Rejected by My Fiancé, Claimed by the Devil

The Grand Aurora Hotel glittered beneath a sea of golden lights. Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead, expensive champagne flowed freely, and the city's elite filled the luxurious ballroom, dressed in designer gowns and tailored suits. Tonight was supposed to be one of the happiest nights of Ariana Moretti's life. Her engagement party. A celebration of love. A celebration of her future with Lucas Hart. At least, that's what everyone believed. Ariana stood near the center of the ballroom, a soft smile resting on her lips as guests approached to congratulate her. "You look absolutely stunning, Ariana." "Congratulations!" "You and Lucas make such a beautiful couple." She thanked each guest politely. The pale silver gown she wore hugged her figure elegantly, making her look like she had stepped out of a fashion magazine. Yet despite all the compliments and excitement around her, something felt... wrong. A strange uneasiness settled in her chest. Lucas had barely spoken to her all evening. Every time she tried to approach him, he seemed distracted. Distant. Cold. She kept telling herself she was imagining things. Maybe he was nervous. Maybe the pressure of the event was getting to him. After all, tonight marked the beginning of their future together. Didn't it? Ariana forced another smile and glanced around the ballroom. Her gaze searched for Lucas automatically. But he wasn't near the stage. He wasn't speaking with investors. He wasn't talking to their families either. A small frown appeared on her face. Where was he? Excusing herself from a group of guests, Ariana began walking through the crowded ballroom. The music echoed softly around her. Laughter filled the air. Everything looked perfect. Yet the uneasy feeling only grew stronger. As she reached one of the quieter hallways connected to the ballroom, she finally spotted Lucas. Relief washed over her. Until she noticed he wasn't alone. He stood near the partially opened door of a private lounge. A woman stood beside him. Tall. Beautiful. Blonde. Ariana slowed her steps. Something about the scene felt wrong. Very wrong. The woman laughed softly. Lucas smiled. Not the polite smile he gave guests. Not the professional smile he wore during business meetings. This smile was different. Warm. Genuine. Intimate. Ariana's stomach twisted painfully. She stopped before reaching the door. The voices drifting from inside became clearer. "I can't believe we're finally doing this," the woman said. Lucas chuckled. "Trust me. It's about time." Ariana froze. A cold chill crawled down her spine. Something inside her screamed at her to leave. To walk away. But her feet refused to move. Then she heard the words that shattered her world. "I never loved her." Silence. For a second, Ariana thought she had misheard. Surely she had. Surely Lucas wasn't talking about her. But then his voice came again. Calm. Certain. Cruel. "I never loved Ariana." The world seemed to stop spinning. The laughter from the ballroom faded. The music disappeared. Everything disappeared. Except those four words. I never loved Ariana. Her heartbeat pounded violently in her ears. No. No. No. This couldn't be happening. They had been together for three years. Three years. Three years of memories. Three years of promises. Three years of believing she had found the man she would spend the rest of her life with. And now— "I stayed because of the connections," Lucas continued casually. "The Moretti family was useful." Useful. Ariana felt physically sick. The blonde woman laughed. "And now?" Lucas smirked. "Now I don't need them anymore." A sharp pain pierced Ariana's chest. It felt as though someone had reached inside her heart and ripped it apart. Every promise. Every kiss. Every "I love you." A lie. All of it. A lie. The woman wrapped her arms around Lucas's neck. "You should've gotten rid of her sooner." Lucas shrugged. "Maybe." Then he leaned down and kissed her. Ariana stared at the scene. Unable to breathe. Unable to think. Unable to move. The man she loved. The man she trusted. The man she was supposed to marry. Kissing another woman. Without guilt. Without regret. Without hesitation. Tears burned her eyes. Her entire body trembled. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to demand an explanation. Instead, she stood there silently as her heart broke into a thousand pieces. Lucas pulled away from the kiss. Neither of them noticed Ariana standing outside. Neither of them realized their perfect secret had just been exposed. The woman smiled. "What about the engagement?" Lucas laughed. A laugh Ariana had once loved. A laugh that now sounded cruel. "Relax." He adjusted his cufflinks lazily. "I'll end it tonight." Ariana's breath caught. Tonight. He planned to humiliate her tonight. In front of everyone. In front of their families. In front of the entire city. The realization hit harder than anything else. This wasn't a mistake. This wasn't confusion. This wasn't a misunderstanding. Lucas Hart had never loved her. And he was planning to destroy her. Ariana took a shaky step backward. Then another. Tears blurred her vision. Her chest felt impossibly heavy. Everything hurt. Yet somewhere beneath the heartbreak... Something else began to rise. Not sadness. Not fear. Something stronger. Something colder. Because for the first time that night— Ariana Moretti realized her life was about to change forever. And neither she nor Lucas had any idea that another pair of eyes had been watching everything from the shadows. Watching the betrayal. Watching the heartbreak. Watching her. A man feared by the entire city. A man known as a devil in a tailored black suit. Damien Volkov. And for the first time in years... The Mafia King found himself unable to look away.