THE DEAL WITH THE DEVILS HEIR

Alicia's POV

I opened the door to the last conversation between my mother and father and felt the air go thin. They sat opposite each other like strangers sharing bad news. My father's face was numb, as if the truth didn't belong to him. My mother's shoulders shook with quiet sobs.

"Mum, what are you talking about?" I asked, my voice trembling as I stared between them.

She only wept more. I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Say something. Please."

"I'm sorry, my daughter," she managed, each word a ragged rasp.

My heart slammed into my ribs. I went to my father. "What did you do?" I demanded. "What have you done?"

He stood slowly, the chair scraping the floor. "How dare you raise your voice at me," he snapped, but the anger couldn't hide the little smirk that curled at his mouth. "You want to know what we were talking about, hun? I'll tell you."

He lit a cigarette, the flare of the lighter stabbing the dim room. "We sold you off." His voice was calm, almost bored. The words hit me like a fist. For a second the world tilted; my knees almost gave way.

"Mum-" I started, but she could only cry, hands pressed to her face. "How could you do that?" I screamed, slapping his chest as hard as I could.

He took my hands, forced me down until I hit the floor. My mother tried to lift me, but I pushed her away; anger and betrayal burned hotter than pain. "You'd better get your things ready," he said, exhaling smoke. "They'll be here soon."

"Why do we always have to clean up your mess?" I spat. "Why don't we just let them kill him? You're useless.....smoking, gambling away money-" The words tumbled out, raw and reckless.

A hand cracked across my cheek. The sting was immediate and bright. It was my father's. "How dare you talk back to me like that," he said, voice low and controlled. "I am the reason you're still alive. I am your father. You have no right."

My cheeks burned with tears. "I'm sorry, Alicia," my mother whispered, clinging to my clothes, her apology thin as tissue. "I couldn't do anything."

"You knew," I said to her, voice small. "You let him-" My throat closed. "You let him sell me?" I stammered.

"I didn't-" she tried, but the answer dissolved into more sobs. My father took a long drag from his cigarette and smiled like a man who had already counted his coins. "Doesn't matter anymore, Alicia. Your buyer will be here soon. I hope you've packed your things."