Defying The Devil

Chapter 3: Forbidden Fire

The moment Xavier Knight stepped into the coffee shop with a bottle of liquor in his hand, the air seemed to freeze. Mr. Harris, the manager, rushed forward, wiping cold sweat from his forehead, his voice trembling uncontrollably. "S-Sir! You’re here?"

Xavier scanned the manager from head to toe with cold, piercing eyes. A disdainful smirk played on his lips. "Why shouldn't I be? The entire world belongs to me. Does a King need permission to visit his own kingdom?"

Without another word, he shoved the manager aside and strode deeper into the shop. Behind him, four elite guards with automatic rifles marched in like harbingers of death.

Witnessing the manager’s helplessness, Aria realized the true scale of the devil she had provoked. But she didn't flinch; instead, she straightened her back, anchoring herself in place. 'If this monster is here for me,' she thought to herself, 'I must be as unyielding as a mountain.'

Xavier stopped at a center table. In a flash, a guard pulled out a chair for him. He sat down with a regal, mafia-like grace and slammed the bottle of liquor onto the table. His guards took their positions behind him, looking as if they were standing on a battlefield.

The manager approached again, shaking. "Sir, what can I get for you?"

Xavier shot him a toxic look. The manager was sweating so profusely that his entire shirt was soaked. With a flick of his hand, Xavier dismissively signaled him to leave. The manager immediately bowed his head and stood to the side, hands folded in fear. Then, with a long, beckoning finger, Xavier signaled Aria to come over.

The customers inside the shop sat like frozen statues. Aria walked slowly toward Xavier. Not a single tremor was visible in her eyes. In a perfectly normal voice, she asked, "Yes, Sir. What can I get for you?"

Aria’s indifference struck another blow to Xavier’s ego. ‘Everyone else is turning blue with fear, yet this girl acts as if nothing is happening,’ he thought. ‘Speaking so normally in front of someone like me! I will crush this courage of hers today.’

Xavier narrowed his cold eyes and demanded, "What is your name?"

"My name is Aria," she replied fearlessly. "Are you here for coffee, or would you like to order something else, Sir?"

Xavier stared deep into the fire in Aria's eyes. He had come to terrify her, but she was treating his presence like a minor inconvenience. "Bring a glass," he commanded.

Aria furrowed her brows slightly. "Why a glass, Sir?"

The moment she questioned him, Xavier’s rage hit the ceiling. He didn't answer her; instead, he shot a lethal look at the manager. The manager immediately barked at Aria, "Aria! Do as Sir says. Don’t talk back!"

Aria brought an empty glass and placed it on the table. At that moment, a customer at another table took a sip of his coffee and placed the cup back on the saucer with a small clink. Xavier instantly roared at him, "STUPID!"

The entire shop fell into a deathly silence. Xavier glared at the customer. "I'll feed you a belly full of bullets, then you’ll never be hungry again! Everyone stays quiet and watches what happens here. No one moves!"

Xavier turned his gaze back to Aria. "Place the glass in front of me and open this bottle. Pour me a drink."

But Aria didn't move. She spoke in a calm yet firm voice, "I’m sorry, Sir, but drinking is prohibited here. This is a coffee shop, not a bar."

Xavier's mind turned into a volcano at her refusal. He looked at the manager again. The manager screamed, "Aria! Listen to Sir! Do as he says!"

Aria turned to the manager. "Sir, I am performing my duty correctly. The rules are the same for everyone. I will not do anything illegal, and I will not allow anyone to drink here."

A dark shadow of terror loomed over the shop. Everyone knew that saying 'No' to Xavier Knight was an invitation to a funeral. Unable to control his rage, Xavier grabbed the bottle and poured the drink himself. Just as he was about to raise the glass to his lips, Aria shouted sharply, "Sir! I don't care who you are, you cannot drink here!"

The sight of those rage-filled red eyes she had shown in his office flashed before him again. Xavier held the glass, staring into the fiery depths of Aria's eyes. In an instant, his guards leveled their rifles, surrounding Aria. Red laser dots from the weapons were fixed on her chest and forehead.

Xavier was speechless once again. He just stared into Aria’s eyes. Even in this situation, she wasn't trembling! One guard hissed, "Sir... give the order. I’ll close the chapter on this girl’s life right now."

In a sudden outburst of fury, Xavier slammed the glass onto the floor, shattering it into pieces. He stood up with lightning speed and delivered a stinging slap to that guard’s face. "Where was this bravery the other day when this girl was screaming in my office? Didn't I say no one touches her?!"

The guards bowed their heads and backed away. Aria was now shaking with her own rage. As she turned to walk away, Xavier suddenly stepped in front of the manager and delivered a brutal slap. The manager collapsed onto the floor.

Xavier grabbed the manager by his collar and hissed a warning, "I don't want to see this girl in this coffee shop ever again. Fire her today. Do I make myself clear?"

Leaving the manager on the floor, Xavier stormed out of the shop. His guards followed him like machines. He stopped abruptly in front of his car, snatched a rifle from one of the guards, and began firing rounds into the pavement beneath the shop’s windows.

Boom! Boom! Boom! The deafening cracks of gunfire shook the entire neighborhood. Inside, Aria flinched at the sound, but she didn't collapse. She stood tall. She knew that if she showed fear now, she would lose her dignity to this devil.

As Jack moved to open the car door, Xavier shoved him aside. He yanked the door open himself, climbed in, and slammed it shut with a violent thud. From inside the shop, Aria stared at the car with eyes full of burning resentment. "He acts like the world is his father’s property," she muttered.

The car window slowly rolled down. Xavier stared at her from the dark interior with those terrifyingly cold eyes. As the car began to move, neither of them looked away. A war of hatred and defiance was fought in that single gaze.

Xavier thought to himself, 'The game has only just begun, Aria. You are homeless now, and the Devil will soon summon you to his palace.