The Devil’s unwilling bride

The morning sun shone brightly over the university campus. Parents and students sat in rows inside the crowded hall, their laughter and excited conversations filling the air and making the atmosphere even more lively. Maple sat quietly among the graduating students, her heart pounding so hard she could almost hear it in her ears. Her fingers were tightly intertwined in her lap as she waited anxiously for her name to be called. She had spent years working toward this moment. The countless nights she had stayed awake studying. The endless assignments. The difficult examinations. The moments when she had wanted to give up but forced herself to keep going. Today, it would all be worth it. She glanced toward the audience, her eyes searching through the crowd. She wished her mother were here. She wished she could see her daughter graduate. “Please welcome to the stage, Maple Jacobs!” Her heart skipped. That was her name. Maple slowly stood, her legs trembling beneath her as she made her way toward the stage. A nervous smile appeared on her face as applause filled the hall. As she climbed the steps, she took a deep breath. She did it. After years of hard work, sleepless nights, and tears, she had finally made it to the end. When the certificate was placed in her hands, she stared at it for a moment, unable to hold back the smile spreading across her face. She had done it. But deep down, there was still one person she wanted beside her. Mom. The cool morning breeze kissed Maple’s face as she stepped out of the auditorium. She released a long breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and looked down at the certificate resting in her hands. Her fingers slowly traced the edges. A proud smile tugged at her lips. “I did it,” she whispered. For a few seconds, she simply stood there, allowing herself to enjoy the moment. Then she turned toward the parking lot. Her car was parked at the end of the road, waiting for her. She climbed inside, placed her certificate carefully on the passenger seat, and started the engine. The drive home was quiet. With every mile that passed, the excitement she had felt earlier slowly faded. By the time she reached the familiar iron gates of her family home, an uncomfortable feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. Dread. Maple drove through the gates and parked in the driveway. She grabbed her certificate and stepped out of the car. The magnificent mansion stood before her. To anyone else, it would have looked like a beautiful home. But to Maple, it had never felt like one. She walked toward the front door and stepped inside. The moment she entered, the warmth she had hoped to find was replaced by the same cold atmosphere she had grown accustomed to. And then she saw them. Julia. Her stepmother sat comfortably in the living room, looking as though Maple’s return was the least important thing happening in the house. Beside her was Chloe, Maple’s stepsister. The two people she hated most. “Oh, you’re back,” Julia said casually, barely looking up. Chloe glanced at her before letting out a cold snort and returning to whatever she had been doing. Maple said nothing. She tightened her grip around her certificate and walked past them. She was halfway up the stairs when she heard her father’s voice. “Maple.” She stopped. “Come down here. We have something to discuss.” His voice was stern. Maple’s shoulders stiffened. She slowly turned around and made her way back downstairs. Her father, Mr. Jacobs, sat in the living room with a serious expression on his face. Maple stood several feet away from him, already feeling uneasy. “What is it, Dad?” He looked at her for a moment before speaking. “Now that you’re done with college, it’s time for you to get married.” Maple froze. For a second, she thought she had heard him wrong. “What?” “You heard me.” Her eyes widened. “Dad, I’m only twenty-one.” “The more reason you should get married.” Maple stared at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about? I just graduated today. I haven’t even had the chance to think about getting a job or what I want to do with my life.” “That is no longer important.” Her brows furrowed. “What do you mean?” Her father leaned back in his chair. “You will be getting married to the Kingston family.” The words hit her like a slap. Maple’s face went pale. “The Kingston family?” Her father nodded. Maple’s heart began pounding again, but this time, it wasn’t from excitement. There was only one son in the Kingston family. Devon Kingston. The ruthless billionaire. The man the media had nicknamed the Devil. His name alone was enough to make people lower their voices. He was powerful, wealthy, feared, and known for being cold and merciless. Maple couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You can’t be serious.” “I am.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Dad, I don’t even know him.” “You will get to know him after the wedding.” “I don’t want to marry him.” Her father’s expression hardened. “You don’t have a choice.” Maple shook her head, tears threatening to fall. “Please, Dad. Don’t do this.” For the first time that day, she felt the happiness of her graduation slipping away. Her father stared at her coldly before delivering the one threat he knew would break her. “You either marry Devon Kingston, or you don’t get any of your mother’s belongings.” Maple’s entire body went still. There it was. The threat he always used. Her mother’s belongings. The only pieces of her mother she had left. Her mother’s photographs, jewelry, letters, and everything else that had been kept away from her for years. Her father knew exactly how much they meant to her. He knew she would do almost anything to have them back. Maple’s lips trembled. “You wouldn’t…” “I would.” A tear rolled down her cheek. She looked at her father, hoping to find even a little compassion in his eyes. There was none. Without another word, Maple turned and ran upstairs. She rushed into her bedroom, slammed the door behind her, and locked it. The moment she was alone, her strength disappeared. She fell onto her bed, clutching her certificate against her chest as sobs tore through her. Only hours ago, she had been the happiest girl in the world. She had graduated. She had dreamed about this day for years. But now, instead of celebrating her achievement, she was being forced into a marriage with a man she didn’t know. A man everyone called the Devil. Maple buried her face in her pillow and cried. She had no idea that the day she had thought marked the beginning of her new life would instead become the beginning of her nightmare. :