Celeste

The file containing the engagement contract lay bare before me. I watched as the edges glowed from the illumination of dim light in Killian’s penthouse office. Just looking at it, I kept having a nagging friend that it's less like a proposal. It could fit perfectly into the description of the war declaration. If I finally give it and the document contains it, that would be my way of surrendering my freedom.

"You’re not fast at deciding. "Why hesitate? Killian asked, his voice smooth but edged with amusement. "You always portray to be smarter, but hesitated while making this decision, Celeste."

I turned my gaze in his direction, and as it met his piercing blue eyes, I knew it wasn't going to be smooth. "Did you just say smarter? This is not smartness anyway. Is it not bad enough that I am about to sign away my freedom, and you want me to be fast about it? The worst part is that it would be to the man that I despise, even his shadow. So say, how is that a good decision to make?

He widened his eyes in disbelief. "Killian chuckled, greatly amused at my outburst. Then leaning back in his chair, he decided to play me before finally letting the matter die off. "Oh, despise is the word?" That's hilarious, considering you were the damsel in distress who called me for help."

"If I had my options, your name wouldn't have made it to the list," I snapped angrily, and at the same time, already forming a fist with my hands. "And now, you haven't even started your work, but I feel like I would have been better off without you to save me."

He bent his head to reach his already folded elbows on the table. "You are claiming that this is me using you. Well, I would love to bring it to your notice that I don't fancy using things, Celeste. I prefer owning them."

Hearing him call me his property made me grit my teeth. "So, in your dumb definition, I am now one of your possessions?"

Killian smirked in the most annoying manner. "Partially, but not yet."

His arrogance was more annoying than I ever imagined, it even made my blood boil. Every fiber that made up my essence was screaming for help, alerting me to walk away or suffer it forever, but even at that, I still stayed because I had no other option. The attack wasn't a prank, it was real. Someone wanted me gone forever. And funny enough, the man I despised greatly was the only one in the position to help me. That was Killian.

Inhaling to calm my nerves as I noticed I had been holding my breath for the longest, I finally snatched the pen from where it lay lazily on the table. "This shouldn't get to your head, it doesn’t in any way imply that you have won, Killian."

He kept mute, watching all of my moves, completely unbothered as I ran my lungs out. "Oh, my darling sweetheart," he mused, "there's no need to stress yourself, this is but the beginning."

I finally pressed the tip of the pen with a shaking hand onto the paper. The very moment the ink was released, and it touched the surface, my fate was horribly sealed, and I knew at that instance, my freedom had been bought.

The devil isn't a spirit, he's in human form, and I had just made a parasitic deal with the devil.

Billionaire Killian Voss Engaged his Long-Time Billionaire Lover, Celeste Knight!

This was the headline that made social media explode. Investors speculated in awe. Enemies were not left behind as they sharpened their knives ready to strike. I had expected the explosion and the chaos it brought along with it, but what I never spared even a second to imagine was the sudden shift it brought to my world.

"Celeste," Lena screamed from the other side of the phone, "damn it, have you finally gone crazy, like you are out of your mind?"

To calm my nerves and not scream like her, I decided to pinch the bridge of my nose, totally exhausted at what was happening around me. "Lena, there's no need to scream your lungs out, this is very complicated and needs a soft approach."

"You said complicated? You had just announced to the whole world that you were engaged to Killian. "Did you hear the name, freaking Voss!" she shouted. "Do you even understand what this would cause you? Did you at any point ever sit down to think this through? "You have succeeded in giving him leverage, Celeste!"

"Like three options lined up for me to choose," I muttered, as I slumped onto the couch to relax after a long day. By this time, I was still in my penthouse. "Girl, I had no better option, it was either I went by this or I would be gone and forgotten, six feet under."

There was silence. Then came a bitter sigh. "You seem to be in a great mess, you are in trouble, and this is serious, right?"

"Exactly, my hands are tied."

Then came a long pause. By this time, Lena’s voice wasn't hard anymore, but softened. "Are you sure you will be okay?"

I stared blankly at the engagement ring on my finger, refusing to give room to the tears threatening to find expression. "I don’t even know what I'm sure of anymore."

Before Lena could give me a response, my doorbell rang, interrupting our conversation. 

I frowned, not having any idea of who could be disturbing my peace." Hold on, please."

I ended the call promising to return to it after attending to the person at the door.

As I approached the door, many thoughts ran through my head. Who could be visiting me? I can't remember disclosing the address of this particular penthouse to anyone apart from Lena. Not even Killian knows where I am now. 

Or have my attackers finally traced me to my penthouse? Did the engagement alert them to act fast before I was out of their control? There's only one way to find out!