The Devil Who Claimed Me

Dominic placed the sleek new phone in Mila’s hand.

Mila’s face lit up. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Thank you... Thank you so much."

She didn’t stop expressing her joy. "Thank you for this. Now I can talk to my friends."

Mila turned the phone over in her hands, smiling like a child.

Seeing her happy, his own chest filled with warmth. He had already decided that he would no longer forbid her from anything because her happiness, her trust, was something he didn’t want to take away.

Dominic clasped her shoulders. "Yes, you can contact whoever you want to. I won’t stop you for anything."

Mila grew even more excited. "Can I... go home?" she asked suddenly.

Dominic’s expression stilled.

"I miss my friends," she continued. "And my father..." She paused, her smile fading. "He thinks I’m dead. I need to prove to him that I’m alive."

Her gaze was full of emotion. "And I have so much pending work. My mom’s last wish..."

Her fingers tightened slightly around the phone. "She wanted our company to become one of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world. She dreamed of developing medicines for critical diseases, helping people who don’t have hope."

She looked at him again. "I was already planning a research team. I even had a few names in mind."

A tinge of regret flashed in her eyes. "I wanted to build something meaningful. I don’t know when that dream will come true. But... I don’t want to delay it anymore."

Dominic rubbed her shoulders. "I’ll help you," he said.

Mila blinked, startled. "Really?"

She couldn’t believe it. "Will you allow me to go out?"

He nodded. "You can go," he said. "But with guards."

For a second, she just stared at him. Then her face broke into a wide smile. Her happiness overflowed instantly.

"Thank you." She threw her arms around him

Dominic’s arms came around her naturally, holding her close.

"I’ll deal with your father." His tone turned colder. "He hasn’t learned his lesson. This time, I won’t be lenient."

"He is still my father," she reminded him, pouting slightly.

"I don’t care," Dominic said flatly. "If he hurts you again, I won’t hesitate."

She shrugged, dismissing it. "Come with me. I made something for you."

She grabbed his arm and tugged him along.

He raised a brow. "You did what?"

"I baked a cake," she said, smiling. "I want you to taste it."

Dominic smiled, happy that she had done so much for him. But he hid his excitement.

"You shouldn’t be tiring yourself. Why go through all that?"

"I wanted to do this," she replied. "First, you were angry last night because I celebrated Remy’s birthday."

He let out a suppressed groan, rolling his eyes. Before he could protest, she spoke again.

"And second, you got me a new phone."

His lips curved. This time, he didn’t hide it.

She pulled him into the dining area and made him sit. "Wait here," she said, before hurrying into the kitchen.

Dominic sat down, his gaze following her. The smell of rich, sweet, and freshly baked cake filled the air. His mouth watered. And suddenly, he felt his stomach was empty.

A few minutes later, Mila returned, placing a plate in front of him. She looked at him expectantly, almost nervously.

Dominic picked up the fork and cut into the cake. Warm chocolate oozed gently from the center. Its texture was delicate and rich.

He took a bite.

The cake melted almost instantly on his tongue. It was moist and velvety, with a deep cocoa flavor. The warm chocolate filling lingered in his mouth.

He closed his eyes, savoring the taste. He swallowed and said, "It’s good. I like it."

She smiled, watching him eat as if his reaction meant everything.

After another bite, he paused and glanced at her. Then he cut a piece and lifted it toward her. "Eat."

She shook her head quickly. "No, it’s yours. I’ll have it later."

"I said eat," he pressed.

His tone wasn’t harsh, but it was firm enough to leave no room for argument.

She relented and opened her mouth.

He fed her.

A bit of chocolate smeared lightly on the corner of her lips.

Dominic didn’t move. His gaze lingered there.

Mila’s heart skipped as she sensed his steady gaze on her lips. "What... are you looking at?" she asked nervously.

"You." His voice turned hoarse. "You look too tempting."

His thumb lifted, brushing slowly against her lip, wiping away the smear.

Mila shuddered at his touch, a quiet spark racing through her nerves. Before she could respond, he leaned in. His lips met hers.

Mila stilled, instinctively glancing toward the door. Her first instinct was to stop him, as she feared anyone could come in and see them. But as his lips moved against hers, all her reservations vanished.

His warmth, the slow intensity of his kiss, the closeness—it pulled her in.

She gave in, kissing him back.

Just as the kiss deepened, a voice cut through the moment. "Why don’t you take this to the room?"

They pulled apart instantly.

Mila’s face flushed as she looked up to see Valentina walking in, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

"Oh! Cake." Valentina’s eyes sparkle. "You two are eating alone. Where is mine? Won’t you give me?"

The teasing glint in her eyes didn’t fade.

Mila quickly looked away, embarrassed. Without a word, she rushed to the kitchen.

She returned moments later with a large slice, placing it before Valentina.

"I... have some work," she mumbled, avoiding eye contact before hurrying away.

Valentina watched her retreat, the smile slowly fading. She turned to Dominic.

"Serene went to see Lucas today."

Dominic’s expression stilled. But he didn’t look up. He continued eating as if it didn’t matter.

Valentina continued, "She said she was leaving. Are you really sending her back?"

"She is too jealous of Mila," Dominic said. "That’s not something I’ll tolerate again. She needs to stay away from her."

"Serene isn’t someone you can dismiss so easily," Valentina warned. "What if she turns against you? Just like Marco did."

There was genuine concern in her voice. She didn’t want anyone close to them to turn against them again.

Dominic already knew Serene had switched her side. But he gave nothing away.

"I don’t leave my enemies," he said coldly. "And I don’t forgive betrayal. I’ve dealt with Lee, Jiang, and Marco. If she crosses me, I’ll deal with her too."

He set the fork down. "My hands won’t shake."

He stood and walked away without another word.

Valentina remained seated, watching his retreating figure. She painfully realized that Dominic had only one woman in his heart now, and it was Mila.

A faint smile touched her lips, tinged with something bittersweet.

"I really envied Mila. I have been with him for years. And I never had a place in his heart," she murmured. "That means he was never mine, and he can never be mine."

She realized it now. And she had accepted the truth. There was no longer any hostility toward Mila in her heart.

She started eating the cake. And she loved it.

"Wow... she is incredibly good at backing," she murmured, genuinely impressed.

"Mila is remarkable—so skilled as a doctor, yet still humble, kind, and forgiving."

Now she finally understood what had drawn Dominic to her.

"She is perfect for him."