Betrothed to the Devil

gagement felt like wakin

early sunlight slanting through the curtains. Her phone was buzzin

erCo

ruzHe

dAndN

pered promises. No one saw the girl behind the glossy engagement photos

the phone o

ed. Her father barked instructions into his phone. And her mother...

rse sh

g them with understated pearl studs. No makeup. She wanted to

m, Mara was waiting in the hall

ey," she said,

with a quie

r. "You didn't

"I didn't think sleep

hoes tapping against marble. When they reach

r of an

n in suits-Nicolas's men, she assumed-moved with practiced precisio

a man with salt-and-pepper hai

rly his

climbed the stairs, met

ly. "I'm Mr. Rook. Mr. De Cruz has re

ed?" she

his head.

e her, but Gold stepped forw

be... disappointed. And disappoint

offee. "I'll need

ed once. "We'

de was

out the city blurring past. No one spoke. Not the driver. Not Mr. Rook. Not the

d down at

ing

n't bothere

dn't think

e the crowds, the buildings, the honking chaos of the city. The De Cruz

And beyond them, the mansion itself-a darkened cathedral

the wind catching her curls

it didn't wan

eld its o

uide her. The doors opene

od at the top o

dn't

dn't

y looked

faded-the guards, the echoing sil

st the tw

e said, "Y

chin. "You didn'

said nothing else. Instead, he turn

foll

odern, minimal. Art hung on the walls, all sharp lines and tortur

unge with floor-to-ceiling

he or

did

e asked. "You barking orders, and

our father owes me three hundred million

ayment,"

e was answ

er a slow burn in her ch

prised. "You're

aid. "Written. Signed. Ter

s is a busines

ne who treats peo

t her for a

owly, he

m. Not

ing sharpe

aft a contract. But you sh

ha

d, stepping closer, "noth

dn't f

er di

something dangerous

affe

ha

hing

recog