THE DEVIL IN WHITE

A Decision Sealed Angel Ellie

CHAPTER-2

Decision Sealed Angel Ellie

[Ellie]

The morning after my meeting with Leo Marcus, I sat at the dining table, my fingers curled around the edge of my teacup. The steam rose in soft spirals, the warmth pressing against my face, but inside, I felt cold.

My father sat across from me, his newspaper folded beside his plate. My mother was setting down a tray of freshly made parathas, her eyes drifting toward me with a knowing look.

"You didn’t sleep much," she said softly.

I didn’t respond.

How could I?

The night had been restless, my mind replaying the moment Leo Marcus stood up and walked out. His decision had been clear, firm, as if my presence barely mattered.

"I’m fine with the match," he had said.

Like it was a transaction. Like I was a contract waiting for a signature.

A shiver ran through me.

"Ellie," my father’s voice pulled me back. "We need an answer today."

I looked up at him. "Today?"

My mother sighed. "They’re waiting, beta. If you don’t want this, we’ll decline politely. But if you’re okay with it…"

If I was okay with it.

I wasn’t sure if ‘okay’ was even the right word. I barely knew him, and yet, the decision felt like a weight pressing on my chest.

"You’ve always wanted stability, Ellie," my father reminded me. "A secure home, a responsible husband. Leo is that. He’s hardworking, well-respected, and his family is decent."

I swallowed. "But he doesn’t seem… interested."

My father exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Men like him don’t wear their emotions on their sleeves. He agreed to meet you. He agreed to the marriage. That says something, doesn’t it?"

Did it?

I wasn’t sure.

"Ellie," my mother’s voice softened, "we won’t push you. But sometimes, love doesn’t come before marriage. Sometimes, it follows."

Love.

A word that felt too delicate for a man like Leo Marcus.

I traced the rim of my teacup with my finger.

"I’ll do it."

The words slipped out before I could second-guess them.

My father nodded approvingly. My mother let out a quiet sigh of relief.

And just like that, my fate was sealed.

•••••••

Leo Marcus wasn’t a man who wasted time.

As soon as he got the confirmation that Ellie had agreed, he set things in motion. The engagement date was fixed. The formalities were completed.

And yet, through all of it, he remained indifferent.

Standing by his office window, he scrolled through his schedule.

Surgery at 10 a.m.

Patient rounds at 2 p.m.

Meeting with the director at 4 p.m.

His phone buzzed. His mother’s name flashed on the screen.

Sighing, he answered.

"Leo," her voice was warm, "the engagement is in two weeks. Ellie’s family will be coming over for dinner tomorrow. You’ll be there, won’t you?"

Leo closed his eyes briefly. "If I get time."

"Make time," she insisted. "It’s your engagement, not a business deal."

He almost smirked at the irony.

That’s exactly what it felt like. A contract. An obligation.

And yet, he had agreed.

Why?

He wasn’t sure.

Maybe because it was practical. Maybe because his mother would stop pestering him. Maybe because Ellie, with her quiet presence and nervous glances, didn’t seem like a complication.

"Fine," he said at last. "I’ll be there."

"Good," his mother said, satisfaction lacing her tone.

Leo ended the call and exhaled.

Two weeks.

And then, he would have a wife.

Not out of love.

Not out of desire.

Just because life required it.

___________________________________________

[Ellie]

The moment I agreed, my mother’s face lit up with relief. My father gave a nod of approval, a sign that I had made the right decision—at least in their eyes. But in mine? I wasn’t sure.

I was twenty-two. Young enough to dream of love but old enough to know that dreams didn’t always come true.

Leo Marcus.

His name echoed in my mind. A man who had agreed to marry me without a flicker of interest. A doctor with a mind too occupied to care.

Would he ever look at me as more than just a responsibility?

I had my doubts.

Still, I stood up from the table, my appetite lost. My hands trembled slightly as I took my plate to the sink. My mother followed, her gaze gentle.

"You’re doing the right thing," she assured me. "He’s a good man, Ellie. Responsible. Hardworking."

I forced a smile. "I know, Ammi."

"Then why do you look like you’re about to cry?"

I swallowed. "I’m just nervous."

She placed a hand on my shoulder. "That’s normal. But trust me, beta, sometimes marriages like this turn out to be the strongest ones."

Maybe. Maybe not.

But I had already made my choice.

I only hoped I wouldn’t regret it.

•••••••••••

Leo arrived home late that night, exhaustion weighing on his shoulders. His shift had been brutal—a twelve-hour stretch filled with back-to-back surgeries.

He tossed his keys onto the table and loosened his tie. His mother appeared in the doorway, arms crossed.

"You didn’t call."

Leo sighed. "I was at the hospital."

"You’re always at the hospital."

He didn’t respond.

Instead, he walked past her, heading to the kitchen for a glass of water. His mother followed.

"Ellie agreed to the marriage," she said. "Her family will be visiting tomorrow."

Leo drank in silence.

"Did you hear me?"

"I heard."

His mother studied him. "Are you even slightly interested in her?"

Leo set the glass down. "She seems quiet. Decent."

"That’s not what I asked."

He met her gaze. "I agreed, didn’t I?"

She sighed. "Marriage isn’t just about agreeing, Leo. It’s about making an effort."

Effort.

The word felt foreign to him.

"Fine," he said. "I’ll be there."

His mother softened. "Good. That’s all I ask."

Leo nodded and turned away, heading upstairs.

He wasn’t sure why, but for the first time, the idea of marriage felt real.

And for the first time, he wondered what it would be like to have someone waiting for him at home.

Even if he wasn’t sure he wanted it.

•••••••••••

[Angel Ellie]

The next evening, my parents and I arrived at Leo’s house. It was large but not extravagant—a home that spoke of wealth but not indulgence.

I stepped inside, my heartbeat unsteady.

His mother greeted us warmly, offering tea and snacks. The atmosphere was comfortable, but I was anything but.

And then, he walked in.

Leo Marcus

Tall. Dark-haired. Dressed in a simple navy-blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He looked… calm. As if this was just another part of his schedule.

His eyes landed on me briefly, assessing. Then, he nodded slightly.

No smile. No warmth. Just acknowledgment.

I lowered my gaze, fingers tightening around my dupatta.

"Ellie, why don’t you and Leo talk privately?" his mother suggested.

My stomach twisted.

Alone? With him?

Leo didn’t react. He simply gestured toward the garden. "Shall we?"

I forced myself to nod and followed him outside.

______________________________________

The garden was quiet, the air carrying the scent of jasmine.

Leo glanced at Ellie. She looked fragile, hesitant, as if she wasn’t sure what to say.

So he spoke first. "You agreed to the marriage."

She nodded. "I did."

"Why?"

She blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

Leo tilted his head slightly. "You don’t seem like someone who’d want a marriage like this."

She hesitated. "And you don’t seem like someone who’d want marriage at all."

His lips twitched. A small flicker of amusement. "Fair enough."

A pause.

Ellie tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I… wanted stability. Security."

He understood that.

He understood practicality.

But something about the way she said it made him wonder if she had hoped for something more.

Something he wasn’t sure he could give.

"You’ll have stability," he said finally. "I can promise that."

She met his gaze. "And what about… anything else?"

Leo exhaled. "I won’t lie to you, Ellie. I don’t believe in love. I don’t have time for it."

Her lips parted slightly, but she said nothing.

"I won’t be a husband who showers you with affection," he continued. "But I’ll respect you. I’ll take care of you. And I won’t hurt you."

A cold, practical promise.

Ellie swallowed. "I see."

Leo studied her reaction. He expected disappointment.

Instead, she just nodded.

"Okay," she whispered.

For a brief moment, something stirred in his chest. Something unfamiliar.

But he pushed it aside.

This was a marriage of logic. Nothing more.

"Then we have an understanding," he said.

She nodded once more. "Yes, we do."

[TO BE CONTINUED]