The Devil Who Claimed Me

Chapter 18: Betrayed by a close ally

Dominic’s fist hovered in mid-air, still trembling. Only then did he notice the man’s lifeless form, his face disfigured.

He stepped back and dropped into the chair, breathing hard.

Lucas signaled the men to take the body away.

When the room was cleaned, Lucas handed Dominic a glass of water. "Marco is stronger now," he said cautiously. "We should reconsider attacking."

"No." Dominic stared ahead, eyes burning. "I won’t hide anymore. We’ll carry out the plan on time."

Lucas held his gaze for a moment, then nodded.

Later that day...

When Dominic slipped into the apartment, it was getting dark. Thankfully, Mila had not returned yet.

He strode straight to his room and headed to the sink, turning on the tap. Cold water ran over his hands as he scrubbed his blood-stained knuckles. He changed his clothes, washing and wiping until no stain remained. Then he stepped to the balcony and lit up a cigarette.

His mind replayed everything he had learned. It was shocking for him that Marco, Alejandro’s most trusted man and a close ally, had actually planned his assassination.

His jaw tightened as he sucked the smoke harder. Memory of his childhood surfaced.

As an orphan, Dominic had struggled every day – for food, for shelter, for safety. He had stayed hungry for days and learned early that survival meant strength. There had been nights he thought he would die.

Then Alejandro appeared. He had taken him in, fed him, and given him a place which he could call home. He had trained him, taught him discipline, and prepared him to be ruthless if necessary.

One evening, Alejandro had casually mentioned he would name Dominic his successor.

At the time, Dominic had been shocked. He had asked him why he chose him when he had Marco, his nephew.

’Marco is impulsive, too impatient. He lacks the temperament to rule.’ That was Alejandro’s opinion.

Dominic had not questioned him again. He had accepted the responsibility, believing it was his duty to honor the man who had saved him.

But now, he regretted it.

If he had known that the decision would cost Alejandro his life, he would have refused. He would have handed the throne to Marco without hesitation and served him for the rest of his life.

His hand slightly trembled as he drew the smoke again.

Movement near the gate caught his attention. He narrowed his eyes to understand what was happening there. He noticed a man blocking Mila’s path.

His expression turned lethal when he recognized that man.

"Ethan again?" he muttered in an icy tone.

He tossed the cigarette down, crushed it under his shoe, and stormed out.

Outside, Mila was about to enter the gate when Ethan rushed over and blocked her way.

"You?" Mila stepped back instinctively.

Ethan looked haggard, unstable. The smell of alcohol was suffocating.

Mila hardened her face. "Get out of my way."

"I won’t until you listen to me." He stood firmly before her, determined to convince her to come back to him.

"Why don’t you love me anymore?" he demanded, grabbing her shoulders. "How could you end things with me so casually? Was it a game for you?"

Mila’s patience snapped. "Did you ever think about my feelings? You played with me. You made me look like a fool."

Fury shook her voice. "I heard everything that night."

Ethan’s face paled. ’What did she hear?’ he wondered. ’Was she there at the party?’

This time, Mila didn’t hide anything. "I rushed to the club to surprise you that night. I bought a ring for you and planned to propose to you. I was ready to marry you."

A stunned silence enveloped Ethan. He realized he had messed up badly. He had never known that the fun of that night would push her away from him.

"But I discovered your betrayal," she went on with a cold sneer. "You never loved me. It was always Bianca in your heart. So I stepped away, gave you the freedom to be with her. Shouldn’t you be happy?"

He shook his head. "No, no. That’s not true. I said those things to impress Bianca, to look cool in front of my friends. But it’s not real. I never loved her. It’s only you in my heart."

Mila stared at him with disgust. "To impress her? Stop lying already. I’m not blind. I see things clearly. You don’t love me. You were with me only for my shares. You were planning to make me transfer the shares to Bianca."

"You misunderstood things." He grabbed her hands. "It’s Bianca who wanted your shares. She asked me to help her get them. I agreed only to make her believe me so I could have some fun with her. But in reality, I never loved her. I never meant to force you to transfer those shares. Please believe me. It’s only you I ever wanted to marry."

"You are hopeless," Mila grumbled. His explanation only intensified her revulsion. "You said you loved me, yet you wanted Bianca as well. How disgusting. I am glad that I’ve found out your true nature before it’s too late."

She tried to walk past him. "There is no dealing with you anymore."

"Stop." He grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me." She shoved him.

He lost his temper. "You can’t ignore me," he growled and pushed her against the boundary wall.

Mila gasped, terrified. "What are you doing?"

"I am reminding you who you belong to," he hissed, leaning closer. "You are mine and can only be mine."

He forced his lips onto hers.

Mila’s whole body recoiled in disgust. She struggled, pushing against him. But his strength overpowered her.

He coiled his fingers around her throat as he kissed her even harder.

Mila’s mind went blank. She desperately wanted to break free, call for help, but she was trapped, helpless. Just as fear was about to consume her, a sudden force yanked him away.

Ethan was thrown violently aside.

When Mila came to her senses, she saw Ethan sprawled on the ground. She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. She looked up to see Dominic.

He stood there, eyes dark, cold, and dangerous.