The Devil Who Claimed Me

Chapter 54: Is she avoiding me?

Later that day...

Mila returned to the mansion. As she walked in, she noticed Dominic speaking with Lucas in the hall – their voices low. It seemed that they had been discussing something important.

"The client is quite important. If we cracked this deal, this war would be in our favor." Lucas’ voice still reached her ear. "But he can’t speak English. We need someone who can speak Mandarin."

Dominic saw her walking in. But the moment he lifted his gaze to her, she looked away. A faint crease formed between his brow.

She crossed the living area, heading toward the stairs without breaking her stride. She didn’t greet them, acknowledge them, or even glance at them.

Dominic’s gaze followed her every step. He expected her to pause and look at him. But she didn’t, not even once.

’Is she avoiding me?’

His fingers curled into balls on his knees unconsciously. He almost stood up and strode over to her, but Lucas’ voice stopped him.

"Currently, we don’t have anyone who knows Mandarin. We can’t hire someone randomly."

Dominic forced his focus back to the conversation, growing solemn. It was a big challenge. This deal was important, and the communication was the key to cracking it.

"What about bringing someone who knows English?"

"I have already thought about that. Their interpreter is not attending the meeting. He had an accident a few days ago – still in the hospital."

"Then how are we supposed to handle the meeting? With the language barrier like that, it’s bound to fail."

"No, it won’t."

They looked up and saw Valentina approaching.

"One of my team members is from Vietnam," she added. "He knows Mandarin. He can help us."

"Are you sure?" Lucas asked doubtfully. "This meeting is very important to us. We can’t afford mistakes. We need someone who knows the language properly."

"Don’t worry. He can handle it." Valentina was confident.

"Then bring him," Dominic said. "I want to talk to him."

"Sure." Valentina took her phone and dialed a number.

Mila paused at the top of the stairs and glanced down at them for a brief moment before heading to the room. Her expression turned thoughtful.

She knew this language pretty well and could help him. ’Why should I? What do I gain from it?

He would always treat her as an outsider, someone he controlled, someone he locked up. And in the bedroom, she was nothing but a sex toy for him.

"In his world, I am nothing more than someone he uses when he wants."

The thought was enough to sting her heart. She shrugged.

"I need to clear my mind." She went into the bathroom, prepared the bathtub, and sank into the warm water, letting her tense muscles relax.

She lost track of time. When the water turned cold, she opened her eyes, coming back to her senses. She didn’t even realize she had fallen asleep.

’How long have I been here?’ she muttered in her mind as she stepped out of the water and wrapped a towel around her.

When she came out of the bathroom, her gaze landed on the tall figure standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, his back facing her. The smell of tobacco hung heavy in the air.

Mila stood there for a moment, looking at his broad back. ’You didn’t return last night. You were busy with Valentina. Why did you come back now? Shouldn’t you be celebrating with her tonight as well for solving your problem?’

She had heard everything downstairs. Valentina had already solved his problems.

He should be satisfied, happy, even.

Her heart filled with resentment. She turned her gaze away and went into the closet. She was about to take her clothes out of the wardrobe when she heard footsteps approaching.

Her body stiffened. She turned around and saw him stepping in. She froze, her heart racing.

He didn’t stop. He walked closer and closer until there was no space between them; her back was pressed against the wardrobe.

Their eyes locked. Mila grew uneasy under his steady, cold gaze. She remembered what he had done to her last time. Was he going to do the same again?

The thought of his hands on her body sent shivers all over. She wanted to vanish instantly, but she stood there, not showing any sign of weakness.

"You didn’t greet me," he said, his tone hoarse. "Are you trying to avoid me?"

Mila swallowed. ’Yes,’ her heart answered. But her lips said otherwise.

"You were discussing something important," she said carefully. "I didn’t want to disturb you."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

Mila nodded. "Or else? What were you expecting me to do? That I’d run to you and hug you with joy?"

He frowned.

"So you could punish me for interrupting you in an important meeting," she added, her tone laced with sarcasm. "I know my place in this house. I don’t dare do anything that you will lock me in the dungeon in the name of punishment."

"Mila?"

She pushed against his chest. "Step aside. I need to change my clothes."

He took two steps back but didn’t go out of the closet. "Change it."

Mila’s eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

Dominic’s gaze roved over her. "What do you want to hide? There is nothing in your body I haven’t already seen."

Mila speechlessly stared at him, anger shimmering beneath her skin. Her fingers clenched into fists. She wished she could punch him across his face.

Swallowing her rising frustration, she turned her back to him and took her clothes out of the wardrobe. The next moment, she turned and tried to walk past him.

"Where are you going?" he asked, stepping before her.

"I’m not changing clothes in front of you," she said sternly. "Since you won’t leave, I will."

Something far deeper than anger flickered in his eyes. His hand shot out, gripping her chin.

"What is it, Mila? Are you tired of me already? Found someone else?"

The question caught her off guard. Then a fire flashed in her eyes.

It was clearly him who was playing with her. While he had feelings for Valentina, he made her his mistress, just to humiliate her, hurt her.

And now, he was trying to pin the blame on her.

"So what if I did?" she countered. "I can talk and be friends with anyone I want."

The words irked him further.

Images of earlier that day flashed in the back of his mind – her smile, her closeness with Remy, and that ease on her face.

His grip tightened.

"You think I allowed you to go out and work to watch you get close to another man," he muttered, madness and possessiveness mixed, darkening his face further.

Mila winced, but she didn’t look away from him. "I’ll be friends with whoever I want," she shot back. "You can’t control that. Don’t act as if you own me."

"Don’t I?" he growled and pushed her backward.

Her back hit against the wardrobe.

Dominic snatched the clothes from her hands and tossed them aside. Then he grabbed her wrists and pushed them above her head.

She tried to wriggle out, desperate. But he pressed her harder.

"What are you doing?" Her voice cracked in fury and helplessness.

"Tell me, Mila." He brushed his thumb over her lower lip, his voice dropping. "Is there someone in your heart?"

She turned her face away as if his touch disgusted her. "That’s none of your concern. Let me go."

Dominic pulled her close to his chest, his voice dropping even lower. "Everything about you is my concern."

There was something in his voice, something close to warning, that made her shudder in dread.

"If there is someone else in your heart, I’ll make sure there isn’t."

Mila’s breath hitched.

The next second, his lips came onto hers with crushing intensity.