The Devil Who Claimed Me

"Dominic," Serene called weakly.

Dominic snapped his head up and pointed his gun straight at her.

Serene’s breath hitched sharply. Her face paled. She had not expected he would point a gun at her. For a woman whom he had met only a few days ago?

"Are you going to shoot me?" Tears burned her eyes. But the ache in her chest hurt far more than fear.

Dominic clenched his jaw. He said nothing. He didn’t lower the gun either.

"She was trying to run away," Serene yelled desperately. "I was only punishing her."

"You—" Dominic’s voice shook with fury.

His finger twitched slightly on the trigger. For a split second, it truly seemed like he might pull it. But then his gaze flickered back to Mila.

She was battered, bleeding, and unconscious. She needed him. Right now, he had to take her to the hospital.

"I’ll deal with you later."

Shoving the gun into his pocket, he turned back to Mila. Slipping one arm under her shoulders and the other under her legs, he lifted her and walked out. He paused beside his bodyguards.

"Clean the mess here," he ordered. "And take Serene back to the mansion."

With that, he walked out.

"Dominic." Serene rushed forward, but the guards grabbed her arms and held her back.

She glared at them. "Let go of me," she barked.

But the guards didn’t listen to her.

"Madam, please cooperate. Come with us."

They tugged at her arm.

"I said I can walk myself," she hissed, wrenching her arm free.

She stormed outside just in time to see Dominic placing Mila into the car and driving away. Her fists clenched tightly.

’Why? Why is she so important to you? You didn’t even hesitate to point a gun at me.’

Resentment burned deep within her.

’Dominic, you can only be mine. I won’t let that woman take you away from me.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rain hammered down relentlessly. A man knelt on the slick, freezing asphalt, his head bowed low. His hands were tied behind his back, his body rigid with tension.

He couldn’t tell if it was the biting cold or sheer terror that made him tremble so uncontrollably.

A car pulled up nearby, its tires screeching against the wet road. The sound made him flinch.

He lifted his gaze for a brief second, only to see a tall figure stepping out. Instantly, he dropped his head again, fear tightening its grip on him.

Dominic strode toward him, a guard trailing closely behind, holding an umbrella over him.

"Boss, I’m sorry," the man stammered, his voice shaking. "Please... spare me. I swear I’ll never make such a mistake again."

Dominic’s face remained cold and unreadable, as though the man’s desperate pleas meant nothing.

"I am your boss. You were meant to follow my orders, nothing more. Yet you failed your responsibility and even obeyed someone else. Are you questioning my authority?"

The man looked up at him, eyes reddened with tears.

"No..." he said quickly, shaking his head. "I would never dare. I was just... confused. Madam Serene told me not to inform you about the incident. She said she would handle it herself and talk to you."

He swallowed hard, rainwater dripping down his face. "I couldn’t go against her."

"Your loyalty belongs to me," Dominic snapped. "I trusted you with Mila’s safety. You were responsible for protecting her. But you did nothing. You ignored her cries for help."

The man’s eyes filled with fresh tears. "I wanted to help her, but I was afraid of offending Madam Serene. She is the late King’s daughter. We all see her as a princess. I didn’t dare to go against her."

"But you dared to go against my orders," Dominic snapped, his voice turning sharp. "That alone is enough to punish you."

He drew out his gun and aimed it straight at him.

"Boss, please... have mercy," the man begged in desperation. "I know I was wrong. I regret it deeply. I’m sorry. Please don’t kill me. I’ll do anything you ask."

"Then die." Dominic unlocked the gun, his finger tightening on the trigger.

Before he could pull it, Lucas stepped in and grabbed his hand.

Dominic stiffened, turning a cold glare on him. "What the hell are you doing? Why are you stopping me?"

"Because I don’t want you to make a mistake," Lucas said firmly. "He already feels guilty for what he has done. This isn’t his fault. He was only following orders."

"He wasn’t following mine," Dominic shot back, anger flaring in his eyes.

Lucas’s voice softened. "I know you are furious. But think about this carefully. To him and to the others, Serene holds the same authority as you. They wouldn’t dare defy her. It’s not about disrespecting you. It’s about the reverence they have for her. You can’t punish them with death for that."

Dominic’s gaze flickered slightly. After a tense pause, he slowly eased his finger off the trigger.

"You’ve already killed three men," Lucas murmured, lowering his voice so only Dominic could hear. "If you kill him too, the others might start questioning you... They could turn resentful."

Noticing the shift in Dominic’s expression, Lucas gently took the gun from his hand. "Let him go."

Dominic’s gaze drifted to the man still kneeling in the pouring rain. A flash of lightning illuminated his pale, shaken face. Though the tension in Dominic’s body eased slightly, the anger within him hadn’t faded.

"Fine. I’ll spare him," Dominic said at last. "But..."

He turned to Lucas. "I need you to handle something. Lock Serene in her room. She can’t use her phone until I say otherwise. I’m heading to the hospital now."

With that, he got into the car and instructed the driver to drive.

Once the car disappeared into the rain, Lucas looked back at the man. "Untie him."

The guard beside him quickly cut the ropes binding the man’s wrists.

"Get up."

The man struggled to his feet, his knees aching from kneeling too long. He swayed slightly, trying to steady himself.

"The boss has spared you," Lucas said calmly. "You are free to go."

"Thank you... thank you, sir," the man said repeatedly, bowing over and over. Relief flooded his face.

"Don’t repeat this mistake," Lucas warned. "There is only one king, and that is Dominic. Your loyalty belongs to him alone. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the guards responded in unison.

"Then carry out his order. Lock Serene in her room. She is not to use her phone."

Lucas’s expression turned serious. "Make sure she is comfortable. Give her whatever she needs, except a phone. And she is not to step out of her room without Dominic’s permission. Is that clear?"

"Understood, sir," the guards answered together.