The Devil Who Claimed Me

Dominic pushed open the door quietly.

Lucas lay on the bed, motionless, eyes closed. A thick bandage was wrapped around his chest, faint traces of blood seeping through.

Dominic just stood there, watching him. His heart ached. He couldn’t stop thinking that Lucas had taken his place and gotten hurt.

That bullet... was meant for him.

He walked closer slowly. "You fool..." he muttered under his breath. "How could you be this stupid? Just wake up. I still have to punish you for not listening to me."

As if hearing him, Lucas’s eyelashes fluttered. Slowly, his eyes opened.

Dominic’s breath hitched, relief flashing across his face before he could hide it. His lips curled into a smile.

"Finally," he whispered.

He pulled a chair closer and sat down, leaning forward. His hand reached out instinctively, gripping Lucas’s.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice trembling.

Lucas gave a faint smile. "I’m not dead yet," he said weakly.

Dominic let out a shaky laugh.

Lucas’s expression shifted slightly. "I’m sorry," he said. "I couldn’t finish the mission."

He gritted his teeth. "That bastard Lee... He betrayed us, killed our men, and then shot me."

Dominic’s gaze turned cold. "I know. And I’ve already dealt with it."

Lucas blinked, stunned, then a grin surfaced on his lips. He was delighted that the traitors were finally eliminated.

"Good," he murmured. "They deserved it."

There was a brief silence. Then Dominic spoke again. "Marco is dead too."

Lucas’s eyes widened with disbelief. "What?" He exclaimed, both shocked and excited. "Are you serious?"

"I killed him," Dominic said flatly.

Lucas stared at him, then let out a faint laugh. "You actually did it..." he whispered, almost in awe.

Dominic briefly told him how he tracked Marco down and how it ended. "He had been partying all night, thinking I was dead. But when he saw me in front of him, he paled."

"That bastard..." Lucas muttered.

"I won’t leave any of them alive," he said, his voice turning colder. "One by one, I’ll wipe them all out."

Lucas grinned even wider. "So the main traitor is gone. Now there is only one left—Victor."

Dominic didn’t respond immediately.

Something in his silence made Lucas’s smile fade. "What is it? Is there something disturbing you?"

"Marco wasn’t the only one," Dominic said finally. "There are more. And in the future, more will emerge."

Lucas frowned, worry clouding his face. "What do you mean?"

Dominic’s expression darkened as he revealed what Marco had told him.

"Victor and Marco aren’t the real threat. There is a force behind all of this. They are powerful and untouchable. Their identities are unknown. They control everything. With money, power, and influence, they can bend anyone. If you obey them, you live. If you don’t, you disappear."

Lucas’s brows drew together.

"Alejandro refused them," Dominic continued. "That’s why he died."

Lucas turned pensive as he reflected on his words.

"They used Marco," Dominic added, "turned him against his own king. They promised him power, and he fell for it."

Lucas silently listened to him. His mind raced, trying to grasp the scale of what Dominic was saying.

Dominic leaned forward again, gripping his hand tighter.

"I need you," he said quietly. "I can’t fight this alone."

Despite his weakened state, something fierce ignited in Lucas’s eyes.

"I’m with you," he said without hesitation. "Always. I won’t hesitate to risk myself again for you."

"I don’t want you to die for me," Dominic said. "I want you to survive and destroy them."

Lucas’s gaze hardened. "I’ll kill anyone who stands against us."

Dominic added, his expression thoughtful, "I think Serene is connected to them."

Lucas’s expression changed instantly. "What?"

"I saw her," Dominic said. "She got into a car. VIP plate. Not something she should have access to."

After a brief pause, he spoke again, "I’ve already set someone to track it."

Lucas’s jaw tightened. "I’ll handle her," he said coldly. "Once I recover, I’ll make her talk."

Dominic hesitated, concern flickering in his eyes. "Focus on healing first. We’ll deal with everything else later."

Lucas didn’t argue, but the look in his eyes said he wasn’t going to let it go.

Dominic stood up. "I’ll come back later."

"Hey, wait..." Lucas called him, making him pause. "I want to meet my savior. Bring her here."

Dominic gave a faint nod. "Alright. I’ll bring her tomorrow."

Having said that, he stepped out.

Outside, two guards stood on either side.

"Keep an eye on him," Dominic ordered. "No one gets close."

"Yes, boss," they replied in unison.

Dominic gave one last glance toward the door, then walked away.

The mansion was already blanketed in darkness when Dominic returned. He went straight to her room.

"Mila." He pushed the door open, but she wasn’t there.

A faint frown creased his brows. He came out and headed to the master bedroom, thinking she might be waiting for him there.

"Are you here?" he asked with excitement and anticipation as he stepped in.

The room was empty. His smile froze in the corners of his mouth.

He came to the hall, his eyes searching for her. He saw a maid walking toward the kitchen.

"Come here."

The maid immediately came over and bowed. "Mr. Russo, do you need something?"

"Where is Mila?" he asked.

The maid didn’t raise her head as she replied respectfully, "Madam hasn’t returned from the clinic yet, sir."

Dominic turned and walked out of the house without saying a word, his steps urgent. He couldn’t wait to find her.

He had not even entered the clinic when he heard their laughter.

Dominic froze. He hadn’t heard her laugh like that before. His heart raced with uneasiness. He moved closer, his steps slowing as he reached the entrance.

The scene he saw made his blood boil.

Mila and Remy were talking and laughing. A small cake sat between them.

Mila’s face was bright and relaxed. Watching her so happy with another man twisted his insides violently.

Dominic’s gaze was fixated on Remy. His fists clenched at his sides. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

For a brief moment, he wanted to walk in, grab him by the collar, and smash his face into the table. That urge thumps in his veins. But he didn’t move.

Back then, when he had pulled him out of that mess, he had promised him he would never let anyone raise a hand on him or bully him in his gang.

Dominic forced the rage down. He turned around and left without a word.