CHAPTER 2:THE DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

CHAPTER 2:

Selene's heart pounded in her chest as she held the counter firmly, she stared at the man standing before her.

He wasn’t just back,he was standing right in front of her, looking like a king returning to his throne.

The years had changed him. He was now looking sharper and harder. The warmth she once knew in his eyes was long gone, replaced by something cold and lethal.

"Damien…" Her voice cracked. "What are you doing here?"

He took a slow step forward, his gaze digging into hers.

"You disappeared, Selene. Without a word and without a trace. But look at you now." He glanced around the small, run-down diner before his eyes settled back on her. "Is this what you left me for?"

Selene clenched her jaw. "I didn’t leave you for this."

Damien hummed, amusement gleaming in his expression.

"No, you ran because you were guilty." He placed his hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed but daring. "And now, it seems like karma has done its job. Tell me, Selene… how does it feel to lose everything?"

She heaved in a sharp breath, refusing to let his words break her. He didn’t know the full truth. He only knew what he wanted to believe.

"What do you want, Damien?" she asked, forcing herself to stand firm.

His smirk widened, but there was no humor in it. "I came to make you an offer."

She narrowed her eyes. "What kind of offer?"

"A deal," he said smoothly. "One that benefits both of us."

Selene frowned. Every instinct in her screamed to run. This wasn’t a man who made deals,this was a man who set traps.

"I'm not interested." She grabbed a cloth and started wiping the counter, pretending to be unbothered.

Damien let out a low chuckle. "I haven’t even told you the terms yet."

Selene stopped abruptly. She knew Damien. He Knew he wouldn’t be here unless he was certain she had no way out.

Her fingers tightened around the cloth. "What do you want?"

Damien leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

"Marry me."

Selene's breath hitched. "What?"

"You heard me." His tone was calm, controlled—like a man completely in charge.

"Marry me, Selene."

She blinked, looking convinced that she had misheard.

"You want me to marry you?" She let out a small, humorless laugh. "Are you insane?"

Damien didn’t react. He simply reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded document. He placed it on the counter and slid it toward her.

Selene hesitated before unfolding the paper.

Her blood ran cold, her eyes widen. It was a legal document. A contract. And her name was already printed on it.

"This is… "

"A marriage contract," Damien finished for her. "It outlines everything I expect from you as my wife."

Selene stared at the paper in disbelief. "You can’t be serious."

Damien tilted his head. "Oh, I’m very serious, sweetheart."

She tore up the paper and throw it back at him. "No."

His smirk didn’t change. "I thought you’d say that." He pulled another paper from his coat and placed it in front of her.

Selene’s heart stopped, it was like everything stopped evolving around her.

It was a debt notice. A detailed list of every financial problem she had.

The overdue loans, the lawsuits, the hospital bills.

Her hands shook as she flipped through the pages. "How did you…?"

"Money buys information, Selene," Damien said lazily. "It wasn’t hard to find out that you’re drowning in debt. That your landlord is threatening to evict you. And you’re one step away from losing everything."

Selene’s breath came out shakily. "You wouldn’t…"

"Oh, but I would." Damien’s voice turned venomously. "I could make one phone call and ensure that every single loan shark and every single creditor, comes knocking at your door by morning. You’d be on the streets within hours."

Selene’s grip on the paper tightened. He had cupped her into a corner.

Her entire life was hanging by a thread, and he was holding the scissors. Ready to cut it off anytime he can.

She should say no. She should tell him to go to hell.But she couldn’t.

Damien leaned in slightly, his voice low and daring.

"So, what will it be, Selene? Marry me… or watch your life be destroyed?"

She forced herself to meet his gaze.

"Why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why are you doing this?"

Damien’s smirk didn’t change. "Because I can."

Her stomach churned. She wanted to believe there was some other reason. But there was nothing. His eyes were cold, calculated, filled with a satisfaction that sent shivers down her spine.

"You hate me that much?" she whispered.

Damien exhaled sharply, amusement in his eyes. "Hate doesn’t even begin to cover it, sweetheart."

Selene swallowed hard. Every instinct in her screamed to fight back, to resist, but… what choice did she have?

If she said no, she would lose everything.

If she said yes, she would be selling herself to the devil.And now She felt trapped.

Damien must have sensed her hesitation because he leaned closer, his voice turning softer, more mocking.

"Come on, Selene. It’s not like you’re a stranger to deception. You played the perfect role once before. Surely, you can do it again?"

Her nails dig into her palms. He believed she betrayed him.

She should tell him the truth. Tell him what really happened that night.

But she knew he will not even listen?

She took a slow, shaking breath. "If I agree… for how long?"

Damien’s smirk widened. "One year."

Selene’s heart pounded. One year. Which means Twelve months trapped in a marriage with him.

"And after that?" she asked.

"You walk away with enough money to erase every single one of your problems," he said smoothly. "You will be Debt-free,No lawsuits,A clean chick."

The offer was tempting,Too tempting for Selene to disagree,But the thought of being tied to Damien, controlled by him and living under his rules for an entire year.

"I can’t." She shook her head.

Damien sighed and reached for his phone. "Then I suppose I should make some calls. Your landlord will be thrilled to hear you’re available for eviction."

"Wait!" she blurted out, her chest tightening.

Damien arched a brow. "Yes?"

Selene squeezed her eyes shut, everything in her scream in protest.

She looked up at him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Fine. I’ll do it."

Damien’s smirk turned victorious."Good girl."

Later that night,Selene sat in her tiny apartment, her hands gripping the edges of the marriage contract Damien had left with her.

“Marry Damien.” She thought.

Even in her wildest nightmares, she had never imagined being in this situation.

"You’re shaking."

Selene turned to see Natasha, her best friend, standing by the door with a worried expression.

Selene forced a weak smile. "It’s nothing."

Natasha narrowed her eyes and snatched the contract from Selene’s hands. As she scanned the words, her expression shifted from confusion to horror.

"What the hell is this?" Natasha screamed.

Selene swallowed. "It’s… complicated."

Natasha slammed the papers on the table.

"Complicated? You’re telling me Damien Lancaster, your ex,the man who hates you just walked back into your life and proposed a marriage contract?"

Selene flinched. "It’s not like that."

Natasha scoffed. "Then what is it like? Because this reads like a damn hostage agreement."

Selene bit her lip, her hands tightening in her lap. She couldn’t tell Natasha everything,not yet.

"He has something on me," she admitted. "If I don’t do this, I lose everything."

Natasha’s expression darkened. "Then we’ll find another way. There has to be another way, Selene."

"There isn’t," Selene whispered.

Natasha clenched her jaw, frustration gleamed in her eyes. "So, you’re just going to walk into his house and let him control you for a whole year?"

Selene’s stomach churned. "I don’t have a choice."

Natasha stared at her for a long moment before letting out a sharp breath. "Fine. Then I’m coming with you."

Selene’s eyes widened. "What?"

"If you think I’m letting you go alone, you’re out of your mind," Natasha snapped. "Who knows what that man is planning? I’ll follow you, yuuno. Just in case."

Selene opened her mouth to argue, but no words came out.Because deep down, she was terrified.

A part of her knew Natasha was right.

So when the time came to leave, and she stepped out into the dark streets of New York, she wasn’t surprised to feel Natasha following close behind.