The night his beloved Sienna returned, my fiancé Brandon locked me in an auction tank while his friends cheered him on. Brutal chains bound me. My mermaid tail, once shimmering, was now covered in wounds. “Aurora, Sienna is back tonight. Why don’t you dance for us to liven things up?” “We have all seen those private videos of you and Brandon. Stop pretending to be innocent.” “Brandon said the highest bidder gets to enjoy you tonight.” My desperate eyes found Brandon through the glass. The disbelief burned deep in my soul. He was holding Sienna close, whispering tender words to her. “Don’t worry. Mermaid tears are priceless. Selling her will get you that sports car you wanted.” Then I finally understood. Brandon had faked his amnesia. He tricked me into coming ashore just to harvest my mermaid tears. He claimed to love me, yet he was willing to drain me of blood and tears. The water around me bloomed with blood. I curled into myself, powerless, my heart plunging into darkness. Brandon had called today our anniversary. Instead, I had become merchandise on his cruise. My voice was raw. “You promised those videos would never leak.” Brandon’s hand slid possessively down Sienna’s waist. “So what if they did?” he sneered. “You’re just a piece of meat.” “Aurora, you’ve always been so… accommodating. Do this for me. Sienna wants a show.” “Think of it as your chance to please her. Making her happy is an honor.” Sienna pressed closer to him, her voice dripping with false concern. “Brandon, Aurora doesn’t seem willing. Are you sure this isn’t too much?” A bitter laugh tore from me. I slammed my tail against the glass, the impact shuddering through the tank. Tears choked my words. “Brandon, I’m your fiancée! Why are you doing this to me?!” The massive splash drenched Sienna’s clothes, and she shrieked, shrinking into Brandon’s shoulder. Brandon punched the glass, “Aurora, don’t be ungrateful! Sienna is like a sister to me, we grew up together.” “She just got back today. Do you really have to ruin everything for everyone?” I struggled to turn around, “Your sister you grew up with? Then what am I?” Brandon impatiently lit a cigarette, “You’re just a mermaid. I helped you come ashore so you could experience land life. Shouldn’t you be thanking me?” “Now, it’s time for you to repay that favor.” “Making Sienna happy is the least you can do to be useful.” Sienna leaned in, kissing Brandon’s cheek possessively, a smug look on her face. “Brandon says mermaid tears are the most valuable thing.” “Once we get them, we’ll go buy that sports car.” I slumped against the glass, completely drained. In Brandon’s eyes, I was nothing more than an item for sale. Brandon waved a dismissive hand, “Alright, enough talk. Everyone’s waiting. Give us a dance.” When I still refused to move, Brandon finally snapped. He seized a long whip and brought it down across my body. Scales scattered like shattered glass. Angry red welts rose instantly across my skin. A scream tore from my throat. I grabbed the tank’s edge, desperate to escape, but Sienna pressed a lit cigarette to my fingertips. She looked down, sneering, “You lowliest mermaid, I advise you not to struggle.” Brandon coiled the whip around my neck and pulled tight, cutting off my air. The air vanished from my lungs. Brandon’s eyes burned crimson. “I told you to behave. Are you trying to make a fool of me?” His friend Jake stepped forward, placing a calming hand on Brandon’s shoulder. “Easy, man. Don’t break her before we’ve had our turn.” “A mermaid’s body… I wonder how different it really feels.” Their words carved into me, each syllable a dull blade twisting deeper.
Three years ago, Brandon and his friends were surfing when a storm caught them off guard. A rogue wave threw him into the raging sea. I swam faster than I ever had, pulling him to shore. The boat’s propeller sliced through my tail, nearly severing it completely. He was the first human I had ever seen. His eyes held a light brighter than any gem in the ocean’s depths. Ignoring the agony in my tail, I focused only on reviving him. To repay me, Brandon took me home to heal. I knew it broke every rule of my people. But for him, I defied my parents. I turned my back on my tribe. I chose him. After coming to land, I endured the agonizing pain of dehydration. My scales gradually turned pale green, and the bone-deep agony nearly took half my life. Yet, Brandon held me in his arms every night, comforting me. I, so naive, believed this was love. I thought I had won the gamble, but it turned out I had lost everything. Brandon looked at me with an amused expression. “You said you could fully transform into a human after a year on land, but I guess you can’t change your true nature.” Sienna covered her nose, her face filled with disgust, “No wonder there’s a fishy smell. It’s so gross.” “I can’t imagine what you’ve put up with these past few years, Brandon. You shouldn’t just pick anyone just to spite me.” I lowered my gaze to my tail, which had gradually turned white. When we first met, Brandon had praised its beauty. He had tenderly cupped my tail, vowing to spend the rest of his life making it up to me. Someone nearby rubbed his hands, chuckling, “This mermaid’s quite something. I think Brandon just doesn’t know how good he has it.” Sienna’s face darkened instantly. “What do you mean by that?” The speaker’s face changed, and he quickly explained, “Sienna, I didn’t mean it…” Furious, she snatched the whip, raising it to strike my face. I quickly raised my hand, gripped the whip, and with a slight tug, pulled half of Sienna’s body into the tank. Sienna screamed in terror, flailing wildly. Brandon quickly scooped her up. Still shaken, Sienna cried. “Brandon, I just wanted to throw the whip away so it wouldn’t hurt Aurora.” “Why did she suddenly become so vicious?” “I heard mermaids used to eat humans. Aurora, even if you’re angry, you can’t act like that, can you?” Brandon dragged me out of the water and roughly threw me onto the floor. He raised his hand and slapped my face. “Aurora, do you really think you’re so special? How dare you touch Sienna? Do you want to die right now?!” “Why do you think I kept you at home, enduring your fishy smell every day?” “If it weren’t for the rumors that mermaid tears are worth millions, I would have killed you long ago.” “Don’t actually think I truly loved you.” I stared at him in disbelief. Brandon kicked me in the waist, “But you just lie there like a dead fish, no matter what I do, you don’t shed a single tear.” “Since you’re so ungrateful, I have no choice but to resort to this method.” Hearing those words, I trembled uncontrollably. My supposed “love at first sight” was nothing more than a meticulously set trap by Brandon. And I, like a fool, had walked straight into it, ending up losing everything. Who could I blame but myself? This was the happiness I had sought by sacrificing everything. I let out a bitter laugh. Brandon stared at my reddened eyes, waiting, but nothing happened. Furious, he called a few men over. “Strip her! That way everyone can get a good look at the merchandise!”
At his words, the crowd erupted, some even pulling out their phones to take pictures. The flashing lights stung my eyes, making it impossible to see. I had been drugged, so my mermaid form couldn’t transform into human shape quickly. I painfully dragged myself forward inch by inch, but Brandon brutally pulled me back. He slammed my tail against a nearby iron railing, the immense pain making my vision go black. Several rough, greasy hands reached for my shoulders. I thrashed wildly, screaming. “Get off me! Don’t touch me!” “Don’t you dare touch me!” Sienna came over, pressing her sharp high heel onto the back of my hand. She looked at Brandon with expectant eyes. “Brandon, how about we cut off one of her hands?” “She’s useless anyway, and the main goal today is just to get her mermaid tears, right?” Brandon’s dark eyes fixed on Sienna. Sienna’s face stiffened, realizing she had crossed a line. She lifted her foot from me and threw herself into Brandon’s arms, whining. “I was just kidding. I know that things at an auction need to be kept intact.” “Brandon, don’t be mad.” Brandon patted her waist, “Good that you know.” The atmosphere was buzzing. Brandon frowned at me for a moment, then waved his hand, signaling the burly men who were on top of me to get off the stage. They exchanged glances, clearly reluctant, still wanting to touch me again. Brandon growled. “Did you not understand me? Get down!” I lifted my head, battered, a flicker of hope in my eyes. But Brandon only smirked, “Now, let the bidding begin.” I froze, the crowd’s jeering filling my ears. I lay on the floor, helplessly curled into a ball. I had overestimated Brandon’s meager love for me. A rich kid in the audience raised his hand, “One hundred million!” Everyone turned to look. He spoke with malicious glee, “This stinking bitch offended me before. Once I get my hands on her, I’ll make sure she regrets it.” I knew this man. He was Brandon’s arch-rival, Marcus. Previously, he had tried to bribe Brandon’s company employees to steal a bid document, but I had caught him, creating bad blood between us. Now, I stood before him like a lowly servant, in the most despicable state. He rose and slowly walked onto the stage, kicking me lightly. “Aurora, where’s your arrogance now?” One hundred million was almost the highest price. People shook their heads, disheartened. “Young Master Marcus is really generous.” “That woman won’t have a life in his hands. I heard he has some… special fetishes.” Marcus lit a cigar. “Mr. Brandon, you’re a man of your word, right?” Brandon looked down at me, his eyes unreadable. Sienna smiled, walking up to Marcus, “Of course. Businessmen value their word.” Marcus approached me step by step, grabbed my hair, and started to drag me away. I struggled, shaking off his hand. To save my life, I abandoned my dignity, half-crawling towards Brandon. “Please, don’t let me go with him.” “I saved you then. If you help me this once, we can call it even, okay?”
Sienna kicked me away, “You’re disgusting, Aurora!” “Stay away from Brandon. Your fishy smell is making me sick.” Brandon stepped on my shoulder, “Aurora, you can’t even beg properly, can you?” His friends chimed in, eager to provoke. “Brandon, they say mermaid tears are priceless. Is Aurora going to cry tonight or not?” “She doesn’t seem that upset. Maybe you’re holding back too much, Brandon.” “Yeah, Brandon, you’re not getting all soft and gentle, are you? Your methods are way too mild this time.” Brandon, being short-tempered, couldn’t stand such provocation. He leaned down, grabbed my jaw, and slammed my head against the side of the tank. “Aurora, you said you loved me most, didn’t you? Now shed a few mermaid tears for me. Let me see just how much you love me!” “Cry!” Blood stained the glass. Brandon, like a madman, continued to brutalize me. His eyes were completely red. I desperately bit my lip, suppressing the pain. Everyone around fell silent. Marcus stepped forward, stopping Brandon. “I already paid a high price for this fish. What if you break her?” Brandon waved him off, panting furiously, “Who the hell do you think you are?!” Marcus sneered, “I’m your father, Brandon. Don’t forget your true identity.” Brandon’s face turned ashen at his words, and much of his rage subsided. He looked at my blood-stained face with disgust, meticulously checking if any mermaid tears had fallen. The answer, predictably, was none. Mermaids have a high pain tolerance. Even with immense physical and psychological torment, I hadn’t shed a single tear. “You’ve got guts, Aurora! I want to see how tough you really are!” Brandon pulled out his phone and made a call. Moments later, he dragged me by my hair to a monitor. My heart sank instantly. It showed the sea where the merfolk lived. Brandon sneered. “What if I capture all your family and bring them before you? Would you cry then?” On the monitor, several large ships surrounded the merfolk’s waters. I trembled all over, grabbing Brandon’s clothes, pleading. “Please, whatever you want, do it to me.” “Brandon, please, let my family go, okay?” Brandon pushed my hand away. He was about to say something, but then he looked down and froze. Several luminous pearls lay gleaming before me. A collective gasp swept through the crowd. “My god… Those are the legendary mermaid tears! How much are they worth?” “Just one would make a man rich for life!” Marcus quickly walked over and picked up a few. The crowd immediately swarmed forward. Brandon grabbed me, “Aurora, are you really so concerned about your pathetic life?” “You’re so selfish. I should have choked you to death the moment you came ashore!” I looked at him in despair, my eyes devoid of any emotion. This man had rotted to the core in my eyes. Sienna came over, linking her arm through Brandon’s, “Since we’re on a cruise, just throw her overboard.” “We’ve already gotten everything we wanted.” Brandon’s eyes glinted with cold fury, “Aurora, even if I got the mermaid tears, I won’t let you go.” Brandon shoved the monitor before me. The sea had churned into a bloody stain. My voice died in my throat. In chasing a fairytale, I might have sacrificed my own family. He dragged me across the deck, pinning me against the railing as the bitter wind clawed at my skin. My breath came in shallow gasps, my gaze burning with pure hatred. “My only regret is saving you that day,” I whispered. “It should have been you who died.” His pupils sharpened to points. Just then, the ocean surged. Through the spray, a tall, familiar figure walked across the raging waves and reached for me. “Aurora, I’ve come for you.” Tendrils of dark vine erupted from the water, coiling around the cruise ship with a crushing grip. In a heartbeat, the sea turned ink-black. Through the rising mist, hundreds of mermaid tails broke the surface. Pale faces emerged, their eyes fixed hungrily on the ship’s passengers. Sienna screamed, “Brandon, what’s happening?” But Brandon acted as though he hadn’t heard. His gaze remained locked on me, cold and accusing.
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