บททั้งหมดของ OWNED BY THE DEVIL: บทที่ 21 - บทที่ 30

The lights didn’t dim enough to feel dramatic.That was intentional.They wanted visibility, not spectacle. They wanted me seen clearly; every expression, every hesitation. A controlled environment where embarrassment could be mistaken for truth.A server approached with champagne.I didn’t take it.Dominic noticed. He always did.The man on stage continued speaking, his tone warm, practiced.“Transparency,” he said again, “isn’t about accusation. It’s about conversation.”A few people laughed politely.Conversation was a weapon used by people who didn’t want to be accountable for the damage they caused.“We believe,” he continued, “that leadership should reflect consistency between public values and private conduct.”His gaze flicked toward us again, quick, but unmistakable.The room followed.Eyes turned. Bodies angled. Interest sharpened.I felt it like pressure against my ribs.“Breathe,” Dominic murmured.I did.“And to that end,” the man said, “we thought it fitting to invite a

The emergency session ended without resolution.That, too, was intentional.Dominic returned late, his expression controlled but sharpened by restraint. He didn’t go to his study. He didn’t call his advisors.He came to me.“You were discussed,” he said without preamble.“Am I flattered or concerned?” I asked.“Both would be appropriate.”I closed the book I’d been pretending to read. “What did they decide?”“That you’re not a liability,” he said. “Which unsettles them more than if you were.”“And you?” I asked.He paused. “I decided that you’re now a factor.”I watched his face carefully. “That sounds… operational.”“It is.”“Am I allowed to object?”“Yes.”“And if I do?”“I’ll listen,” he said. “Then I’ll explain why it changes nothing.”I smiled faintly. “At least you’re honest.”“There’s more,” he said.He handed me a tablet.On the screen was a still image from the gala, me on the stage, microphone set aside, expression calm and unreadable.Someone had circled my face in red.Bel

Dominic found me before I reached the house.The car had barely crossed the gate when his appeared, blocking the drive with deliberate precision. No sudden movements. No raised voices.Control, reasserted.I stepped out before my driver could react.Dominic was already there.“You shouldn’t have gone alone,” he said.Not Where were you?Not Why didn’t you tell me?That mattered.“I wasn’t alone,” I replied. “I was intentional.”His gaze flicked briefly to the street beyond the gate, calculating angles, exits, unseen observers.“You met him,” he said.“Yes.”Silence followed. Heavy. Measured.“How long?” he asked.“Twenty-seven minutes.”“You timed it.”“Yes.”He exhaled slowly. “You removed yourself from my protection.”“I stepped outside your control,” I corrected. “There’s a difference.”“You don’t get to decide that,” he said quietly.“I already did.”That stopped him.He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Marcus Vale is not someone you approach without preparation.”“I prepared,

The boardroom was cold.Not physically; it was maintained at an almost uncomfortable warmth, but emotionally, it was a place where caution and calculation were currency.I had followed Dominic there, ostensibly as an observer. But my presence wasn’t invisible. Every eye in the room noted it. Every whisper adjusted for it.He stood at the head of the table, a posture of authority sharpened by a week of strategic moves. I knew he expected compliance, but this time, I couldn’t give it entirely.“Dominic,” I said, quietly, but enough for only him to hear, “you can’t just handle everything behind the scenes. Not when Marcus Vale is moving.”He didn’t turn immediately. His voice, when it came, was measured. “And you think exposing yourself in the process is a better solution?”“I think inaction could cost more,” I said. “You’ve built walls, but they’re being tested. I can act faster if you let me.”He turned then, his gaze sharp, assessing. “And you think stepping out on your own will chang

It came mid-afternoon.A courier arrived with a package. Unremarkable, brown paper, tied with twine, but the contents spoke volumes.Inside was a small device. Compact, metallic, and clearly engineered for surveillance. A note accompanied it:“Your choices are visible. Use wisely.”No signature. No return address. Only a calculated message.I felt the shift immediately.“Marcus Vale,” I muttered.Dominic didn’t look up from the papers he was reviewing. He already knew.“Yes,” he said quietly. “And he’s escalating.”I held the device carefully, aware that every move was being watched. “It’s a warning,” I said. “Not an attack.”“Correct,” he said. “But the implications are real. He’s already observing us, indirectly, until now. This changes the rules.”I met his gaze. “And what do we do?”“We respond,” he said, standing. His voice was calm but edged with intensity. “And we do it together.”We left the house immediately, moving through the city with deliberate care. Guards flanked us, an