A Forced Contract Marriage with the Devil novel Chapter 14

Chapter 14

As soon as we arrived back at Alessandra’s estate, the air between us remained thick with tension. The ride had been silent, his presence suffocating, his cold demeanor unwavering. Now, standing in the grand entryway of his home, I felt like an intruder in my own life, like I didn’t belong anywhere.

I barely had time to process before Alessandro’s voice cut through the silence.

“Go clean yourself up,” he ordered, shugging off his coat. “You look pathetic.

anger

I flinched at his words but didn’t argue. I was too exhausted to fight, too drained to let my take over again. Instead, I turned and made my way up the winding staircase to the room I’d been forced to call mine.

Once inside, I locked the door and exhaled shakily, leaning against the wood for support. The walls felt like they were closing in on me. My chest felt tight, my breath shallow. I needed to calm down. I needed to feel like myself again.

I dragged myself to the bathroom and turned on the faucet, splashing cold water on my face. My reflection stared back at me, hollow eyes, pale skin, dark curls disheveled from stress. I barely recognized myself.

Why can’t I just be normal?

My fingers curled around the edge of the sink as I swallowed down the lump in my throat. I hated

this. I hated what my life had become.

You belong to me now.

Alessandro’s words echoed in my head, making me grip the porcelain tighter. No. I don’t belong to

him. I never will.

A knock on the door jolted me from my thoughts.

“Get dressed and come downstairs, Alessandro’s voice carried through the door, firm and impatient.

“We have things to discuss.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing myself to stay silent. The last thing I wanted was to see him again so soon. But refusing wouldn’t do me any favors. With a slow inhale, I wiped my face, changed into something more presentable, and made my way downstairs.

The dining room was grand, the long mahogany table set perfectly with an untouched plate of food waiting at my seat. Alessandro sat at the head of the table, a glass of wine in hand, his piercing gaze lifting to meet mine as I hesitantly walked in.

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Chapter 14

“Sit.”

I did, though every fiber of my being wanted to turn around and leave. I didn’t touch the food, my appetite nonexistent despite the exhaustion weighing me down.

Alessandro watched me for a moment before speaking. “Tomorrow, we’ll begin adjusting you to your

new role.

I stiffened. “New role?”

He took a slow sip of his wine. “You got married to me, Nikolai. And that means you will uphold your responsibilities as such. No more tantrums. No more useless resistance.

My hands curled into fists under the table. “You can’t just expect me to accept this overnight.”

His lips tilted in something that wasn’t quite a smirk, but held just enough cruelty to send a shiver down my spine. “I don’t expect you to accept it, Nikolai. Fexpect you to obey.”

My stomach twisted, the weight of his words settling over me like a heavy chain. There was no point

in arguing–not tonight, not when I was already so damn tired.

So I stayed silent, staring down at my untouched food, my thoughts screaming in the silence.

I remained silent for a pretty good time but finally, I found it unbearable. I couldn’t just sit here and pretend that this was what I wanted. I needed to say something. I needed to remind him of who I

was of what I wanted for myself.

“Alessandro…” I finally spoke, my voice tentative, but firm. He didn’t turn to face me immediately, but I knew he was listening, waiting for me to finish whatever I was about to say.

“I want to go back to my studies,” I continued, pushing the words out before I could second–guess myself. “I… I want to finish what I started. I want to learn. I want something for myself again, something other than this life you’ve decided for me.”

Alessandro’s body stiffened, and slowly, he turned to face me, his eyes narrowing. His lips barely parted as he took in my words, but I could see the spark of something in his gaze. It wasn’t anger, not exactly. It was more like calculation, like he was trying to understand if I truly meant what I

said.

“Go back?” His tone was low, almost amused, as if my request were beneath him.

“Yes“, I retorted confidently.

“Okay, after earning it, His reply made me confused. For a moment, I just stared at him, wordless.

“Earn it?“, I asked with my brows furrowed.

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Chapter 14

Sit

I did, though every fiber of my being wanted to turn around and leave. I didn’t touch the food, my appetite nonexistent despite the exhaustion weighing me down.

Alessandro watched me for a moment before speaking. Tomorrow, we’ll begin adjusting you to your new role.”

1 stiffened, “New role?

He took a slow sip of his wine. “You got married to me, Nikolai. And that means you will uphold your responsibilities as such. No more tantrums. No more useless resistance.”

My hands curled into fists under the table. “You can’t just expect me to accept this overnight.”

His lips

tilted in something that wasn’t quite a smirk, but held just enough cruelty to send a shiver down my spine. “I don’t expect you to accept it, Nikolai. fexpect you to obey.”

My stomach twisted, the weight of his words settling over me like a heavy chain. There was no point in arguing–not tonight, not when I was already so damn tired.

So I stayed silent, staring down at my untouched food, my thoughts screaming in the silence.

1 remained silent for a pretty good time but finally, I found it unbearable. I couldn’t just sit here and pretend that this was what I wanted. I needed to say something. I needed to remind him of who I was of what I wanted for myself.

“Alessandro…” I finally spoke, my voice tentative, but firm. He didn’t turn to face me immediately, but I knew he was listening, waiting for me to finish whatever I was about to say.

“I want to go back to my studies,” I continued, pushing the words out before I could second–guess myself. “L… I want to finish what I started, I want to learn. I want something for myself again, something other than this life you’ve decided for me.”

Alessandro’s body stiffened, and slowly, he turned to face me, his eyes narrowing. His lips barely parted as he took in my words, but I could see the spark of something in his gaze. It wasn’t anger, not exactly. It was more like calculation, like he was trying to understand if I truly meant what I

said.

“Go back?” His tone was low, almost amused, as if my request were beneath him.

“Yes“, I retorted confidently.

“Okay, after earning It, His reply made me confused. For a moment, I just stared at him, wordless.

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