The devil
1507 Words
CAMILLE'S POV~
I don't want to be here.
That's the thought circling my mind over and over again.
First, I'm supposed to be at my boyfriend's house, welcoming his mother. Second, I'm supposed to be sketching designs for the company I work for. But no, I'm stuck here with my father and sister, listening to them chatter about Luther Castillo, Papa's boss.
Luther Castillo. The name conjures up a million rumors. A mafia boss, a drug lord, a billionaire psychopath. I don't care what's true and what isn't.
I didn't want to come. I thought about staying home, pretending to be sick, or even just going with my boyfriend to the airport. But Papa insisted.
My older sister, Gina, is busy admiring her dress in the mirror, her excitement palpable. She's always dreamed of working in the same company as Papa, of marrying one of the top wealthy men in the country.
I want to be happy for her, but a part of me worries. The competition is fierce. There are countless other women who want the same thing she does.
We're in a hall that's dripping with wealth. Millions of dollars must have been poured into this place. I should be enjoying myself, but instead, I'm a bundle of nerves. I can't shake this bad premonition, like someone's staring at me and won't look away. But there's no one suspicious in sight.
Father had gone to register Gina's name, leaving me to wait. Is it the thought of my boyfriend's anger or the fact that I'm in Luther Castillo's territory that's making my stomach twist? I have no idea.
But then, I see the devil himself stride into the hall.
My breath catches in my throat. Luther Castillo is the most devilishly handsome man I've ever laid eyes on. I know I shouldn't be staring like this, not when I'm in a serious relationship. But God save my soul, I can't help it.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and my heart skips a beat. It's my boyfriend. I glance up at my father, who's giving me a warning look. I don't dare answer the call. Later, I'll have to explain myself. So I had no other option but to look away, crafting several explanations to give.
His voice booms through the hall, announcing something, but all I can focus on is the word "wife." I'm so lost in thought that I barely hear the rest.
I start searching for my other phone in my bag, but it's nowhere to be found. s**t!
"James Hamilton." Luther Castillo's deep, husky voice echoes through the hall. His dark eyes seem to undress me as he speaks.
My heart skips a beat.
"Good morning, sir, this is my daughter—” my father says, introducing me. But before he can finish, Luther Castillo finishes for him.
"Camille Hamilton." The smile on Luther Castillo's face sends a chill down my spine. He looks like a predator, his pearl white teeth gleaming.
My father stiffens, I swear, I can see papa turn tense. But I have no choice but to accept the devil's handshake. As Luther Castillo presses a kiss to the back of my hand, goosebumps spread across my skin.
I can feel the beginning of my doom.
From the corner of my eye, I catch my sister's expression. It's twisted with sourness, and I start to feel beads of sweat forming on my brow.
Luther Castillo asks if we should join the others, still holding onto my hand.
Oh God, he must think I'm one of the women vying for his attention.
I nervously pull my hand away, and Luther's face darkens with a deep scowl. "I'm sorry, Mr. Castillo, my sister is representing our family," I manage to say.
My sister begins to stride towards us, her face a mask of anger. Why is she so upset? She opens her mouth to explain, but Luther ignores her, and I feel a pang of guilt.
I'm about to speak up for my sister when Luther announces, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you my pick, Camille Hamilton."
The hall falls silent, and I feel my soul leave my body. My blood drains from my face, and I see my sister’s shocked expression, as if she's been electrocuted.
The world starts to spin. Nothing makes sense anymore.
My mind races. Why is he saying my name? This must be some kind of mistake.
But the way he's looking at me tells me it's not. His eyes seem to burn with possessiveness, like I'm already his.
I feel panic rise in my chest. My sister looks like she's about to explode with rage, and I know I should try to fix this. But I'm frozen in place.
I'm supposed to be at my boyfriend's house. Not here, being chosen by Luther Castillo.
Papa's shoulders tense, his fists clenching like he's ready to fight. He shakes his head at Luther's words, clearly disagreeing.
"There's a mix-up, sir," Papa says. "Gina is the one you're supposed to choose. Not Camille." He moves to block Luther's view of me with Gina by his side.
A growl rumbles from Luther's chest. "You should shut up, old man. I'm an impatient monster. I thought you knew." The icy tone of his voice sends a chill down my spine.
"Move away from her," Luther snarls at Papa. "You're blocking my view of my wife-to-be." My father's cold hand wraps around mine, his fear palpable. I feel a knot forming in my stomach.
"Please, Mr. Castillo," Papa pleads, his voice low and desperate. "Can we talk this out in private before we give you a final response?"
Luther only scoffs, glaring at my father like he's nothing more than a nuisance. I can see the fear in Papa's eyes, and I know I have to do something.
With a gentle shove, I push my sister out of the way and stand in front of Papa, shielding him from Luther's wrath.
"Please, Mr. Castillo," I say, my voice trembling. "Can we talk this out in privacy before we give you our final response?" My body is tense, like a tightly coiled spring.
Luther c***s his head to the side, his gaze raking over me. A dark smile spreads across his lips, and he licks them like I'm his next meal.
"Of course, my lady. Hurry and get to my side." His words are a command, and I can feel the crowd's eyes on us as I lead Papa away, into a quiet corner of the hall.
The murmurs of the onlookers follow us as we walk, but I tune them out. All I can think about is the monster that's chosen me.
Luther Castillo. The man everyone's afraid of. The man who could destroy my family with a single word.
Just as I open my mouth to speak, someone shoves me hard, sending my heels twisting and sending me staggering towards the wall.
"Gina, are you out of your mind?!" Papa yells at my sister, his forehead veins bulging with anger.
My sister seethes, her voice raised in response. "Clearly, you didn't see Camille push me first, Papa! She's always been your favorite, hasn't she? Are you not going to reprimand her for what she did out there? She's trying to steal my shine again, as usual!"
Papa takes a step towards my sister, his hand raised in fury to slap her. My heart sinks as I wince in pain, and Papa turns to me in alarm.
"Are you alright, my dear?" His voice is filled with concern as he kneels to check my sprained foot.
I pull it away from his grasp, shaking my head.
"I'm okay, Papa," I manage to say, forcing a smile despite the aching in my heart. But Papa can see through my lie.
Gina scoffs, looking away as she folds her arms to her chest, unbothered about the pain she had inflicted on me, while Papa takes a deep breath, ignoring Gina's furious scowl. He reaches for my hands, his eyes welling with tears.
"I'm so sorry," he murmurs, his jaw clenched. "I should have let you stay at home. I regret this." The pain in his voice is palpable, and I feel a stab of guilt.
"It's not your fault, Papa," I stammer. "I can escape him. We can flee..."
Papa shakes his head, his expression sorrowful. "I owe the company 100 million dollars. I was framed.” he quickly began to rush.
I can feel my heart shattering into a million pieces. Papa was framed? But why? Why didn't he tell us?
"I have no idea how," Papa continues. "But I'm grateful I'm working here. We just can't leave." His voice is filled with despair, and I feel a knot forming in my throat.
Suddenly, footsteps echo through the hall, and Luther Castillo appears with five armed men. My heart sinks to my stomach. His eyes glued on mine.
The devil himself has come to claim what he thinks is his.
- Writer
