All Chapters of The Devil's Contractual Bride : Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter one

Evelyn’s POV. “You’ve finally been useful,” Clarissa said, as she stood at my ward door, champagne in hand like a scepter. Behind her, Father and stepmother followed. The room went cold.I had been in the hospital for the past twenty-six hours, and none of them had shown up.I had driven myself to the hospital despite being in labor, and now they were walking in, acting like everything was fine.I knew they never liked me, but not to this extent. I held my baby closer, ignoring the sting of the IV. “Evelyn, you’ve performed a great service,” my step mum said. A service? I was the one who had just given birth but it seems like my whole family was going crazy. “What service?”Before my step mum could answer, Clarissa burst into laughter. I swallowed hard.“The surrogacy contract, silly. For me and Vincent.” She pouted, her voice laced with mockery. I chuckled as I looked at my father, who wouldn’t look back. I looked at Clarissa, at her perfect smile.“You’ve always wanted Vincen

Chapter 2

Evelyn's POV.My eyes shot to Vincent. My breath stopped in my throat. This was the moment he would step forward. He would shake his head, take my hand, and tell them to stop this crazy joke. I searched his face, waiting for the kindness I knew. The kindness that had brought me ice chips and told me I was brave.He wasn’t looking at me. He was looking at Clarissa. And then, as if he felt my stare, his eyes slid over to mine.There was no kindness. No apology. No secret signal.The corner of his mouth lifted. Just a little. A small, cold tilt of victory. It wasn’t a full smile. It was worse. It was the quiet look of a man who has won a bet he never told you about.The air left my lungs like I’d been kicked. The world didn’t go black. It shattered into a million pieces. Every memory, the first flutter I’d called a bubble, the late-night cravings for peach yogurt, Vincent’s hand on my growing belly, the dreams I’d whispered to the dark ceiling of a nursery I’d painted myself, every

Chapter 3

Evelyn's POV.Six months later.The past six months didn’t change me. They remade me. I learned a different kind of power. I became a financial manager all thanks to Vincent’ insulting five dollars. The pain doesn’t vanish, sometimes it strikes without warning. I let my bag fall on the couch. It landed with a heavy thud, but Lina didn’t look up, her eyes locked on her phone screen.“You’re going to strain your eyes,” I said, my voice tight. “Put that thing down.”Finally, she glanced up, but her expression was relief, not annoyed. “Evie. Come here. Now.”She reached out, her fingers wrapping around my wrist, and pulled me down beside her before I could resist.“Look,” she said, her voice a mixture of urgency and triumph. She pushed her tablet into my hands, her own finger jabbing at the screen. “Just look.”My eyes darted to her tablet, it was a grainy, long-lens photo of a man emerging from a black car. Even in pixels, he commanded the space around him. He was tall,broad-shoulder

Chapter 4

Evelyn's POV. I tripped over absolutely nothing, my clutch flying from my hand and skittering across the floor to land, with a pathetic thud, against the toe of his shoe.So much for the grand entrance? Fuck it. He looked down at the sequined bag, then slowly, his gaze traveled up to me. Those smoky eyes didn’t look intrigued. They looked mildly, infuriatingly amused.“You lost something,” he said. His voice was lower than the music, a rumble I felt in my teeth.“Planning to keep it?” I blurted out, cringing internally. Evelyn what's wrong with you. One dark eyebrow lifted. He nudged the bag with his foot. I scurried forward, scooping it up, my face burning. “I heard the drinks here are overpriced and watered down,” I said, gesturing vaguely to his glass. “Is that true?” Trying to hold a conversation.He stared at me. “You crashed into a venue to critique the bar stock?”“I’m a critic at heart.” My smile felt glued on. “Of many things.”“How exhausting for you.”Okay. He was a

Chapter 5

Evelyn's POV.When I got home, Lina was curled on the couch, glasses on, a textbook open in her lap. I dropped my keys on the console and stood there for a second too long, my shoulders aching like I’d been carrying the night with me.“You’re home early,” she said, then took a closer look. “Oh, no. What happened? Did the dress malfunction?”“Worse.” I kicked off my heels, the relief in my feet a small, pathetic comfort. “I proposed to Lucien to be my fake husband.”Lina jumped up and hugged me. “You did it!” she exclaimed, then paused, her hands still on my shoulders as she stared, unblinking. “What’s wrong?”I spilled it all. “He gave me a chance!” I insisted, pacing the worn rug. “The Vanguard Charity Gala. If I can get an invite and get through it flawlessly, he’ll consider it.”Her expression cycled from horror to disbelief to a sort of awe.Lina snorted. “The Vanguard? Evelyn, that’s for philanthropists and old-money heirs. People who own yachts named after their grandmothers.

Chapter Six

Evelyn's POV I tried to slip away quietly, hoping they wouldn’t spot me. But walking off wasn’t easy. The moment I saw them together, old memories crashed over me like a wave.There they stood, Clarissa and Vincent, wrapped in each other’s arms, flashing perfect smiles for the camera. My stomach twisted. My fists clenched so tight that my nails bit into my palms, sharp pain shot through my hand but I didn't let go. My heart slammed against my ribs, loud and furious, like it wanted to burst out.I wanted to storm over there and smash my fist into their faces.I had been unsure about Lucien before. Not anymore. Now I was certain.The world doesn’t favor the weak. If I want to bring Clarissa and Vincent to their knees, I need power, and I need it badly.I turned away, sipping my drink slowly as I moved through the crowd. I found a quiet spot with a clear view of Lucien. He sat there, completely focused on the performers, looking flawless. His hair was perfectly styled, his posture strai

Chapter Seven

Lucien’s POV "Lay one finger on my fiancée, and you're a dead man." My voice cut through the room like a blade. Every head snapped in my direction. The security guards froze, their faces draining of color before they hurriedly let go of her."We're sorry, sir," they stammered, lowering their heads."It's not me you should be apologizing to." My gaze shifted to her. "Apologize to my lady." A wave of gasps swept through the boutique. Whispers erupted from every corner. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the change in her expression. Her eyes sparkled, as though my words had lit something inside her.For reasons I couldn't explain, that look stirred something deep within me. I clenched my jaw and tore my gaze away."Oh, baby..." My head whipped back toward her.Baby? My brows knitted together. That was the last thing I wanted her calling me. One act of kindness didn't mean I'd accepted her ridiculous proposal.I shot her a warning look, but she ignored it completely. Instead, she tur

Walking into the lion’s den

Evelyn’s POV “If our paths cross again... I'll make you regret it.” Lucien's words haunted me. A week had passed, yet they still echoed in my mind. Just like he promised, he returned the gold bangles. After that, there was nothing. No calls. No messages. No second chance.Every day since then, I'd replayed everything in my head, picking apart every decision, every mistake. If only I had done things differently..."Evie!" Linda's voice ripped through my thoughts. Before I could react, she shoved me backward. A splash of cold water hit the counter, followed by a loud hiss. I blinked.The pot holder beside the Bunsen burner had caught fire. My eyes shifted to the frying pan. The sausages were black. Burnt."Oh my God..." My voice cracked. "I'm so sorry. I... I wasn't paying attention." My hands trembled so badly I could barely breathe. Then the tears came. "I ruin everything." My knees gave out, and I sank onto the floor. "I can't do anything right." Linda immediately crouched beside me

A seat at the table

Evelyn’,s POV "Leave us." Lucien's voice cut through the room like ice. The receptionist froze, then quickly nodded.My stomach dropped. The look in his eyes made it painfully clear that his anger wasn't directed at her alone. "One more thing," he said before she reached the door. She turned immediately. "From now on, no one enters my office without my permission." His jaw tightened. "Do that again, and you'll be looking for another job." The color drained from her face. "I... I'm sorry, sir." She lowered her head, shot me a bewildered glance, and hurried out, the door clicking shut behind her. Silence settled over the office. Heat crept up my neck, and I fixed my gaze on the polished floor. I wished it would crack open and swallow me whole. A lump formed in my throat. No. I blinked hard, refusing to let the tears escape. If I cried now, he'd think he'd already won. I couldn't afford that, not if I wanted him to believe I deserved this job. Without another word

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