The Devil Who Claimed Me

Later that day...

In a bar...

Felix sat in a corner booth, knocking back one shot after another. He couldn’t forget what had happened at the hospital.

Every time Max’s smug face flashed through his mind, his blood boiled. His fingers tightened around the shot glass before he emptied it in one swallow.

Seeing the dark expression on his face, his friend frowned.

"What happened, Felix? You look miserable. Is it because of your father?"

Felix reached for another glass. "It’s not about him," he muttered through clenched teeth. "It’s about his bastard son."

"What?" His friend looked surprised. "You mean Max? I thought he was sent overseas. When did he come back?"

Felix downed another shot. "He came back and actually dared to challenge Matteo and me."

His jaw tightened. "He even acted as if he were better than us."

"The nerve of that bastard," his friend cursed.

Felix slammed the empty glass onto the table. He glanced toward the counter and flicked two fingers.

"Another round."

"Right away, sir." The waitress smiled politely.

Meanwhile, from another corner of the bar, Max quietly observed everything. He watched the waitress prepare the drinks before calmly rising from his seat.

Drink in hand, he intercepted her halfway.

The waitress looked up, momentarily captivated by the handsome stranger standing before her.

"Sir, do you need something?"

Max took another sip before speaking, "I need a small favor."

He slipped a tiny plastic pouch into her hand.

The woman looked down at the fine white powder inside. "What is this?"

"You don’t need to know." His voice remained calm. "Mix it into his drinks."

He pulled out a thick bundle of cash and slowly waved it before her eyes.

Her breathing caught. She had never seen that much money before. Without hesitation, she snatched the cash.

A greedy smile spread across her face.

"For this amount, I’d do anything." She tucked the money into her apron. "Don’t worry. It’ll be done."

She walked away as though nothing had happened.

A cruel smile slowly spread across Max’s face. He glanced toward Felix one last time before quietly leaving the bar.

He never noticed another pair of sharp eyes silently following his every move.

The moment Max stepped outside, the shadow lurking nearby pulled out his phone.

"Boss," he lowered his voice. "Max is up to something."

He quickly explained everything he had witnessed.

"He bribed the waitress. I think she just spiked Felix’s drinks."

His eyes remained fixed on the table. "She has already served them. What are your orders?"

On the other end of the call, Dominic remained perfectly composed. Not a trace of surprise crossed his face.

"Don’t interfere. Just record everything." A faint smile tugged at his lips. "We’ll use it as evidence against Max."

"Understood, Boss."

The call ended.

Dominic lowered his phone. The smile on his face deepened.

Everything was unfolding exactly as he had expected.

"Luke Bellini..." His eyes darkened. "Your own sons are beginning to destroy one another. I wonder, how long can you protect them?"

Back at the bar...

"Enjoy your drinks, sir." The waitress smiled sweetly as she placed the tray on Felix’s table.

Each glass had already been laced with the powder. "If you need anything else, just call me."

"We’ve had enough. Leave us alone." Felix’s friend dismissed her coldly.

Her smile froze. Though annoyed, she hid it well.

She simply nodded and walked away. The moment she was out of sight, she scoffed under her breath.

"As if I’d want to serve people like you." She patted the money hidden inside her pocket. "After tonight, I won’t have to. I’ll finally open my own bakery."

With a smug smile, she disappeared into the crowd.

Felix picked up one of the glasses. Just as he raised it to his lips, his friend grabbed his wrist.

"What the hell?" Felix snapped. "Give it back."

"If you keep drinking like this, you’ll end up in the hospital too." His friend frowned. "Your father’s already lying in one. Do you want to join him?"

Felix glared at him. "So now you are lecturing me too?"

"I’m your friend." His voice softened. "I won’t stand by and watch you destroy yourself over that bastard."

He looked at his watch. "It’s late. Let’s leave."

Felix remained silent for a few moments. Then he let out a long sigh.

"You are right." He pushed the untouched drink aside. "That bastard is nothing. Without our family’s support, he can’t survive."

A cold smile appeared on his face. "I won’t ruin myself. I’ll make him disappear instead."

The two men stood up and left the bar together.

Outside...

Max sat inside his parked car, watching the entrance. The moment he saw Felix walk out unharmed, his expression froze.

"What?" His brows knitted together.

He had expected to see a commotion, not this calmness.

"The drug should’ve triggered a heart attack. Why is he perfectly fine?"

His mind raced. Then the realization struck.

"He never drank it." His fingers tightened around the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. "Damn it."

His bloodshot eyes followed Felix’s car as it pulled onto the road. A twisted smile slowly spread across his face.

"You think you’ve escaped?" He started the engine. "You are wrong."

His foot slammed onto the accelerator. The engine roared. His car shot forward like a bullet.

Felix had barely driven a few hundred meters when blinding headlights exploded in front of him. A black sedan sped straight toward them.

"What the—" His mind went blank. He couldn’t react at that moment.

"Felix!" His friend screamed. "Look out."

Instinctively, his friend lunged across the center console and grabbed the steering wheel with both hands. He yanked it sharply to the left.

The tires shrieked violently against the asphalt. The car swerved across the road. For one terrifying second, it seemed as though they had escaped. Then one wheel struck the raised curb.

The vehicle lifted off the ground.

"No..." Felix shouted.

The SUV rolled violently—once, twice, and three times.

Metal screamed as the roof slammed against the pavement. Windows shattered into thousands of glittering fragments.

Airbags exploded with deafening force. The windshield burst apart.

The car continued tumbling before crashing onto its side with a thunderous impact.

Inside the wreck, Felix’s vision blurred. His ears rang violently. Warm blood trickled down the side of his face, partially blinding one eye.

His seat belt had dug deep into his chest. Every breath sent unbearable pain through his ribs.

A sharp crack echoed inside his body as he instinctively tried to move. Pain exploded through his right arm, then his left leg.

He realized, with horror, that multiple bones had broken. His shoulder felt dislocated. His chest burned with every shallow breath. He couldn’t even lift a finger.

Beside him, his friend hung motionless against the deployed airbag.

A deep wound on the side of his head stained the airbag crimson. His neck rested at an unnatural angle. His eyes stared blankly ahead.

He wasn’t breathing.

"Roberto..." Felix tried to call his name.

Only a weak rasp escaped his lips.

Fear, unlike anything he had ever known, gripped his heart. He wanted to move. He wanted to help his friend and escape. But his body refused to obey.

The pain became unbearable.

Darkness slowly swallowed his vision.

Moments later, he lost consciousness.

A short distance away, Max watched the wreckage through his windshield. A satisfied smile spread across his face.

"This is the price for humiliating me," he whispered coldly.

His smile widened. "Now... It’s Matteo’s turn."

Without another glance, he drove away before bystanders could gather.

What Max didn’t realize was that someone hidden in the darkness had recorded everything.

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