Kenji stood frozen by the door, his hands shaking a little. His mom looked at him with cold eyes, holding a folded envelope in her hand. "I sold you," she said, like it was the most normal thing in the world. Kenji wanted to ask why, but the words stuck in his throat. How could she just sell her own son?
He looked down at the floor, trying not to cry. The house felt emptier than ever, and he suddenly felt smaller — like he didn't even belong there anymore. His heart was pounding hard, but he felt numb inside.
Before he could say anything, the sound of a fancy car pulling up outside made him jump. A woman stepped out. She was tall, with sharp eyes and a cold smile. Her black coat fluttered in the wind. Kenji's stomach twisted. That woman was Elena — the mafia boss who was going to take him away.
His mom didn't wait for him to say no. She grabbed his arm and practically pushed him toward the car. "Elena will take good care of you," she said. Kenji didn't believe her. How could she say that when she never took care of him?
He climbed into the back seat, feeling like his whole world was breaking apart. The car's leather seats were cold against his skin, and outside the window, the city looked like a blur of lights.
Elena didn't say a word the whole ride. She just stared ahead, with those scary eyes that seemed to look right through him.
Kenji wanted to run. To scream. To disappear.
But he didn't.
Because nobody was coming to save him.