The Devil Chose Me

Chapter1

The Night Everything Changed

Rain has always comforted me. It drowned out the noise in my head, washed away the chaos of the city. That night, the rain sounded too different. It fell harder against the hospital windows, each drop striking the glass.

My shift had ended nearly an hour ago, but one emergency after another had kept me from leaving on time. My feet ached from standing all day, my shoulders were stiff, and my stomach had been growling since evening because I had skipped dinner again. It wasn't unusual. Between nursing school, part time work, and taking care of my grandmother, I had learned to ignore hunger, exhaustion, and every little discomfort that came with trying to survive.

I slipped my phone into my bag after checking the time. It was almost eleven thirty. Grandma would probably be asleep by now.

A small smile tugged at my lips as I imagined her pretending to scold me in the morning for coming home so late, only to fuss over whether I had eaten. She worried too much, but I couldn't blame her. After losing my parents years ago, we only had each other to rely on.

I tightened my grip on the strap of my bag and stepped outside the hospital, instantly I was greeted by the cold rain that soaked through my cardigan within seconds. I cursed under my breath as I hurried toward the underground parking garage where my old hatchback was parked. The weather forecast had promised light showers, not a storm determined to flood half of London.The parking garage was unusually quiet.

Too quiet.

The steady drip of rainwater echoed from somewhere in the distance while the lights above flickered every few seconds, casting long, shifting shadows across the rows of expensive cars. A strange chill ran down my spine, and I instinctively hugged myself, telling my imagination to calm down.

"It's just because you're tired," I whispered to myself.

My footsteps echoed against the concrete floor as I searched for my car, digging through my bag for the keys. I could already picture myself collapsing into bed the moment I got home.

Then I heard voices.

Low. Serious. Male.

I frowned, slowing my steps as the sound drifted from the far end of the garage. At first, I thought it was hospital security handling some late night issue, but something about the tension in those voices made my stomach tighten.

Curiosity told me to look.

Common sense begged me to leave.

I should have listened to common sense.

I took one more step, peering around the concrete pillar.

My entire body froze.

Three men dressed in black suits stood beneath the dim lights, surrounding another man who had fallen to his knees. His face was bruised, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his hands trembled as he begged for mercy. Towering in front of him stood another man, impossibly tall and terrifyingly calm, his tailored black coat hanging perfectly from his broad shoulders despite the storm outside.

Even from where I stood, I could feel his presence. Cold.Powerful.Unshakable.

He didn't need to raise his voice.

He didn't need to threaten anyone.

The silence around him was more frightening than any scream.

The kneeling man's voice cracked.

"Please I can explain."

The man in the black coat didn't answer immediately. He simply stared down at him, his expression unreadable, before slowly reaching into his coat.

A g*n.

My breath caught in my throat.

No

This couldn't be happening.

This wasn't real.

I stumbled backward, my heart pounding so violently it hurt, but my shoulder brushed against a metal trolley abandoned near the wall.

Clang!

The sound exploded through the empty garage. Every head turned toward me.

My blood turned ice cold. For one endless second, nobody moved. Nobody spoke.Then I met his eyes.

Sharp gray eyes locked onto mine with terrifying precision, and it felt as though the air had been ripped from my lungs. They weren't angry or surprised.They were calculating. As if he were deciding my fate in complete silence.

One of the men beside him immediately reached for his weapon.

"We've got a witness."

Panic rushed over me.

I turned and ran.

My shoes slipped against the wet concrete as adrenaline drowned out every ounce of exhaustion left in my body. My breathing came in frantic gasps while my heartbeat thundered inside my ears, so loud that I could barely hear the footsteps behind me.

I didn't dare look back.

I just kept running.

Please

Please let me get to my car.

Please let this be a nightmare.

The keys shook violently in my hand as I finally spotted my car. My vision blurred with tears while I fumbled to unlock the door, my fingers refusing to cooperate.

"Hurry"

I whispered desperately.

The lock clicked.

Relief surged through me.

Then a firm hand slammed the door shut before I could climb inside.

I gasped. Slowly. Painfully. I lifted my head.

The same gray eyes stared back at me.

Up close, he looked even more terrifying than before. His face was strikingly handsome, yet there wasn't a trace of warmth in it. It was the kind of beauty carved from stone perfect, untouchable, and utterly devoid of mercy.

I couldn't speak.

Couldn't breathe.

Couldn't even think.

He studied me in complete silence, his gaze lingering just long enough to make my knee’s go weak.

I was certain this was how people looked at someone moments before they died.

His men caught up behind him, weapons already drawn.

"What should we do with her, Boss?"

The question echoed through the empty garage, and every cell in my body screamed the same answer.

Run.

But I couldn't move.

The man never took his eyes off me.

For reasons I couldn't understand, something unreadable flickered across his expression before disappearing as quickly as it came.

His lips finally parted.

"Bring her."

The words were calm.

Emotionless.

Final.

My heart stopped.

Not kill her.

Not to silence her.

Bring her.

I had no idea whether

that decision had just saved my life.

Or condemned me to something far worse.