Semua Bab A CONTRACT FROM THE DEVIL: Bab 1 - Bab 10

The Glass TowerElena stood on the sidewalk across from Rossi Tower, clutching the black business card so tightly the edges bit into her palm. The skyscraper stabbed into the gray New York sky like a blade made of glass and arrogance. People in expensive coats hurried past her, heads down, voices clipped with importance. She looked down at her own clothes. Faded black jeans, a blouse ironed twice this morning, and her only decent coat still carrying that faint coffee stain on the sleeve. She might as well have been wearing a neon sign that read I do not belong here.Her chest felt tight. Claire had been quiet and pale when she left the apartment, still drained from last night’s crisis. Juliette had promised to check on her after class. Just go, Ellie. Get this over with. But every step toward the revolving doors felt like sinking deeper into something she wouldn’t be able to escape.The moment she stepped inside the lobby, the air changed. Cool. Quiet. Opulent. Marble floors so polish

The Rules of HellElena’s fingers tightened around the thick folder until the edges dug into her palms as she stormed out of the elevator and into the cold evening air outside Rossi Tower. The city noise hit her like a slap. Honking cars, rushing pedestrians, the distant wail of a siren, but none of it could drown out the roaring in her head.She didn’t go far. She couldn’t. Her legs felt too weak.She sank onto a cold metal bench a block away, heart still racing, body still burning from that charged encounter in his office. The folder lay open on her lap like a venomous snake ready to strike. With shaking hands, she forced herself to read every brutal clause properly this time.Curfew: 10 p.m. unless accompanied by the Husband.No unapproved male friends. All social interactions subject to prior approval.Must reside full-time in the Penthouse at Rossi Tower.Public affection required when the situation demands it. Hands-holding, physical closeness, kissing.Total obedience to reason

Welcome HomeThe Maybach glided through the city like a shadow, smooth and silent. Elena sat rigid in the soft leather seat, the massive diamond on her finger feeling heavier with every passing streetlight. Sandro’s thigh brushed against hers in the spacious backseat, a constant, deliberate reminder of his presence. He hadn’t spoken since they left Rossi Tower, but she could feel his eyes on her, dark, assessing, possessive.The car finally slowed and turned into an underground parking garage beneath one of the most exclusive residential towers in Manhattan. Private. Secure. Impenetrable.Sandro stepped out first, then extended his hand to her. Elena hesitated for half a second before placing her palm in his. His grip was firm, warm, and far too controlling as he helped her out. The moment she stood, he didn’t release her hand. Instead, he kept it tucked in his as they walked toward a private elevator.The doors opened with a soft chime. Inside, there were no buttons, only a sleek pa

The RulesMorning light poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, painting the penthouse in soft gold. Elena woke with a start, her body tangled in silk sheets damp from restless dreams. The ache between her thighs hadn’t faded. If anything, it had deepened. She sat up slowly, pressing her thighs together, and cursed under her breath. The memory of Sandro’s tattooed forearms and the graze of his fingers on her back refused to leave her alone.A soft knock sounded at her door.“Breakfast in twenty minutes,” a female voice called. Probably one of the discreet staff members who moved like ghosts through the penthouse. “Mr. Rossi is waiting.”Elena showered quickly, the hot water doing little to calm her nerves. She chose a simple cream-colored dress from the closet, modest but elegant, with a fitted bodice and a skirt that fell just above her knees. No underwear had been provided that felt safe enough; she went without, another small rebellion that made her feel strangely powerful.Wh

The First TestThe penthouse felt smaller with every passing hour. Elena paced the living room like a caged animal, the rulebook burning a hole in her mind. No phone. No contact with the outside world. No freedom. She had memorized the first ten rules like a good little wife, but obedience tasted like ash on her tongue.Late afternoon light slanted through the windows. Sandro had left for a meeting hours ago, leaving only the quiet staff and the ever-present security cameras. Or so she thought.She slipped into the hidden office again, heart hammering. The landline on the desk had been disconnected earlier, but she’d noticed a sleek black phone in one of the charging docks yesterday. Maybe it wasn’t monitored. Maybe she could reach Juliette, even for thirty seconds, just to say she was alive.Elena picked up the receiver with trembling fingers and dialed her best friend’s number from memory. It rang once. Twice.A low, dangerous voice spoke from the doorway.“Put it down.”She froze.