Lost in the Devil's Heart

Chapter 2: Testing the Heart

The latest luxury sports car swept through the gates, pulling up to our grand and sprawling mansion of the Rian family. The moment the vehicle came to a halt, a flock of maids and attendants rushed out to greet my brother and me. I walked into the house, linking my arm tightly through Devi's. I forced myself to act as perfectly natural as possible, desperate not to give anything away. Beneath my calm facade, however, my heart was racing frantically as I tried to brainstorm a foolproof plan to sneak out of the mansion tonight.

​"Go up and take a shower, Hanni. Then come down for dinner," Devi said gently. "I have to attend a hotel gala later tonight."

​"But you promised you'd take me out this evening!" I said, purposely letting my face fall to play along. In reality, my heart was leaping with absolute joy.

​"I'm incredibly sorry for breaking my promise, sweetie. But this gala was organized so abruptly; I had no prior notice about it," Devi apologized sincerely. He truly hated going back on his word. If this wasn't a crucial event hosted at his own hotel, he would have rejected the last-minute invitation without a second thought. "Tell you what, as soon as this work is wrapped up, I'll take you out to the countryside. How does that sound?"

​"What if I want to go somewhere else instead?" I negotiated, testing the waters.

​"Alright. I'll give in to whatever your heart desires."

​"Anything at all? Seriously?"

​"Absolutely."

​"Thank you so much, big brother!" I cheered, completely overjoyed. Luck was truly on my side tonight. Out of nowhere, my brother had just blindly promised to give in to my every whim—I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity.

​Meanwhile, at a luxury hotel in the city center, Al was dealing with his own chaotic emotions. From what I learned about his situation later on, he was leaning against the counter when he asked his official girlfriend, Meria, "Did your friend leave already?"

​"Yes, she went back, Al," Meria replied with a soft sigh. "She told me she felt quite hurt. You've blown her off twice now. And your other girls left messages too, all singing the exact same tune."

​"I'm sorry. Honestly, I don't even understand myself these days."

​"I am dying to know who this mystery girl is," Meria murmured, a faint trace of jealousy in her voice. "To think someone actually managed to break through and conquer Al's heart."

​To be fair, she had a right to feel a little stung. She held the official title of Al's girlfriend, yet their relationship was entirely platonic; ironically, her actual job was managing and filtering the long line of women in Al's life.

​"She didn't try to conquer me at all," Al confessed, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips. "It was entirely the other way around. I'm the one who willingly tied my own heart to her."

​"She must possess an incredible charm then, to make someone like Al fall hopelessly in love without even realizing it."

​"She is gentle, incredibly endearing... just an innocent girl who somehow holds absolute power over my heart," Al admitted softly, his mind drifting completely to me. "Right now, she completely occupies my mind twenty-four hours a day."

​"Alright, Al, that's enough," Meria cut in, raising a hand to stop him. "I get how you feel, but you don't need to rub it in. Hearing all this actually stings a bit. I've been by your side for so long, yet I've never once heard you say words like that to me."

​"It's a completely different feeling, Meria," Al said softly but firmly. "Only Hanni can make me feel like she holds this undeniable power over me. She is nothing like any other woman I've ever met."

​"I'm genuinely starting to feel envious, Al."

​"Meria, you're a wonderful person. I know you don't really harbor that kind of bitterness."

​"But my chest still aches a little, you know?" she teased, playfully resting a hand over her heart.

​"Alright, I know you're just joking," Al chuckled before turning serious. "Let's talk about you, Meria. Are you absolutely certain about moving there all by yourself?"

​"Yes, Al. Even if I weren't certain, I don't have a choice—my flight leaves tomorrow."

​"It's still not too late to change your mind, you know."

​"I'm not changing my mind, Al," Meria said, her gaze steadying. "I want to learn how to stand on my own two feet. I don't want to keep leaning on you so heavily. Besides, you can't protect and look after me for the rest of my life anyway."

​"If that's what you want, I won't stop you. But if you ever run into any trouble, you must let me know. I will always be here to help you, Meria."

​"You've been helping me since the very beginning, Al. You have no idea how incredibly grateful—and guilty—I feel."

​"Don't talk like that. We're friends, aren't we? It's only natural for friends to look out for each other."

​"You've always been so incredibly good to me, Al. I wonder if I'll ever be lucky enough to meet another man as wonderful as you in this lifetime," Meria murmured, gently reaching up to caress Al's face.

​If anyone were to ask her if her heart was breaking when Al confessed he had found his true love, she would answer yes without hesitation. She had been by his side through everything. Al had always spoiled her and treated her with utmost kindness; it was simply impossible for her to stop her heart from falling for him.

​"A beautiful soul like you, Meria, will undoubtedly cross paths with a great man who is truly meant for you," Al reassured her warmly.

​"Thank you, Al," Meria whispered, throwing her arms around him as a heavy, suffocating ache tightened in her chest. She held him tightly, knowing this would be the very last time she could ever embrace him like this. Tomorrow, she would start a completely new life in France.

​Al wrapped his arms around her, gently stroking her hair to offer comfort. He would always harbor a deep sense of affection and protectiveness for her, but it was purely platonic—a clean, innocent love entirely free of romantic desire.

​Meria was a girl who truly deserved sympathy. Having grown up in an orphanage, she didn't look entirely German; her delicate features leaned heavily toward her Asian heritage. She had never known the faces of her biological parents. The orphanage was the only world she knew until she turned of age and had to venture out into the harsh reality to support herself. Fortunately, she crossed paths with Al first.

​Al had brought her to live in his luxury condo and took care of all her financial needs. He backed her modeling career, helping her achieve her lifelong dream, and even granted her the public title of his girlfriend. Yet, throughout their time together, he had never laid a finger on her. In reality, her true role was sourcing other women to satisfy his physical desires. Even so, she was completely content. Al had been fiercely loyal and consistent with her; for the past two years, he had provided her with a constant blanket of warmth and security. It had secretly driven her to hope that one day she might actually win his heart and become his wife.

​Today, however, those dreams dissolved into ash. Al had found the girl he truly loved, and Meria gracefully stepped down on her own accord, asking to return to being just his friend. Tomorrow, she would board a plane to France to train with a modeling agency, embarking on a brand-new chapter completely independent of Al.

​Al finally stepped out of the city hotel, his mind spinning in a chaotic whirl. What on earth was he going to do next regarding me?