The Forbidden Love: Cecilia and Santiago’s Love Story

"I hate you!!" Cecilia shouted, tears in her eyes, as she watched the man who she had called Dad all her life give her out to a group of scary-looking men with no hint of remorse or guilt. Handing her over like some piece of garbage he wants to dispose of.

“Let me go!" she screamed again, but this time to the man who carried her over the shoulder with his strong arms.

As she screamed, she did everything possible, which included hitting and punching him in the back, but it all felt like she was hitting a hard wall. He did not even flinch; all she needed was a chance so she could try making her escape.

She had a small chance, seeing that the distance between his car and her house was less than 20km. The two other scary men who followed them also made her chance of escape slimmer. "Woman, you better stop your little tantrum right now," he said, his voice sounding really scary.

This was the first time she had heard him speak. He had come into the house, giving his phone to her stepfather, and hearing the conversation between her stepfather and the man made her realise that she had just been used as a bargain piece to pay off his debt.

She was just nineteen years old and had just gotten into her dream dance academy. Her life was just beginning, and a tear slipped out of her eyes, knowing that her life was about to take a whole new turn just because her stepfather could not control his gambling addiction.

She heard her stepfather calling the man on the other side of the line, Don Santiago. Everyone knew Don Santiago, even though few had seen his face. He was a well-known and feared Mafia lord and the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the country.

He had connections with people of all walks of life, ranging from politicians to officers, businessmen, and prominent figures. Cecilia has only heard of him from the rest of her friends, but one thing she was sure of was that he had to be some old, psychotic man because of the description she has heard.

Some say that he kills like it is a hobby and he has no heart. He is also involved in all the shady things imaginable. She was not naive enough not to know what it meant for someone to be bought by a Mafia lord.

Even though human trading has been abolished, it was still something that everyone knew happened, and the tales of those who were bought by Mafia lords were as terrifying as ever.

"Let me go!!! This is kidnapping!" Cecilia shouted, but the man just flung her onto the seat and sat beside her. As the car moved, she tried once more to escape, but she was seated in the middle, with the two men tightly at her sides, watching her every move.

All she needed right now was a little distraction to help her. She was a dancer, and jumping out of there would be a piece of cake to her compared to their training.

A phone rang, and the man on the left moved to get it from his pocket. It seems like her prayers were about to be answered. This was her opportunity, as she quickly manoeuvred her way to open the door, shocking the man who had just picked up his phone.

Before he realised what was happening, she had already slipped through him and started running, grateful that the car was big and had enough space for her to slip away. She kept on running, and when she turned back, she saw that two of them were almost catching up to her.

People were just watching her like it was a movie that they were seeing, not a lady being chased by hefty men. "Fuck," she swore as she increased her speed, looking for places where she could take cover. All she needed was a place to hide in and to make sure that they were no more there before she stepped out.

She finally found a place—a jewellery store that was hidden from the road. It was the perfect spot for hiding. "Please, let me hide here. Some men are after me," she said, running into the store. A young boy was seated there, wearing a high school uniform busy with his phone.

"Sure, whatever," he said, with all his attention still on his phone. This was not her wisest choice, but it was better than nothing.

"Did any girl run in here?" Cecilia heard someone ask. "I am doomed," she said to herself, thinking of the nonchalant boy that she had met when she ran in here.

“No," she heard the boy say, much to her relief. She let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. "He is lying." She heard another voice. "I am not lying," the boy said, shocking Cecilia, who did not know that he would cover up for her in the midst of these scary men. She did not need to be there to see how menacing their faces would be.

"The CCTV camera on the street says otherwise. She entered here," the same voice said. The next thing Cecilia heard was the screeching of chairs and the men shouting to tell them where she was.

Cecilia heard the boy say where she was, and she just put her hands over her face as she heard the curtain opening up to where she was. The next thing, she was carried up again over the man's shoulder while the boy mouthed sorry to her.

She let out a small smile to assure him that it was not his fault. He tried his best. The same process of screaming while she carried him repeated itself, but this time, as she was put in the car she felt a sting on her arm, she suddenly began to lose consciousness slowly, and then everything went black.