Semua Bab Sold to the Devil: His Ruthless Vow: Bab 1 - Bab 10

The first thing I registered was the smell. It didn't smell like the hospital. It smelled of rain, expensive leather, and something sharp, like whiskey. I groaned, trying to lift my head, but a wave of nausea pinned me back against the pillows. My hand flew to my temple. There was a bandage there, neat and professional. "I wouldn't move so quickly if I were you." The voice came from the shadows—deep, velvet, and laced with a cold authority that made the fine hairs on my arms stand up. I froze. My eyes adjusted to the dim light. I wasn't in a hospital room. I was in a bedroom that was larger than my entire apartment. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the city skyline, bathed in rain and neon lights. And sitting in a wingback chair in the corner, watching me with the stillness of a predator, was a man. He was terrifyingly handsome. That was my first thought, unbidden and unwanted. He wore a charcoal suit that fit his broad shoulders perfectly, no tie, the top button of his shirt

The box on the sofa contained a weapon. It wasn't a gun or a knife. It was a dress. I lifted it out, the fabric slipping through my fingers like liquid midnight. It was black silk, floor-length, with a slit that went dangerously high up my thigh and a neckline that plunged deep. It was bold. It was aggressive. It was everything the old Vivian would never have worn. "Do you need help?" Julian’s voice came from the other side of the door. "No," I said, my voice steady. "I can manage." I shed the ruined white wedding gown. It lay in a heap on the floor, a pile of dead dreams. I stepped into the black silk. It fit like a second skin. I walked into the bathroom and fixed my face. I wiped away the smeared mascara and applied fresh makeup I found in the vanity drawer—dark red lipstick, sharp eyeliner. I pinned my hair back severely, exposing the bandage on my temple. I didn't want to hide my wound. Let them see it. Let them wonder. When I stepped back into the living room, Julian was w

When I woke up, the other side of the California King bed was cold.I ran my hand over the empty sheets. The memory of the previous night crashed into me. Julian’s phone call. She is the Key. I have her exactly where I want her.I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the air conditioning. I wasn't a guest here. I wasn't even a wife. I was a pawn.I sat up, fighting the morning nausea. I needed coffee. And then, I needed answers.I walked out into the living area. The smell of roasted espresso and expensive cologne filled the air. Julian was standing in the kitchen, fully dressed in a navy suit that looked sharp enough to draw blood. He was typing on his phone, a frown marring his perfect face.He looked up as I entered. The frown vanished, replaced by a mask of calm."Good morning, Mrs. Thorne," he said, sliding a mug across the marble counter. "Black. Two sugars. That is how you take it, correct?"I froze. "How did you know that?""I told you," he said, his eyes glinting. "I don'

I sat on the cold marble floor until my legs went numb.The photograph lay on my lap. Target: Eleanor Hayes.My mother wasn't just a victim of a random car accident. She was a target. And the man I had married, the man whose bed I had slept in, had her file in his pocket.A wave of nausea hit me, violent and sudden. I scrambled to the guest bathroom and emptied the meager contents of my stomach. I splashed cold water on my face, staring at my reflection.The fear in my eyes was being replaced by something else. Adrenaline. Survival instinct.I couldn't stay here. I had to get out. I had to take this photo to the police, or a private investigator—anyone who wasn't on Julian Thorne’s payroll.I ran back to the bedroom. I needed to hide the evidence first. If Julian found it on me, I wouldn't just be "grounded." I feared I might disappear entirely.I grabbed my ruined wedding dress from the heap on the floor. I found a small tear in the lining of the bodice. With shaking fingers, I folde

The darkness wasn't empty. It was full of them.Flash. A camera blinded me. Crash. The door slamming open. Rip. My wedding dress tearing as I fell.I was back in the study at the wedding venue. Caleb was laughing, his face twisted into a demonic mask. Chloe was screaming at me, her voice high and piercing like a drill."You're nothing!" Caleb shouted, looming over me. He raised his hand. "You're just a paycheck!"I tried to run, but my feet were stuck in thick, black tar. I looked down. It wasn't tar. It was ink. The ink from the contract. It was swallowing me whole."Help!" I screamed, but no sound came out.Caleb’s hand descended. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the blow."Vivian!"The voice didn't belong to Caleb. It was deeper. Stronger."No, please!" I sobbed, thrashing against the sheets. "Don't sell me! Please!""Vivian, wake up!"Strong hands gripped my shoulders. I gasped, my eyes flying open.I wasn't at the wedding. I was in the penthouse bedroom. The room was bathed i