The men, filled with determination, refused to give up of putting out the raging fire. Beads of sweat rolled down their tired faces as they fought on. Their strong arms were becoming weaker by the minute. Their work seemed futile, but that still didn't stop them.

Debito continued to furiously tell himself that they're going to be alright. He wasn't alone. His companions were praying for their safety as well. Debito couldn't imagine living without ever seeing her smile again. She may have gone through so many things, even if she had had made many mistakes the man thought that it was unnecessary to think about her differently.

********

The raging flames roared at Felicita and her unit. Hope seemed to fade away before their very eyes as the redheaded girl saw dead men around her. Even Nova and Liberta were down. The girl fell on her knees and broke down at the sight. Tears poured down her slightly burned cheeks. Suddenly a gentle hand touched her shoulder and squeezed it. Felicita lifted her eyes and met the determined eyes of Angelica.

She stands up, "I've had enough of this! I won't tolerate anyone getting hurt because of me!" Angelica yells in anger as burning embers flew around her.

"Angelica. . "

Her eyes started to glow and a purple-colored aura manifested around her. Her hair started to flail wildly, her arms at her sides. She started to slowly wave her arm at the floor and immediately disks formed on the ground. Though she looked battered and bruised, Angelica showed no sign of pain, which sort of made Felicita worried. The woman started to chant, and her companion suddenly felt herself locked onto the disk underneath her. Felicita glanced around her surroundings, her eyes seeing disks form underneath the other men as well.

"Close your eyes." Angelica tells her conscious companion.

Felicita obeys her without question and an ear-ringing sound boomed through her eardrums. She suddenly felt herself lift from the ground. The fresh air breeze caressed her face, cooling her burns. After a few moments she hesitantly opened her eyes, and saw the surprised faces of the other Arcana Famiglia members. She glances at her sides and saw her unit in the air as well.

Not seeing Angelica, she glances behind her. There her eyes catch sight of her suspended in the air, placing the disks gently on the ground. After all were down, Angelica lowered herself towards them, but suddenly loses concentration and drops to the ground. Felicita felt a scream escape from her mouth as Pace leaped and caught the falling girl in time.

"Are you alright?" He asks, concern in his voice.

"Yes," she replies with a pained face, "But more importantly. . . Is everyone else alright?" She asks sternly.

Pace's eyes widen in surprise, "Angelica. . ."

"Answer me, Pace."

He slowly sets down the girl and sighs, "They're fine, but some have fatal injuries." He hesitantly replies. Felicita glances at the girl with a concerned look on her face. Her eyes saw the depression and guilt in her friend's. Unconsciously, she started to read Angelica's mind.

"This is all my fault," Thought Angelica, "This is why I shouldn't make friends."

"No, An! It's not your fault!" Felicita screamed in her head. Suddenly her eyes met Angelica's pained orbs, her eyes widen in surprise.

"I know you could hear me, Felicita. But let me tell you this:" Felicita's eyes widen even more, trembling, "I won't be troubling, you guys any longer." Angelica smiles as Pace places his arm sround her, making her turn her back on the girl.

"Angelica!" Debito yells, running to the black-haired girl. His arms immediately embraced her tightly with a surprised look on her face.

"De-Debito. . ."

"I won't have anyone lay a finger on you! No one!" He angrily yells, squeezing her more tightly. Angelica smiles, and slowly placed her arms around the man.

"Thank you for your kindness. . . But I'd like to have a word with Papa and Mama. . . And if possible. . with the rest of you as well." She says, letting go of the man and the other men immediately started to treat her wounds.

********

After returning to the mansion, Angelica found herself surprised to be welcomed with open arms though she's fully aware that they knew more than a mere fragment of her life now. They knew the filthiest part of her life now. The Arcana Famiglia were not aware that she was aware, but they did have a feeling that she would assume that they did. Felicita knew exactly what Angelica had meant earlier that evening, but she thought it was best to keep quiet at the moment. Glancing at her companions' faces, she saw tension and anxiety. Everyone was eager to know what the girl had to say, yet they dreaded it as well. Tempted to read Angelica's mind, the red-head shook her head to push away the idea. She's been told several times to use her Arcana ability only on necessary circumstances. The temptation to do otherwise was always there.

The division heads were all there, including the lieutenants (except for Liberta and Nova who were still unconscious). They were at the meeting room to listen and discuss what Angelica had to say. Well, they wanted to hear Angelica's side of her story. As for Ronaldo, the Arcana Famiglia had him let go as a reward for the information and cooperation. 

"I'm glad that you're fine, Angelica." Monfo starts since he is the head.

The woman nods, "Thanks for the rescue."

The others with her grinned in embarrassment, "It was actually otherwise. You saved us." Said Felicita.

"True." Agreed Debito, smirking.

"You were amazing back there!" Cried Luca. But much to their surprise, Angelica did not smile.

"If you didn't arrive, I would not have even tried to lay a finger on them." The girl remarks with a grim look.

"Eh? Why wouldn't you have?!"

She sighs, "Why fight for your life when it will only cause everything. . . and everyone around me to just fade away." Says Angelica.

"What? What do you mean?" Asks Dante.

She shook her head, "Never mind. I assume that Ronaldo told you everything. That's why you were able to find me."

"True. Yes, he did." Sumire replies calmly.

"But we'd like to hear your side of the story," Mondo interjects, "It's your story after all not his." He adds.

"I guess. There's no use hiding that now—" she starts.

"Now?" Thought a confused Felicita.

"—I'll begin at the time I met Bernardo."

"Please do." Says Mondo, resting his chin on the back of his hands.

"I was sold to him by my previous master, because I refused to submit to him. I was sold through bidding." Angelica confeases, causing her companions' eyes widen at this.

"What?!"

"It was quite long. The bids just kept piling up, and I won't even explain the details," Angelica sighs, "Anyway Bernardo became the highest bidder and so got me like I'm some kind of object to obtain. . ."

****Flashback****

"And now, the one you've all been waiting for. . . I give you a beauty from the North!"

Excited screams and catcalls roared throughout the auditorium. Their deafening applauses rang to the ears. Then from the side, a couple of men suddenly drags in a lovely girl. She was wild, furiously trying to free herself from their grasp, though her wrists were tied together with a rope. The men pushed her from behind and another pulled the rope, dragging her onto the stage. The girl screamed for them to let her go; they continued walking, ignoring her cries. With all her might, she was able to pull the rope from their grasp, her hands taking hold of the rope and starting lashing it around like a whip. The audience gasps in shock, watching her fight the guards.

"Excuse us, ladies and gentlemen," the host says nervously, "We are currently having some difficulty here." The audience chuckled in amusement.

"Stand down!" Yells a guard as he avoids a lash.

"Set me free!" The girl yells angrily as the whip suddenly grabs hold of the man's wrist. She pulls it and sent him flying at the audience.

The girl was tall, had that slender figure. Her fair skin contrasted greatly with her wavy, jet black hair that reached to her waist. Her deep violet eyes resembled the indescribable galaxies, filled with their own mysteries. The dress she was dressing was dirty and tattered, barely covering herself; it was white, sleeveless. Either side of her dress was slit from her mid-thighs down, her slender legs exposed. A beauty mark near her right eye only brought curses upon her.

"That's enough!" A man from the audience yells, stepping unto the stage. He carefully approaches her, her being wary of him as well.

He was attractive looking. Lean and slightly muscular; fair skinned. He had short, black messy hair with his messy bangs pushed to the side. His amazing green eyes resembled emeralds. The man wore a black tuxedo with a red necktie with a white shirt underneath. He wore black slacks with a pair of black shoes. And a smirk was plastered all over his face.

The girl watches him with hawk eyes as she demonstrated sharp whip lashes to try intimidating him. The man simply grinned when she lashed at him, because he saw an opportunity to grab hold of it. Her eyes widened when he grabbed hold of the rope. He yanks it, forcing her towards him. He yanks it again, causing her to lose her balance and fall to her knees.

"Thank you, sir." Said the host as the girl was cuffed at her feet. He nods his head, handing the girl to her to the guards. "Anyways, let's start bidding!!"

The crowds scream in excitement, catcalls and the loud applauses rang throughout the auditorium. And the girl held her cold gaze, hatred were burning in her eyes. The auction started without further delay. The girl didn't expect the audience to even think of buying her due to her earlier performance, but it seems like it had backfired. The biddings just came one after the other, especially from the rich men wanted her. It was almost as if nothing had happened.

"Ten million!"

"Twenty million!"

"I'll offer twenty-five!"

"Thirty!"

"Thirty-five!" Yells a man, glaring at the other bidders.

"Forty!" Yelled the other man.

"Fifty." A young man from earlier announces calmly. He turned out to be the man from earlier who had stopped her from trying to escape.

The previous bidder eyes him with a glare, "Fifty-five."

"Sixty."

"Sixty. . . Sixty-two!"

"Seventy." The younger man says grinning confidently. The older man sighs in defeat, knowing that the younger man was now the highest bidder. The audience stay silent as well.

"Seems like there's no more bidder!" Announces the host, "Is this final, folks?" The whole audience remain silent, "Okay, then! Here's the girl." The host gives the girl to the younger man who was grinning to have bought the grand prize.

"Boss, will most certainly like this." Mutters the black-haired man as he threw his arm on the girl. Angelica made no resistance to him, ignoring him, and remained calm. "Hey, now! What's with that face? You're mine now (though not exactly)."

The girl simply stayed silent as he places a brown bag in her hands, "What is this?" She asks.

He laughs, "So you talk? Just go somewhere to change and you'll see."

  *******

"Thank you very much for the dress." The girl thanks the man as they walked through the crowd. She had taken a bath in an inn, the man was staying in, and had changed into the dress that he had bought her. It was a simple deep blue dress, but it was very elegant looking.

"You're very welcome, sweetie." He leers, pulling her close to him. "The name's Bernardo. Yours?"

"Angelica."

"I see. Beautiful name. Suits you." He remarks.

"Enough with your flattery," Angelica bluntly tells Bernardo, "I know what kind of man you are." She adds.

He raises an eyebrow, "You do?" He asks, smirking.

"You're a slave-buyer aren't you?" She asks with a face of defeat. His eyes widen in surprise at her words.

"What makes you think that?"

"I had a dream of this. And I saw you," Angelica replied, "And you brought me to this mansion. A prostitution house." She adds with a disturbed look.

~~~

Hello, dear readers!!

Thank you so much for your patience! So sorry for the super late update. Been very busy lately. Especially that I'm trying to catch up with my other stories.

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Love, 
BalladPhoenix