CHAPTER ONE : AUTHORITY

Lady's head was going to explode.

The cries of baby Lilibeth was messing with her consciousness and every time her machine moved, the baby would start crying and her work would be put to halt.

It's not that she hates the baby. Good God, she loves Lilibeth more than anything in the world but right now, Aryan has been asking for the dresses for the auction and she only has 4 left yet the cries and the caring for the baby feels made the completion of the dress feel like forever.

She got up and walk toward the crib. Taking a deep breath and sigh, she bends down to carry her precious granddaughter and rock her gently. Wiping away her tear and checked her diaper to see if it was full.

When everything was okay, she turn her attention to her beautiful granddaughter's face and smile despite her brow falling due to fatigue.

"Are you hungry, sweetheart?"

Lilibeth scrunched up her face and just continue to cry and Lady believes she has figured out the child's source of frustration.

She walks towards a table beside the small crib and took out a bottle filled with milk and heat the bottle to the right temperature before feeding Lilibeth with it.

Lady walks towards the crib and hummed as she rocked Lilibeth gently. Holding the bottle so her little one could feed comfortably. She looks up at the wall clock and suddenly remembered how Aryan wasn't around today.

He wasn't around for at least a week already, since the day Lilibeth first arrived.

Her influence in the Dollhouse was great enough to silence everyone who was around her room so no one would dare to blab to Aryan while she was around. Not that she could trust the Dolls because most of them are hungry for recognition and appreciation for the Ringleader.

Better room, better dress, and better food.

It's a brutal world out here in The House of Dolls.

Deciding actually to rest for a bit, she sat on a chair and hummed. Singing the classic "Somewhere over the rainbow" to Lilibeth, reminiscing the time she had sang the same song to Ilyria and tears fills her eyes.

The last time she had met Ilyria was when she scolded her for wanting to leave her for the man who had bought her.

Lady was against it fully. It didn't matter that Ilyria's master was rich or the fact that her daughter was bought at the price of 10 million dollars, the highest the Dollhouse as ever receive, the man was already married and claim to fall in love with Ilyria the moment he saw her at the Auction.

Everyone at the Dollhouse knew about his wife's infertility problem after she fired a maid from their household without warning.

The maid's wrath pushes her to tell the whole city of the rich man's wife so Lady has no doubt her daughter was chosen for her womb and not for love.

It is proven so, by the fact, that her daughter had died birthing her grandchild and that man wasn't around to save her from his evil wife.

"I promise nothing bad will happen to you, sweetheart. Not as long as I shall live."

"You shouldn't be making promises you can't keep, Lady. You'll probably die by the time that baby is in its teen years."

Lady was surprised from her seat and she almost jumped out of it. She held the baby tighter and accidentally drop her bottle.

Aryan Mizrahi aka the Ringleader and founder of The House of Dolls is leaning at her door and the grin on his face made Lady's heart drop.

He wore his red velvet suit, blonde hair combed back neatly and black leather trousers. His top hat and cane made his whole ringmaster image pops out and he took great pride in wearing them.

She had stayed in the Dollhouse for 5 years and she had never seen him shirtless or unkempt. The half mask he wore covered his scar and a grin stretched out from it. His bright blue eyes contrasted with his fair skin and something about the two brought shivers down Lady's spine.

"Sit down, Lady. I just want to have small talk with you." Aryan said and he walks up to Lady. Standing in front of her while his cane was put aside. Making him cross his arms grinning.

" Calm down, Lady. None of the girls snitches on you. A maid bringing a baby on a rainy daughter to my establishment would surely attract attention. I have eyes everywhere, remember? Inside and out of the Dollhouse. So... whose kid is that?"

Aryan bend down to pick up the bottle and wiped the plastic nipple clean with his napkin. He held out the bottle to Lady and she took it. Rolling her eyes as she continues to feed Lilibeth

"No need to know. She won't be a Doll. She's not up for auction."

Aryan clicked his tongue. "I'm afraid that's not your decision to make. Any girl in my home is a Doll. Heck, you were a Doll too until you fucked your leg right before the Auction remember? Could've had a better life than making dresses for my Dolls. I'm sure an old woman like yours would make a good seller too. We have so many damn perverts or use for maids in this town. Nevertheless, your kind of style? Not even outside of Centralia have that kind of talent of making the most beautiful dress a Doll could ever wear. It's a lose and win situation for me."

Lady flinched. She gritted her teeth and her mind was playing several images of her breaking Aryan's face.

" My granddaughter is not for sale no matter what. By the time she reaches her Auction age, I will have my debt paid fully and we will leave this place for good."

Aryan's face widens and his mouth opens in a wide O. Then, it slowly turns into a grin and he clapped his hand as he finally realise who Lilibeth was.

"Granddaughter? Jesus Christ, Ilryia finally have a child? That's good news but..."

He chuckled. " With her child being here, I'm sure there must be a tragic story behind it. Not that I am interested so here's the deal. I will make it easy and simple for you, Lady. You owe me millions and months by months, the number will continue to add up when you don't pay so sure, feel free to imagine how freedom and living outside of the Dollhouse or making your granddaughter, not a doll all you can. But hear this..."

He leans forward towards Lady's face. Grinning and looking lower to stare at the baby.

He gently runs his finger down the baby's cheek and takes in deeply how Lilibeth's features are so much like her mother except for her brown hair.

"This is Ilyria's daughter, all right. Fine, I'll be fair to you, Lady. If you can pay your debt by the time this baby turns 15 - you are free to leave this place. I'll even chip in a house in the city - all furnished just for you to live in peace and you worn hear from me anymore. How about that?"

Lady glared at him. "Why the special treatment? "

"Your daughter paid half of your debt and left you with another half. That kind of sell is bonus worthy. Plus, you are my oldest employee and as a Master, showing you some kindness is an appropriate move."

" You fucking asshole. You are no Master to me and so is my Lilibeth." Lady gritted.

"Lilibeth? That sure is a beautiful name. I'm sure she'll be worth as much or even more than her mother."

"You motherfuc_!"

Lady didn't get to finish her words when Aryan raised his hand and slapped Lady across her cheek. The crack rang out through the air and Lilibeth cried once more.

She was in so much pain yet it was Aryan who sighed at her. " You know I hate to do that to my girls. Even you, Lady but you just get to me so many times. Hiding shit from me and even trying to teach my Dolls to lie to me? You sure have some nerves."

He stood up straight again and reach out for his cane. Leaving Lady sitting on her chair with a bruised cheek and trembling uncontrollably. Fear of his anger might be switched to her granddaughter.

" I have to go now. I have more matters to do but heed my words, Lady. There's nothing you can hide for me and being a fair man, I will be fair to you but screw me over? You will wish you will be dead like your daughter."

Lady's eyes widen in shock.

"How did you.."

"I told you I have people outside. Farewell now."

When he walks out the door, a sigh of relief left her soul and it felt like all the weight on her body was lifted off in an instant.

Her grandchild cry again and Lady got up, gently shushes her, rocking her chair, and kiss Lilibeth's cheek.

Tears run down her cheeks but she ignores them. Making sure her full attention was on her daughter's last gift to her shitty world.

" I swear, sweetheart. I will never let him touch you. I'll pay I'll freakin debt and we will leave this hellhole together. We will never suffer again, sweetheart. Never again."