Drugged and Sold to My Own Aunt

On New Year's Eve, my girlfriend of three years, Gina Jarrey, invited me to her place for dinner with her family. Before I could even take a bite, she drugged me and left me half-conscious.

She mumbled, "If we don't pay them back, they're going to cut off my brother's hand. I had no other choice but to hand you over. Don't blame me for this. You're just unlucky for having a face identical to the man Ms. Carmelia Sanders is obsessed with. Once my brother's gambling debts are cleared, you might even end up living the high life. It's a win-win!"

My mind drifted in and out as her entire family handed me over and sent me to a mansion that looked eerily familiar.

First of all, unless I was mistaken, this place belonged to my aunt. Second, she had an extreme brother complex and had never liked any man other than Dad. And finally, years ago, a distant relative of mine got sent off to work in the mines in Frongo just for rolling his eyes at Dad.

So really, who was the unlucky one getting delivered to my aunt's doorstep? Oh my, what a tough mystery to solve.

The drug did not fully wear off yet, and I was slumped in the backseat, too weak to even lift a finger.

The conversation between Gina Jarrey, her mother Teresa Hart, and her brother Kenny Jarrey sounded muffled and distant.

Gina and I were together since college, all the way through graduation. Our relationship was stable, and we never had any major fights.

On New Year's Eve, she looked me straight in the eye and said she wanted to take me home to meet her parents to discuss getting married.

Wanting to make a good impression on her family, I spent days carefully preparing. I bought myself a brand-new cashmere coat, put together some gifts, and picked up two bottles of premium liquor along with a bunch of gift boxes. However, the moment I sat down and took a sip of the water Teresa poured for me, my vision started to blur.

"Lucas Sanders, don't blame me," Gina said, her face full of fake remorse. "We were completely backed into a corner."

"How am I supposed to come up with five million dollars? They're really going to cut off Kenny's hand!"

I tried to curse her out, but my tongue would not cooperate. All I could manage were garbled, incoherent sounds.

She continued rambling, "Don't feel too sorry for yourself. Ms. Carmelia Sanders' place isn't so bad, and she's really into guys like you. You'll be living the high life with her. Isn't that better than staying with me? I'm doing this for both of us; it's a win-win, you know?"

Win-win? I would show her a win-win, all right.

The car drove through the darkness, and the scenery outside flew past in reverse. I struggled to focus, trying to figure out where we were headed. Finally, the car slowed down and stopped in front of a massive, ornate iron gate.

When I saw the place, the gate, and the mansion, my heart skipped a beat, and my foggy mind began to clear.

'No way. It can't be!'

Gina and Teresa grabbed me from either side and hauled me out of the car, practically dragging me across the mansion's front courtyard. My cashmere coat was twisted and disheveled, and my dress shoes got lost somewhere along the way.

Two men with rigid postures stood at the entrance, watching us approach with expressionless faces.

"Gentlemen, we hate to bother you, but we really couldn't come up with the money, so we thought of a new way to settle the debt," Kenny said, bowing and scraping as he smiled obsequiously at the men in black suits.

He added, "We've come to bring Ms. Sanders a New Year's gift. She's definitely going to love it."

One of the men shone a flashlight on my face, and the beam made me squint.

"This guy?" he asked in a flat tone.

"Yes, exactly! He's Gina's boyfriend. Take a look. Doesn't he look just like the man Ms. Sanders visits at the cemetery every year? We made sure to ask around beforehand. And he's a violinist, he's talented, he'll definitely know how to serve her well!" Teresa quickly jumped in, forcefully turning my face toward him.

My stomach churned.

The man was silent for a few seconds, then gestured to the person beside him. "Go inside and report this."

He turned back to us and said, "I can't make this decision. You'll have to come in and wait."

"Thank you, sir! Thank you!" Kenny nodded and bowed repeatedly, dragging me toward the main building.

By the time they hauled me into the first-floor reception room, my legs were so weak I could not stand. I collapsed straight onto the cold floor.

"Ms. Sanders is with a guest. Wait here," the man said curtly before walking out.

The moment the door closed, Gina crouched down in front of me, her face full of anxiety and scheming. "Lucas, help me out, just this once."

She grabbed my shoulders and shook them. "When Ms. Sanders comes, just say you came here willingly. Please, I won't think less of you. I swear I'll treat you right from now on!"

I stared at her, unable to make a sound.

"Don't just sit there saying nothing!" Teresa crowded in too, her nails digging into my arm. "If the Jarrey family goes down, you're going down with us! Kenny is your brother-in-law, and helping him is your duty!"

"Mom, don't scare him," Gina complained, feigning concern.

Then, she turned back to me with a pleading look. "Lucas, I know you're angry, but we really had no other choice. It's five million dollars. They'll kill Kenny!"

The drug's effects were slowly wearing off. I could feel sensation returning to my limbs, and my tongue was starting to move again.

I took a deep breath and finally managed to rasp out, "Get lost. I'm not doing this!"