In The Devil’s Arms

"And now… give it to me…!" He demanded.

"Well, you see, honey, my soul may technically be yours, but according to the contract written right here, you've broken the rules." I smirked, holding back a chuckle. I wasn't about to just hand over my soul.

“Condition number one, part A and party B are not allowed to fall in love… and you, my darling… fell in love first.”

Hello, my name is Reina Haus. If you're intrigued by the deal I'd just mentioned, allow me to clarify. Yes, it was for my soul. But things didn’t go as smoothly as he'd anticipated. Allow me to take you back to where this twisted tale started. Buckle up, because this ride won't be gentle.

—-

*Bbbrr*

"Oh, for the love of… not again!" The insistent alarm rudely interrupted my heavenly sleep, summoning me to my second shift. "When will this unholy nightmare end?" I groaned.

I wasn't exactly an early bird, but neither was I the type to sleep in late. The sleep… I liked…

I juggled two jobs: a day job at an office and a nightly gig as a hostess. Yes, life had dealt me a rough hand, and I had no choice but to play it as best I could.

No one could even guess what my night job entailed, and frankly, I had no intention of broadcasting it. It wasn't a secret per se, but let's just say it wasn't a profession I was particularly proud of.

The alarm continued to blare, and I sluggishly rose from my bed, feeling half-dead, half-alive. "Perfect!" I exclaimed at my mirror reflection, a heavy dose of sarcasm was playing in my tone. "A stunning spectacle!" I added, rolling my eyes at my disheveled hair and sleep-riddled face.

"Reina! You'll be late!" My mother's voice echoed from the kitchen, a note of worry in her tone. I glanced at the clock. "Damn it!" She was right. I was running late.

I slapped on some lipstick, dabbed a bit of foundation under my eyes to hide the dark circles that looked like I was coming from some kind of apocalypse, and muttered encouraging words to myself as I prepared for the night's shift.

“You’re amazing… You will be rich soon.. Just a few more years…”

"Why can't you sleep like a normal person!" my mother scolded, her brows furrowed with concern. "That's why you're always late for this babysitting job of yours!" She shook her head, clearly disapproving once again.

Yes, I'd lied to her about my job. It wasn't exactly something a mother would be proud of. All she needed to know was that I was working hard to pay for her medical treatments.

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry," I replied, taking the pancake from her hand and stuffing it into my mouth as I rushed out the door.

After an agonizing thirty-minute train ride, I finally arrived at the place where miracles supposedly happened: "Sin Paradise," as the dubious sign read. I let out a sigh as I walked into the bar.

"Good evening, Reina," greeted Bratt, the bartender.

"Evening, Bratt," I replied, making my way to the dressing room.

"Today will be a good day. Many clients have arrived," Arisa, my colleague, informed me as she applied my makeup. The heavy makeup was a necessity here - a disguise to ensure none of our clients would recognize us in the light of day.

No, we aren't sleeping with our clients... We're just their paid companions, tasked with keeping them entertained and ensuring they leave in better moods than when they arrived.

"This job sucks…" I blurted out without thinking.

"What was that?" Arisa's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Nothing…" I quickly backtracked, feeling my cheeks flush.

I detested this job, but it was the very thing helping me pay the bills and my mother's hospital fees. My boss at my day job, Aryan, was too stingy to consider giving me a raise.

"Stupid Aryan, never gives me a chance…" I muttered to myself. It was hard to believe that someone as devilishly handsome as our CEO could be so heartless.

"Rich bastards!" I hissed under my breath as I stood up to examine myself in the mirror.

There I was, my natural blond hair concealed under a black, wavy wig. My blue eyes were now a striking brown thanks to the contact lenses, and my typically nude lips were painted a bold red, reminiscent of the devil's skin tone.

"I look… sensational…" I sighed, running my fingers over the black leather dress that hugged my body.

"Remember girls, we have special guests tonight…" Harley, the owner of the bar, announced. Her gaze shifted to me, "Reina, I'd like you specifically to attend to one of our VIPs tonight." Her teeth, white as Everest's peak, were stained by his wine-red lipstick. I was pretty sure she was oblivious to it.

"Sure thing, where is he?"

"Follow me, I'll show you," she said, offering a warm smile. I followed her.

Suddenly, I felt uneasy… My eyesight blurred, my heart pounded in my chest as hard as the ocean waves hitting the shorelines.

“What is happening to me?” I whispered.

As she pulled back the heavy black curtains and opened the imposing wooden door, my jaw dropped and I felt my soul threatening to vacate my body. *goodbye*

"What the hell..."

—-

Author’s Note:

Hello, lovely readers!

I wanted to inform you that this story will feature two different points of view. The main heroine's perspective will be written in the first person, while the rest of the story will be in the third person. I hope this doesn't confuse anyone. Thank you for taking the time to read it.