Page 3 of Prince Charming

While she did not get as far as a marriage license, her two babies have always been Marianna’s pure light.

She wouldneverregret her children.

Even if it meant reliving those appalling four months she was dating their father.

Marianna didn’t have hang-ups about her looks or her weight.

She’d always been pretty okay with both.

She wasn’t what you’d call academic. Though, she’d strived to better herself in whatever she was doing. Her goal from the age of sixteen was to learn English, the language of the free world. Lack of funds meant she had to teach herself in whatever way she could. Finding solace and education from books.

No, her flaws were not about vanity or her education.

If only they were.

Seeking adventure and fulfilment was perhaps the biggest mistake of her life.

It would sit inside her dark places forever.

One bad mistake snowballed, and now she was in a country illegally because she was brought by men who promised her a lucrative life.

Abuse.

Lies upon lies.

Promises broken.

Used as a commodity, she’d forged on as best as she could.

No woman ever thinks she’ll be that one who gets her life stolen.

Marianna was one of many theBratvaused. She had it marginally better in comparison with some of the other girls who were repeatedly drugged and sold.

Treated like a pet in a cage.

She hated herself for being taken in by lies and assurances.

Unexpected rescue came from a group of bikers. Only when she became lucid from whatever drugs they had forced her to take, she stole clothes from the hospital and sneaked out before the authorities could speak with her.

She’d never looked back.

Within a few short hours, snow dusted the sidewalk as she bundled into her coat and took the short walk five blocks away toCharming Soulsgym.

There was a spike to her pulse when she entered the sprawling building. She nodded to the receptionist, Molly, but didn’t stop to chat. Afraid to get close to anyone in fear of what she might tell them. She was there to work hard, not make lifelong connections.

Office management was her job description. But she did a little of everything, including cleaning down the machines when lazy members wouldn’t do it. She restocked vending machines and refilled coffee and juice stations. She made sure the dirty towels were put out for the laundry service to collect at the end of each day.

Keeping busy made sense.

“Yo, Marianna?” She heard, and the fine hairs at the back of her nape stood on end.

The voice was baritone deep. It was a growl, the voice you expect to see belonging to a madman.

But it was her boss when she turned around.

An unsmiling boss.

“Yes, Sir?”

---