Surrendering To The Devil I Married

How did it all happen? It started on the day I was meant to meet my boyfriend.I hummed along to the silly love song Ethan had sent me that morning as I climbed the stairs. My feet were killing me after pulling a double shift at the café, but the ache didn’t matter. Ethan had promised he’d be waiting when I got home. For the first time in weeks, I felt light. Wanted.The house was quiet when I stepped inside, which wasn’t unusual. My step mom, Isodora and step sister, Natalia were probably out shopping again, and Father was likely still at the office. I kicked off my shoes by the door and headed straight for my bedroom, a small smile tugging at my lips. Maybe tonight we could order takeout and watch that movie he kept talking about. Normal couple stuff. The kind of normal I craved.I pushed the door open without knocking.The first thing I heard was moaning. Loud. Breathless. Familiar.My brain froze.Ethan was on my bed, hips moving between Natalia’s spread legs. Her hair spilled acr

I sat on the edge of my bed that night, staring at the wall like it might give me answers. The house was finally quiet. Father had gone to his study after dinner, Isadora and Natalia were probably out at some event, and Evelyn had finished her evening chores. My body ached from the day’s work, but it was nothing compared to the ache in my chest.The memories wouldn’t leave me alone. They kept pulling me back, forcing me to remember when things weren’t this bad. When Isadora had actually felt like a mother.I lay back against the pillows and closed my eyes. The flashback came easily, like it had been waiting just beneath the surface.I was six years old, sitting at the kitchen table with my legs swinging. Isadora stood at the counter, her dark hair tied back in a loose ponytail, humming an old song as she stirred something on the stove. The smell of chocolate chip cookies filled the air.“Rory, come taste this,” she called, waving me over with a wooden spoon.I hopped down and ran to h

The morning after Father’s ultimatum, I barely slept. I kept replaying the conversation in the study and hoping something would change, that maybe the Dravens would need weeks or months to arrange things. Time for me to breathe. Time to find another way out.But by ten o’clock, the doorbell rang.My hands shook as I smoothed down the simple dress Evelyn had helped me pick out. I stood at the top of the stairs, heart hammering, as Father opened the door.Two men stepped inside. One older, distinguished, with silver-streaked hair and sharp features. Sebastian Draven, his father I assumed. The other…Lucian.He was taller than I expected, easily over six feet, with broad shoulders, black hair, a sharp jawline, and eyes like storm clouds. He carried himself like he owned the air around him.My stomach dropped.Father greeted them smoothly. “Mr. Draven, Lucian. Thank you for coming on such short notice. Please, come in.”Isadora and Natalia appeared from the living room, suddenly all smile

My eyes felt gritty from all the crying the night before. I lay there for a long minute, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, trying to convince myself that yesterday had been some kind of nightmare. The bed, the quiet room, the echo of Lucian’s rough voice telling me to go back inside… it was all real.I dragged myself up and went to the bathroom. The girl in the mirror looked pale and hollow-eyed. I splashed water on my face, brushed my teeth with the new toothbrush Mrs. Hale had left out, and pulled on simple clothes. I wasn’t here to impress anyone, especially not the man who had dismissed me like yesterday’s trash.My stomach growled, reminding me I’d barely eaten the night before. I hesitated at the bedroom door, remembering Lucian’s cold glare in the hallway. Part of me wanted to hide in here all day. The other part, the stubborn one that had survived years with Isadora and Natalia refused to cower.I made my way downstairs. The house was even more intimidating in daylight. Mrs.

The next few days settled into a strange rhythm. Mornings were quiet unless Lucian summoned me for another set of rules or a clipped conversation over breakfast. I spent most of my time in the library or wandering the parts of the mansion I was allowed in, always half-expecting him to appear and remind me of my place. Evelyn’s secret phone stayed hidden, and I only dared one short call every couple of days when I was sure I was alone.On Thursday afternoon, Mrs. Hale knocked on my door with a large white box tied with a black ribbon.“Mr. Draven asked me to bring this up,” she said, setting it on the bed. “There’s an event tonight. A charity gala. He wants you ready by seven.”I stared at the box like it might bite me. “Tonight?”“Yes, miss.” She offered a small, sympathetic smile before leaving.I opened the lid slowly. Inside was a deep emerald green gown. There were matching heels and a small jewelry box containing delicate diamond earrings. No note. Just the dress and the expectat