Chapter 03

Nathalia

At first I was skeptical, but they asked for so many things that I started to believe it was real.

They wanted photos of my documents and lingerie shots.

They handled my passport application and a temporary student visa themselves.

They said I'd enter as a student, since they'd enroll me in a modeling course before I started working for real.

They had me fill out a form that was over ten pages long.

They also asked for detailed medical exams, proof of address, contact information for my closest relatives...

I was so focused on completing every requirement that I didn't even notice time passing.

In the last few days of high school, the bullying actually stopped. I think it was because I'd quit paying attention to my bullies to focus on the paperwork, and without a reaction, tormenting me wasn't fun anymore.

Finally, it was over. I graduated from high school, and my trip to England was booked.

It was scheduled for the same day my family was flying to my aunt's house — the perfect opportunity to slip away unnoticed.

On the day of the trip, I was so nervous that I couldn't stop eating.

"Nathalia, can you please stop being so greedy? I can already see it — you're going to embarrass us at Christmas dinner."

My mother snapped at me in the airport, rolling her eyes.

"She doesn't even fit in her own clothes and keeps eating like she's starving. When we get back from your aunt's, you'd better lose weight, or you're getting kicked out of the house!"

I lowered my head, exhausted. Exhausted with this life and exhausted with the criticism.

Not once did they care to ask why I do this.

They didn't care about what I was feeling, or that eating was the only thing that made me feel better.

We headed toward the boarding gate, and the criticism kept coming.

I was a few steps behind when I stopped and called out to them.

"Dad. Mom. Ruby."

They didn't even look back.

I knew they heard me. They just chose to ignore me.

"So that's it... Goodbye, family."

I turned and took a different path. I don't think they even noticed I'd swapped my ticket to my aunt's city for a flight to England.

...

After hours in the air, I landed in another country.

Fear hit me. Everything was different from what I was used to.

I took my phone off airplane mode, wondering if my parents had noticed I was missing — they'd been at my aunt's house for a while now, since she only lived in another city. But it came as no surprise when I saw zero messages asking where I was.

"Nathalia, from this moment on, you're officially the only one responsible for your future. Don't screw it up."

I told myself and headed toward baggage claim.

As soon as I grabbed my bags, my contacts were already waiting.

Two men. One looked older — stubble, a strong smell of tobacco. He wore a printed shirt, Ray-Ban sunglasses, and a thick gold chain around his neck.

Honestly, just looking at him made me uneasy.

But the other one was gorgeous. All smiles, and he looked close to my age.

"You must be Nathalia! Even prettier than your photos!"

I smiled shyly. The guy was so handsome and charming. He looked like a boy-band member.

"Nathalia, before we go, could you hand me your documents and your phone?"

He asked politely, and even though I was flustered, something made me hesitate.

"Why? Isn't my paperwork all in order?"

"I'm sorry, but there are some verifications we need to run. Otherwise we can't hire you, and you don't have money for a ticket back, right?"

The handsome guy said it as if he genuinely cared about me, but something in his words bothered me.

I bit my lip, a little nervous.

"Okay, I can hand over the documents, but why do you need my phone?"

"To set it up, obviously! We're in a different country, Nathalia!"

I took a deep breath, relieved.

Right — I had landed in a foreign country, and from what I knew, you really did need to change the settings.

I handed over what he asked for, and the sketchy-looking guy grabbed my suitcase and carried it to the car.

An armored car. Big. Luxury.

I felt like my life was actually about to change.

I could make money with this job and then go to college for literature.

I'd go back home rich and prove to everyone that I wasn't just some fat failure. Maybe I'd even end up more successful than my sister.

"So, Nathalia! Tell me — what do you like to do?" the charming guy asked.

"Oh, um... I really love reading romance novels."

"Seriously? I love romances too. My favorite is the one about the mafioso who finds a cop's baby."

"That's my favorite too!"

We launched into an animated conversation, and he knew everything about my favorite book.

But I started to notice we'd been driving for hours and still hadn't arrived.

"Are we almost there?" I asked, growing uneasy. I looked out the window, and it didn't even look like England anymore.

"Still a ways to go. We might need to stop at a hotel before we get there."

"But is England really that big?"

"Actually, you'll need to be in another country for the course."

"But you didn't tell me that before?"

"We didn't? I'm sorry — the person who recruited you probably forgot to mention it."

I was getting more and more nervous. A strange sensation was settling into my chest.

The handsome guy kept smiling and chatting. Before, I'd thought he was charming. Now he was starting to seem odd.

"Hey, can we pull over so I can use the bathroom?"

The air inside the car was growing more oppressive by the minute.

"Not right now. Just hold on a little longer, sweetie."

That tone — like he was sweet-talking me — felt wrong.

It was almost like he was only there to keep me distracted...

But why?

"I really need to pee."

My voice came out desperate.

"Here — use this bottle."

He handed me a water bottle, and I took it with trembling hands.

"You know, I saw this video online the other day. A girl talking about how she traveled to another country and got trafficked. You guys aren't planning to do that to me, right? Plus-size girls aren't targets for traffickers... right?"

I was shaking all over when an uncomfortable silence filled the car.

They didn't answer my question, and that's when I started to lose it.

The handsome guy dropped his fake smile and exchanged a look with the driver.

Then he opened the glove compartment and pulled out a gun.

It was the first time I'd ever seen one. The gleaming metal cast reflections across my face.

My heart hammered so hard I thought I'd pass out.

"Sit tight and shut up! We already have your documents and your phone. You belong to us now, and yes — curvy girls get trafficked too. You're our biggest buyer's favorite type."

"Oh my God. I'm screwed."

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