All Chapters of Bound to the Devil I know: Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

The chandeliers were applause; Aiden was the storm, and my life folded like napkin linen under his hands.I stood beneath the crystal cascade, every facet throwing light across my custom champagne gown like a thousand tiny cameras. The ring on my finger caught fire with each movement... a three carat promise that weighed more than I'd ever imagined. Around me, silk brushed against tuxedo wool. Laughter bubbled through the air like the Dom Pérignon being poured into coupes that cost more than my first car."You look like you might faint," my best friend Mara whispered, squeezing my elbow. Her perfume... jasmine and something expensive... wrapped around us both."I'm just...""Happy. Say you're happy." She grinned, but her eyes searched for mine.My mother appeared at my other side, her fingers cool as she smoothed the cuff of my sleeve. "Stand straight, darling. The photographer from Vogue is here."I straightened. Smiled. Let the moment wash over me like warm water.This was it. This

I left.Straight home. Didn't tell anyone. Not even him. The door closed behind me and I went straight to my bed, bypassing the kitchen, the light switch, everything. My body sank into the mattress.But my eyes...they stayed open.Staring at the ceiling. Waiting for sleep that wouldn't come.How could I? Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Seraphina's smile. That whisper. “You were never the only one I planned for.”By sunrise, my phone had exploded.Literally. The battery died from the constant notifications. I plugged it in and watched it come back to life like a monster resurrecting. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Messages flooding in faster than I could breathe.The first headline hit me like a brick.“Tech Mogul Aiden Cross Ditches Fiancée For Heiress At Own Engagement Party.”Below it, a photo. Aiden carrying Seraphina. Her head on his shoulder. His face twisted with concern. And me... tiny in the background, blurred, forgettable.I scrolled.#EngagementFail trending worldwide.Various source

The next day, I was ready. The words kept looping in my head like a prayer.I must destroy Seraphina. No one messes with me and walks away.I showered, dressed, and headed out. The morning air felt different. Sharper. Like the world knew something was about to shift.That's when I saw it. A sleek storefront halfway down the block. The sign read "Vivienne Beauty Hub" in elegant gold letters.I stopped. Stared at my reflection in the glass. If I was going to do this, I needed to look the part.I pushed the door open. The bell chimed.A woman glanced up from behind the counter, her eyes sweeping over me once. She smiled, slow and knowing."Looking for a transformation?"I met her gaze. "Something like that.” The stylist's name was Vivienne and she looked at me like I was a project.Not a person. A project."We need to change everything," she said, circling me in her studio. "The hair. The posture. The way you hold your shoulders like you're apologizing for taking up space.""I don't..."