The Devil's obsession with the Heiress

Hidden deep within a dark cave, Mord stood before a shadowy, fluid silhouette of black water. Head bowed, he listened intently to his master’s harsh directives.

"Leave the redhead alone. She is no longer of any concern. From this moment on, your sole focus must be... eliminating that woman."

Mord raised his head, genuine shock in his eyes. But, Master... she is under his protection. It will be impossible for any demon to get close to her, let alone the spirits under our command."

"How predictable. Your mind has turned to rot, Mord, softened by all the time you have spent cowering in darkness and indulging your lusts," his master spat with cold contempt.

Mord could sense the agitation in his master’s tone, a sharp edge he had not heard in a long time. He couldn’t help but wonder what had changed to make his master so impatient.

"I have a plan that will eliminate both him and his precious wife in a single strike," his master sneered. "It’s time to play the wild card we have been waiting to use. I assume all preparations are ready?"

"Y-Yes... it’s just that a little testing still needs to be-"

"I don’t want to hear any more of your failures, Mord! You have been given more than enough time to work on it. It’s time you show me the results of the power I bestowed upon you!" his master barked, sending violent ripples across the dark water in his anger.

Mord shrank back in fear. "Y-Yes, Master. I will do as you command."

"One more thing..." his master added. "Someone will be arriving with a delivery. You must keep it safe until the time comes to execute our plan. Should you lose it, I will have your head, Mord. It is extremely precious, so guard it with your life. Understood?"

"Yes, Master," Mord answered, swallowing hard.

.....

Meanwhile, inside Ross Mansion...

On the evening after the full moon, Nina stirred a cube of sugar into a teacup before setting it down in front of her husband.

Alec picked it up. "Thank you, my dear." He took a quiet sip, his eyes fixing on the tight line of her brow. "Still no response from Jade?"

"What do you think?" Nina replied with a frustrated sigh. "She left that night without so much as a word to the Vanderbilts. It has been two nights, and she still refuses to answer any of my calls or messages. I spoke to Portia, and even Aliana hasn’t been answering her phone."

She crossed her arms, looking at him intently. "Alec, doesn’t it bother you at all? What if she leaks something about us? Reporters are practically begging for dirt on any prominent family tied to that island disaster. If a single rumour gets out, the public will destroy us."

Alec remained unbothered, taking another calm sip of his tea. "I wouldn’t waste my energy worrying, my dear."

"Why shouldn’t I?" Nina snapped softly. "She completely blew off Andrew when I explicitly told her to keep him close! I’m terrified her reckless behaviour is going to get her into trouble and ruin our reputation."

"Maybe that’s the real problem," Alec said smoothly.

"What do you mean?" Nina asked.

"She acts as if her recklessness comes without consequences. We gave her the freedom to live however she pleased, and she’s had a comfortable life because of it. But now, I think it’s time we clip her wings." Alec’s eyes darkened as he recalled the sheer disrespect Jade had shown them in the ritual room at the Vanderbilt estate.

"Alec, she is our daughter. Don’t lose sight of that," Nina warned, her forehead creasing with worry as she recognised the sudden coldness in his eyes.

She knew that look.

It was the look he wore right before he destroyed someone who had crossed him, and she refused to let him direct that wrath toward Jade.

"She is our daughter, which is exactly why she needs to be brought into line." His sharp gaze locked onto hers. "I’m calling Owen back. He’s the only one who can put his sister in her place when she gets this headstrong."

"Owen?" Nina’s face brightened slightly, though concern lingered in her voice. "Have you heard from him? It’s been weeks since he last called. That business dispute must be dragging on longer than expected."

"I haven’t reached him in two weeks," Alec admitted, setting his cup down. "But you know how focused he gets. He hates being interrupted when he’s closing a deal. I’ll send him a message tonight. He’ll answer."

"Good. He always knows how to handle Jade," Nina murmured, a small smile finally breaking through her stressed expression at the thought of her son’s return.

The two of them settled back into conversation, quietly hoping their willful daughter wasn’t getting herself into trouble somewhere out there.

.....

Meanwhile, at a high-end restaurant...

Dressed in a stunning off-the-shoulder black gown with a high slit, Jade followed the host toward the private balcony doors.

The man opened them with a polite bow. "This way, Miss Ross. Your guest is already seated."

"Thank you." Jade gave a brief nod and stepped outside.

Her bright green eyes widened at the scene before her.

The private balcony boasted an incredible view of the sprawling city lights below. Soft candlelight flickered over a tastefully arranged floral centrepiece, but what truly caught her attention was the man sitting at the table.

Dressed in an open-collared white shirt, a tailored white jacket, and matching trousers, he looked like a prince right out of a dark romance novel. It was dangerously deceptive, considering the wicked demon hiding behind that handsome face of his.

Cillian turned toward his companion for the evening and immediately stood up, walking over to greet her. Flashing his signature charming smile, he took her hand, and Jade’s heart skipped a beat as he lightly brushed his lips over her knuckles.

A warm flush rose to her cheeks as Cillian stood back up to meet her eyes.

Seeing his gaze linger on her face, she mentally prepared herself for whatever smooth line he was about to drop.

"Well, well, aren’t I a sight for sore eyes?"

Crack.

The moment those self-praising words left his mouth, the illusion of the charming prince shattered, replaced by his usual devious grin.

Jade snatched her hand back, glaring at him. "Seriously? Is that how you greet a lady?"

"A lady?" Cillian blinked, peeking behind her as if checking the doorway. "Where? All I see is a feral cat."

"....."

Jade stared at him in utter silence, and Cillian broke into a rich chuckle at her expression.

Rolling her eyes, Jade let out a quiet sigh. "Honestly, why do I expect anything better from a demon?"

"That’s the spirit," Cillian grinned, pulling out a chair for her. "Shall we?"

They took their seats just as the server poured their wine, served the appetisers, and quietly retreated, leaving the two of them alone to their privacy.

"So, what do you think of the place I picked?" Cillian asked as he stared at the stunning woman sitting opposite him.

Jade swirled her wine glass and replied, "When I asked you to pick a place for dinner, I definitely didn’t expect something like this."

"Really? What’s wrong with my taste?" Cillian raised a single brow, an amused twitch at the corner of his lips.

"There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just..." Jade looked out past the balcony railing, taking in the glittering city spread out below them as the sky slowly bled into night. "This looks less like a dinner spot and more like somewhere you bring a companion when you want absolute privacy."

"Well, you are my companion for the night, aren’t you?" Cillian countered smoothly.

Jade’s eyes snapped back to his, her heart did an unexpected somersault in her chest.

She quickly cleared her throat, feeling the sudden warmth in her cheeks. "T-that’s not what I meant."

She opened her mouth to fix her slip, but Cillian took over without missing a beat.

"I chose this place for three very specific reasons," he said. "First, I have an impeccable eye for aesthetics. Second, the food here is unmatched. And third..." His dark eyes locked onto hers, the playful edge softening. "It looked like my new friend could use somewhere quiet to speak freely about whatever is on her mind."

Jade’s eyes widened slightly at his words.

The defensive line in her shoulders relaxed, and a genuine smile bloomed across her face as she gave him a small nod. "How surprisingly considerate of you... friend."

"I have my moments," Cillian smirked, leaning back into his seat with a relaxed grace. "Now, how about we order some food, and then you can tell me all about your little adventure at the Vanderbilt estate?"

Jade released a soft breath, her smile lingering. "Let’s do that."

While Jade gave Cillian full insight into everything she and Aliana had gone through at their cultish family dinner, back at the Valentine residence, the devil himself was enjoying a peaceful dinner in silence with his wife.

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