The Devil's obsession with the Heiress

[Music recommendation: Melancholy · Alexey Kosenko]

.

.

Back at Valentine Residence...

Aliana kept her arms wrapped tightly around her husband’s neck, her face buried in his shoulder and her body pressed against his long after her tears had dried. She felt deeply comforted by the way Gavriel cradled her head with one hand while his other moved in gentle, soothing strokes up and down her back.

When she had first started apologising for her reaction upon discovering his true identity, Gavriel hadn’t known how to respond. In that chaotic moment, his only focus had been stopping her tears. But as she continued to cling to him, a profound warmth bloomed in his chest. He couldn’t help but wonder how he had gotten so lucky to have her remain by his side willingly, even after learning the terrifying truth. Had he known she would forgive him so completely for keeping such a massive secret, he would have turned back time just to tell her sooner.

His heart, which had been aching ever since her initial rejection, finally felt whole.

He was overwhelmingly grateful for the endless affection she showered upon him, whether it was worrying over his well-being during the full moon, fussing over him when he skipped meals, or weeping for the agony of his past, despite knowing the bloodshed he had caused.

At the thought, his hold around her tightened, and he buried his face in her hair, whispering in a low, resonant voice, "Ana... my Ana..."

He nuzzled closer to her neck. "Don’t apologise, Ana. I should be the one apologising for hiding it from you. For not telling you that you married a fallen being like me."

That was when Aliana finally stirred and lifted her face to look at him, her eyes rimmed red.

"Don’t," she whispered, shaking her head.

She brushed her fingers tenderly against his cheek, looking directly into his eyes. "I forbid you from calling yourself those names ever again. Because... if you are fallen, then so am I."

Gavriel’s brow furrowed in protest, his lips parting to deny her, but she cut him off before he could speak.

"I am your wife, Gavriel... and you are my better half. For better or worse, we are in this together, remember? Your pain and your burdens are mine as well. If you are fallen, then so am I... if you are damned, so am I. I will share every title you give yourself."

Gavriel’s eyes widened slightly as she continued, her voice filled with conviction. "So don’t you dare berate yourself. Because when you do, you aren’t just doing it to yourself... you are doing it to us. You do it to me as well. And I will share all those names with you, just like I share your last name."

A small, tender smile finally graced Aliana’s lips as she added teasingly, "Assuming that is really your last name?"

No words in any language could ever capture the profound wave of emotion that crashed over Gavriel’s chest. For a soul that had wandered through centuries of pitch-black solitude, her words felt like a rare act of divine mercy, rewarding him for a lifetime of quiet suffering.

He had never asked for much in his long life beyond peace and solitude. Then this magnificent woman had barged into his existence, slowly breathing life back into him, filling his hollow chest with wants, desires, and, most dangerous of all, profound emotions.

Unable to form a retort, he simply captured her lips in a tender kiss before resting his forehead against hers.

"Valtherion," he whispered against her skin.

Aliana opened her eyes. "What?"

Gavriel gazed deeply into her eyes as he repeated softly, "My real name... Gavriel Rios Valtherion. The Crown Prince of the Underworld, the destined Devil."

The moment the words left his lips, goosebumps erupted across her skin. Her eyes flashed red, and a sudden vision consumed her mind. She saw him again... a man with long raven-black hair and blood-red eyes, dressed in regal black attire, stood before her with an aura exuding authority that felt strangely familiar.

"Ana?" Gavriel’s voice broke through the haze.

A ragged gasp tore from her throat as she blinked away the vision and stared at him in disbelief.

"What’s wrong?" Gavriel asked, his thumb brushing soothingly across her cheek.

Aliana breathed softly, "I saw it... you... I saw you."

Gavriel pulled back slightly to study her expression, and his brows lifted in surprise. "You saw me?"

Aliana gave a slow nod, inhaling deeply as she searched his eyes. "Tell me, Gav... you know what I am, right?"

Gavriel remained silent, and Aliana pressed on. "My powers... the visions... you know what I am. You must know, right?" Her fingers curled tightly around his collar as she pleaded, "Please tell me. I need to know. Since everything is out in the open now... I don’t want any more secrets between us. Didn’t you promise to be honest with me?"

Gavriel’s eyes softened, and at last, he gave her the answer she had been seeking. "Your soul originates from the underworld, Aliana."

Ba-dum!

Aliana’s heart slammed against her ribs, her lips parting in utter shock. "What?"

Gavriel gave her a small nod, watching as she struggled to process the revelation he had just dropped on her.

Pure disbelief shone in her eyes as she whispered, "How... how do you know that?"

"I used to wonder about your true nature myself, considering the incredible extent of your powers," Gavriel admitted softly.

"Yet physically, your body was entirely human... or at least, it was initially. Ivan and Evelyn were actually the ones who raised the possibility, having sensed the distinct aura of your magic. I chose to keep their theories to myself until I was certain, wanting to protect you from the shock while your emotions were still causing your powers to flare. But my suspicions were confirmed beyond a doubt when you read Hellborn without a second thought."

"Was I not supposed to?" Aliana asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"The entire book is written in the demonic tongue," Gavriel explained softly. "Only demons can read it, or powerful sorcerers who have cast a translation spell over the text."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!