Semua Bab THE DEVILS BRIDE: Bab 1 - Bab 8

Adrian’s POV I disliked surprises. They complicated business, exposed weaknesses, and gave people the foolish impression that they had control over situations they barely understood. Unfortunately, Serena Hayes was shaping up to be one of the most inconvenient surprises of my life. “She threatened to throw the envelope at you,” Marcus said from the driver’s seat. I glanced at him. “She considered it.” “She looked like she wanted to.” “That is not the same thing.” Marcus chuckled. I turned towards the window, watching the city slide past us. My father had arranged this marriage long before his death, and I had spent the last three years trying to understand why he had considered it necessary. The Hayes family had once controlled a valuable network of ports and shipping routes. When Richard Hayes died, that network fractured, and several men who had once been loyal to him began fighting over what remained. My father had believed the arrangement would restore the ba

Serena’s POV For three seconds, I couldn’t move. The darkness swallowed the hallway, leaving only the sound of my heartbeat and the distant crash of something breaking downstairs. Then Adrian grabbed my hand. “Move.” “Where are we going?” “Somewhere safer than here.” “I’d like to know what’s happening!” “And I’d like to have this conversation somewhere that doesn’t involve someone threatening to kill you. Unfortunately, we’re both disappointed.” Even in the darkness, I could hear the irritation in his voice. I followed him down a narrow passage behind the study. He moved confidently, as if he had memorised every corner of the house, which made absolutely no sense. “Have you been here before?” I whispered. “Not this part.” “Then how do you know where you’re going?” “Your father designed this house with my father. Marcus found the original plans.” Of course. Another secret involving our fathers. We reached a small room at the end of the passage. Adrian pushed me inside a

Serena’s POV I woke to the sound of someone knocking. For one terrified second, I thought I was back home. Then I remembered the black house, the silver key, and Adrian Blackwood. “Who is it?” “Breakfast,” a woman’s voice answered. I opened the door to find a middle-aged woman holding a tray. “Good morning, Miss Hayes. I’m Margaret. I manage the household.” “Good morning.” She smiled warmly and placed the tray on a small table. “Mr Blackwood asked me to make sure you had everything you needed.” I looked at the food. Toast, eggs, fruit, and a glass of orange juice. It was a simple breakfast, but something about seeing a full tray made my chest tighten. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had prepared a meal for me without expecting something in return. “Thank you,” I whispered. Margaret gave me a sympathetic look. “You’re welcome, dear.” After she left, I ate slowly, then explored the room. A wardrobe held several dresses in different sizes. On the dressing tab

Adrian's POV I noticed the bruises on Thursday. It wasn’t intentional. Serena had arrived late to class, carrying too many books and apologising to absolutely nobody. She dropped into her seat beside Luca, who immediately began complaining about the sandwich she had brought for lunch. Apparently, he considered a cheese sandwich an insult to his existence. I would have ignored them if Serena hadn’t reached across the desk for a pen. Her sleeve slipped down. For a moment, I saw the dark marks on her wrist. Then she pulled the fabric back into place. Quickly. Too quickly. I looked away before she could notice me watching. But I had already seen enough. The bruises weren’t the kind someone got from accidentally bumping into a door. I had grown up around people who knew how to hurt others and disguise the evidence. I knew what I was looking at. And I knew better than to ask questions in a crowded classroom. Still, something unpleasant settled in my chest.