The Devil Who Claimed Me

When Mila passed the message, Mr. Lee fell silent, his expression thoughtful. He hesitated for a moment before picking up his phone and stepping aside.

Once the call was connected, he spoke in a low voice, discussing something.

After a few moments, he returned.

"We won’t interfere in your actions," he said. "But you have one month to destroy the alliance between Marco and Victor."

Mila relayed the message.

Dominic’s lips curved slightly. "One month is enough," he said coldly. "I’ll kill Marco... and deal with every traitor. All I need is ammunition and information."

Mr. Lee agreed to provide whatever Dominic needed. "You’ll have our support."

Finally, the deal was sealed.

Dinner was served soon after, easing the tension at the table.

Once they finished eating, Mila excused herself to go to the restroom.

After the meal, Mila excused herself.

"I’ll be back," she said politely before heading toward the restroom.

Dominic watched her leave, lifting his wine glass slowly. His eyes didn’t leave her retreating figure.

’If you are planning something again, I won’t give you the chance to regret it.’

His grip tightened around the glass.

Mila came into the restroom.

A cleaner was wiping down the counters.

"The cleaning is going on," the woman said without looking up. "You can come later."

"Alright," Mila nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait."

Mila paused. Something in that voice wasn’t normal.

She turned back slowly, her brows furrowing.

The woman stepped closer.

A chill ran down Mila’s spine. Instinctively, she took a step back.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice tight with unease.

Fear gripped her as a thought emerged in her mind. ’Did Valentina send her?’

"You were in the meeting," the woman said in a hushed tone. "What happened? What did they discuss?"

Mila’s eyes widened slightly. Her mind flashed back to her conversation with Marco.

"You..." Mila’s gaze sharpened as she studied the woman from head to toe. "You are Marco’s spy."

"Shh..." the woman cut her off sharply. "Lower your voice. Tell me everything, then leave."

Mila’s eyes flicked toward the door. The guard was right outside. If he sensed anything unusual, it would all be over for her.

"They’ve finalized the deal," Mila said in a hurry. "Mr. Lee has agreed to supply Dominic with all the weapons he needs."

"That’s it?" The woman narrowed her eyes, suspicion evident.

"What else would there be?" Mila feigned confusion. "Mr. Lee deals in arms. This meeting was only about weapons."

The woman didn’t look convinced. "Did you hear anything about the syndicate?"

Mila’s heart dropped.

She had already crossed a line by saying this much. There was no way she could reveal Dominic’s real plans.

"Syndicate? What are you talking about?" Mila shook her head. "I don’t hear anything about it. Look, I told you everything I know. Please, don’t hurt my friend. She has nothing to do with this."

"Only Marco can decide what to do," the woman said coldly. "Now leave."

Mila stepped out of the restroom, her face drained of color. She realized there was no easy way out of this. No matter how much information she gave, Marco would never stop using Lara against her.

The only way to end this was for Dominic to deal with him. Only then could she truly be free.

"Mila." Jiang’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

She looked up to see him walking toward her.

"I’ve been looking for you," he said, stopping right in front of her.

Mila forced a smile, masking the unease still lingering inside her. "Do you need something?"

He nodded. "Yes. I wanted to talk to you." He took another step closer. "Dad told me everything about you—about how you saved my brother. I never got the chance to thank you properly."

Mila laughed softly. "It was nothing. As a doctor, I just did what I had to. I couldn’t ignore someone in pain."

"You helped my brother even though my father was unfair to you," he said. "This makes you different."

He reached out and took her hands in his.

Mila flinched at his touch. She instinctively wanted to pull her hands back, but he tightened his grip.

"I want to know you better. Give me a chance... to pursue you."

Mila’s heart started racing. "Mr. Jiang..."

"I want to take you out," he continued, cutting her off. "On a date."

Dominic saw the scene from the other side of the corridor. His blood boiled when he saw Jiang holding her hands. His fists clenched tightly.

"I... I can’t go out whenever I want," she said carefully. "Mr. Russo is my superior. I need his permission."

Jiang frowned slightly, clearly not agreeing. "That doesn’t make sense. You are independent, a talented doctor. No one has the right to restrict you like that. Although he is your boss, he has no right to stop you from going out."

Mila grew restless.

How could she explain? How could she tell him that this wasn’t just a job, that she was trapped in a world she didn’t belong to, that she didn’t even have the right to choose?

She couldn’t tell him she was nothing but Dominic’s personal maid.

"What are you doing here?"

The cold, deep voice cut through the air.

Mila froze.

"What are you doing here? I’ve been waiting for you."

He walked toward them with long, steady strides, his presence instantly shifting the atmosphere. The air grew heavier and colder.

"I’ve been waiting for you," he said, stopping beside her.

He reached out and gently brushed his fingers against her cheek. "Why do you look so pale? Are you not feeling well?"

Jiang’s eyes narrowed.

Dominic’s action was too intimate. It seemed as if something was going on between them.

A flicker of suspicion crossed his face.

’What kind of relationship do they have?’ he wondered.

Mila’s throat went dry. She could sense the storm beneath his eyes. This tenderness wasn’t normal.

"It’s nothing," she said quickly. "Mr. Jiang was just asking me out."

Dominic’s brow lifted slightly. "Oh?"

His gaze shifted to Jiang for a brief second, then back to her. "And what did you say?"

"What could I say? I don’t have the freedom to go out."

"Is that so?" A faint, mocking smile tugged at Dominic’s lips. "You sound disappointed."

His fingers slid from her cheek to her arm, gripping it firmly, possessively.

"You must be eager to find someone who can take you away from here."

He pulled her closer.

Mila’s breath hitched.

"Have you forgotten who you are?" His voice dropped into a dangerous whisper near her ear. "You belong to me, my personal maid."

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

The next moment, his hand moved to the back of her head, and he kissed her.

Mila stiffened instantly, shock freezing her in place. Her hands came up, pushing against his chest, but he didn’t move. Instead, his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her to his chest.

The kiss deepened—intense, claiming, leaving no room for resistance.

Jiang’s face darkened, humiliation flashing across his expression. Without another word, he turned sharply and walked away.

Mila noticed nothing. Her world had narrowed to the man holding her and the storm he carried with him. She knew this wasn’t just anger. It was something far more dangerous.

"Dominic, stop," she whispered. "Let me go."

"You have no right to stop me." He dragged her out of the restaurant, his steps stiff, eyes radiating fire.