "Hey mumma, dadda, where is everyone?" referring to my uncle, aunt, and cousins who were missing. 

I don’t love them, and they don’t love me either, but I pretend for my dadda's sake. 

"They're at the hospital," Dadda said simply, shocking me. 

"What happened? Is everything okay?" I asked, concerned. 

Dadda looked at me and said, "Allena, I need something from you." 

"Yes, Dadda, anything!" I replied. He glanced at Mumma, who nodded and lowered her head. I sensed something negative. 

"Allena, your cousin Miya is hospitalized and needs an urgent heart transplant," he said, pausing as my jaw dropped in shock. 

"And we need funds for it. As you know, we’re not financially stable enough to cover the cost, but someone has offered to pay in exchange for marrying you," he continued, his tone emotionless. 

At first, I thought it was a bad joke, but the look on Mumma and Dadda's faces told me otherwise. 

"You're joking, right, Dadda?" I asked hopefully. 

"No, Allena, I’m not. I want you to marry this man because I can’t risk my niece's life for anyone," he said firmly, emphasizing the word "anyone." 

I’m 'anyone' to him, I thought, as tears escaped my eyes. I looked at Mumma, hoping she’d say something, but she turned away. 

"I'm not marrying anyone, especially not for her—the most selfish girl!" I said, running to my room in tears. 

I had been crying for hours when I heard a knock at my door. I didn’t turn around because I knew it was Mumma. 

"Allena," she said softly. I turned to her and hugged her tightly. 

"Mumma, please make Dadda understand. I’m just 22, still studying. Please, Mumma," I pleaded. 

"Allena, I want you to marry him," she said, shocking me. 

"Mumma!" I gasped in disbelief. 

"Allena, Johnson has done so much for us over the years. He married me and took responsibility for us. But you’re not his daughter, even though he’s treated you like his own. I want you to repay his kindness—the money, the time he invested in you, for your studies, food, and clothes. Understand?" she said, hurting me deeply. 

I never asked anyone to take care of me. If she wanted to marry him, and he didn’t want me, then why did they care for me all these years? I cried myself to sleep, her words replaying in my mind. 

The next morning, I got up, did my usual routine, and went downstairs to give them my final answer. 

"Allena, I need your answer now," Dadda said, still emotionless. 

"I'm ready to sell myself to the man you chose," I said with the same emptiness. 

"Allena!" my mom shouted at me. 

"I'm not saying anything wrong, Mom. I'm just speaking the truth. Why does it hurt to hear the reality of my situation?" I asked sarcastically. 

"We’re not selling you, Allena. We’re just marrying you to a billionaire who will keep you happy, trust me," she said with tears in her eyes. 

"Well, for me, it's selling to a billionaire. But think whatever helps you sleep at night," I replied, walking out of the house and wandering the streets aimlessly. 

My life turned upside down in just one day. Dad, you left me in this cruel world. Even my own mother is taking Dadda's side, willing to sell me off to some billionaire to save his niece. I miss you, Dad, so much. 

For the first time since Dad’s death, I missed him so terribly. I never imagined that the man I accepted as my real father would do this to me. 

This thought broke me, and I cried my heart out in the middle of nowhere.

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Author_sanshi