CLAIMED BY THE DEVIL

The stylist smiled satisfactorily as the bride stepped out of the dressing room. Looking at how the ice white satin gown fitted the bride, she couldn't help but to be proud of herself. She needed no one to tell her that she did a good job.

The bride in front of her was the definition of a perfect bride. She could be mistaken for an angel because of how beautiful and clean she looked.

"I'm glad you chose this design, it is so pretty" Commented the stylist as she walked to the bride, helping her with the place that needed amendment.

After the amendments, she raised her head, staring directly at the bride. "You look almost perfect... Something is missing."

She was expecting the bride to ask what it was, but to her disappointment, the bride didn't ask.

"Miss Rebecca, are you okay?"

Taking a deep breath, Rebecca joined her palms together, then she puffed out air from her mouth. "I'm fine" She finally replied. "What do you say is missing?"

"A smile!" The stylist exclaimed and the bride chuckled.

The door to the room went opened all of a sudden and two girls dressed in floral pink gowns walked in. The excitement on their faces could be easily noticed by anyone, it showed how happy they were.

"Rebecca!" They shrieked at once.

"Omg, you look like a fairy Princess" The one with long black hair complimented dramatically, staring at the bride as if she hadn't seen her before.

Rebecca chuckled at the words of the girl. She knew her best friend would always say things to galvanize her.

"Stop exaggerating" She rolled her eyes.

"Come on Becca, Whitney is right" The other girl supported, chewing the gum in her mouth loudly.

Silence stepped into the room after that and the way the bride became melancholy all of a sudden wasn't unnoticed.

Ella stopped chewing her gum, she took her gaze to Whitney who threw her a glare.

"What..." She wanted to ask the reason for their sudden quietness when realisation dawned on her.

"Oh, I've forgotten that dickhead is the one that calls you that, it's so sad you still think of him whenever someone calls you that" Ella muttered, tho everyone in the room heard her.

Whitney hit her shoulder with hers. "That's ferocious of you to say right now, Ella."

"Is the car ready?" Rebecca asked, changing the topic entirely.

"Car? Omg you need to see the luxurious cars waiting outside, your groom sent them to take you to the church" Ella played along, not bringing back the topic.

"Wait, what?" Rebecca furrowed her brows, and her forehead creased in the process. "I clearly told him not to overdo things."

"Miss, could you please stop frowning, you surely do not want the makeup to get ruined. Do you?" The stylist advised, even tho she wasn't the one that did the makeup.

"She's right. Take a deep breath, Rebecca, he is just trying to make you happy" Whitney chipped in.

Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Happiness isn't determined by an extravagant wedding, it is what happens after the wedding that determines happiness."

Whitney arched her brows. "Are you angry because he is spending too much?"

"Exactly!"

They all flinched at her tone, wondering why she had to snap at them.

Whitney and Ella exchanged looks before bursting into laughter.

"I know what you are worried about. You are worried your darling husband would loose a lot of money after the wedding, right?..." Ella paused, waiting for Rebecca to answer the question but then got no reply.

She studied the look on Rebecca's face and got her answer. "Your husband is a fucking millionaire! You have to learn the lifestyle of the rich, you do not need to show the world that you never enjoyed luxury while growing up!"

"The last part wasn't necessary" Rebecca glared.

"It was."

"I hate you!" Rebecca stormed out of the room, holding the sides of her dress with her two hands.

"Today is her big day, you should have refrained yourself from saying things that would make her angry" The stylist told Ella and Ella spared her a stare.

Judging from the look on her face while staring at the stylist, one could tell Ella was displeased by her words. "You should learn to mind your business" That being said, she walked out of the room.

Whitney shook her head as she stared at the lady. "Don't feel bad... The bride isn't angry, she is feigning it. We've been best friends for years, we understand each other, we wouldn't do anything to make our friend furious on her big day."

"I was just trying to help" The stylist muttered.

"See you at the church!" Whitney winked and left the room.

"I wasn't invited" The stylist mumbled with a chuckle.

*****

In a big saint Anglican Church, people were seated, awaiting the bride to show up.

The groom stood in the altar with the priest, his heart was racing fast. He was impatient to see his bride. Although he hadn't seen her in the wedding gown, he was sure she would look stunning in it.

He checked his wristwatch for the umpteenth time and he sighed.

A smile found its way to his face when he spotted his wife's friends entering into the church. He was happy because seeing them meant his wife had arrived.

The long awaited time came when his bride stepped her feet into the church hall and everyone stood up.

He couldn't see her face clearly because she was covered with a white veil, but he could tell behind that veil was a mesmerizing beauty.

Rebecca walked through the aisle, holding a bouquet of flowers.

She recalled she had seen in movies how some bride's father would hold the hand of their daughter and walk beside them through the aisle, but there was no one beside her, no one to hold her. She didn't let it get to her, her makeup would get ruined if she cries and she definitely didn't want that to happen. It was her big day so she would keep up with positive vibes, and that only.

Finally, she got to the altar and the groom flashed her a smile which she immediately returned.

"You are breathtaking" He whispered.

"I know, right?" She giggled.

The priest started with the matrimony.

"Do anyone have reasons why this couple shouldn't be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace" The priest had declared after some time and no one said a word.

Seeing that no one objected, the priest decided to continue. "With..."

"This union can not hold" A loud grumpy voice came from the hall entrance and everyone moved their gaze to the place.

Five fully masked men whom were harmed to the teeth walked in. One of them holding a girl whose head was covered with a big bag, covering her face in the process. A gun was pointed to the girl's head.

The sight of the men sent shivers down the people's spine, for they knew from the look of things that those men didn't come for peace.

"Who are they?" Rebecca asked the groom, shaking due to fear.

"I don't know, honey" He had replied, staring keenly at them.

The men started walking towards the altar, pushing the girl along.

"Do not climb this altar, it is a great sin!" The priest had muster all the courage in him just to warn the men.

They stopped walking when they got close to the altar stairs.

The one who had spoke up earlier turned his gaze to the bride. "What do you think? Should we stay off the altar?" He asked her.

Everyone was now staring at her, wondering what connection she had with the men.

"Honey, do you know them?" The groom asked, staring suspiciously at his wife.

"I do not know them, I swear!" She quickly responded.

"You might not know us, but we know you"

Another man whispered to the first one and he nodded before removing the bag from the girl's head.

Everyone gasped in shock, but the couples were more shocked.

"Yvonne?"

"Eric!" The girl cried, trembling.

"How-How is it possible you are here? You were in Paris when I called you yesterday, you had told me you wouldn't be able to make it to my wedding because you have exams tomorrow, so how... " The groom, Eric, trailed off.

He was perplexed.

"I was..."

"We didn't come here for this... Hand over the bride peacefully and you will get your sister back" The man proposed a deal.

Rebecca shook her head in fear as she went to hide at her husband's back, even tho it was pointless, but that was the only thing she could think of at that moment.

"Why do you want my wife! I am sure someone here has called the cops, the cops will be here any moment from now!" Threatening them; that was the only thing Eric could think of at that moment.

He saw a smirk appeared on the corner of the man's lips and he needed no soothsayer to tell him that the man had sorted everything out and maybe calling the cops would be useless.

Rebecca opened her eyes slowly and her vision was blurry. She groaned and tried to stand up but couldn't, somehow she was too weak to. She closed her eyes again and when she opened it this time around, she could see clearly.

The smell of rose filled her nostrils and her brows furrowed. She managed to sit upright on the bed and her lips parted when she saw a posy of roses on the bedside table.

Her eyes scanned around the room and it wasn't somewhere familiar, it was totally strange.

"Where am I?" She muttered.

As she tried to think through it, she was hit with a strong headache and she yelled out in pain.

The door to the room immediately flew opened and a young lady rushed in.

"You are awake." The lady flashed her a smile. A smile which Rebecca could see through, she could tell it was a fake one.

She stared at the lady for some time, observing her. The young lady was dressed in a black suit and her hair was packed in a ponytail, the young lady was indeed pretty with her spotless face.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Rebecca asked immediately.

The lady didn't reply her, instead she touched the almost invisible ear bud in her ear and said, "Bring it over."

Rebecca was already getting impatient. She tried standing up again and this time around, she succeeded but it wasn't easy for her because her legs were hurting badly.

"Be seated." The young lady instructed with a frown on her face.

"Who are you?" She asked again.

"I am Kira, that's all you need to know for now." The lady replied.

"I didn't ask for your name, I asked for your identity. Why am I here? Where's this place?" Rebecca asked, staring around the room.

Kira was about to reply when someone walked into the room.

It was a young lady dressed like her also and she was holding a wedding gown which she dropped on the bed, and she walked away immediately after that.

As soon as Rebecca saw the wedding gown, recognition flashed across her eyes.

"Those fools injected you more than the intended dose and that is why you feel weak and can't recall what happened to you. This gown here will help you recall every single details. Take your time." Kira smiled at her and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Rebecca stood still, staring at the gown with squinted eyes. She recalled something immediately, she recalled putting on the gown and smiling widely. She recalled how unknown gun men stormed into the church when the priest was about to seal the union.

Her hands flew to her mouth immediately as she recalled how the men succeeded in taking her away.

FLASHBACK

The men sounded confident about the cops not showing up, maybe because they had everything sorted out.

"This lady here is your sister, right?" The man holding Yvonne asked, even tho he knew.

Eric nodded immediately.

"Then I'm sure you cherish her so much. You won't want to see her lifeless body resting on you and the bride's feet, right?"

Eric nodded again. He was already shaking due to fear.

"There's only one way to save her... bring the bride here." The man bargained, twisting the tip of the gun at the girl's head.

"No! No!" Rebecca yelled. "The cops will be here soon. Let go of her or get ready to cool your *ss in prison."

The three men laughed at her foolishness. "Cops? Do you think we came here unprepared?" The first man asked.

"We are running out of time." The second man whispered to the one holding Yvonne.

He cocked the gun, ready to shoot. "I'll count one to three. One..." He was still counting when Yvonne begged her brother in tears.

"Please save me!" She cried loudly.

"Two..."

"Here she is." Eric pushed his bride towards the men.

Rebecca slipped from the little altar stairs and landed on the floor in front of them. She couldn't do anything, she was dumbfounded.

"Eric!"

***

Her knees became too weak to stand and she fell on it. Hot tears bricked down her eyes as she recalled how he had chosen his sister over her.

She knew it wasn't entirely his fault but he should have tried to bargain with the men, he should have tried to delay them a bit till the cops arrives, not agreeing to give her away in exchange for his sister.

"Why? Why is this happening to me?" She asked rhetorically, more tears streaming out of her eyes like a river.

The door opened again and Kira walked in. She had a satisfactory smile on her face. "I knew you'd cry, you are so f*ck*ng weak... Well, I've given you enough time to reflect on your past. Now get up."

Rebecca was taken aback. "Pa-past? What...what do you mean by that?" She stuttered.

"The wedding, your ex fiance and Rebecca are all your past. From the moment you were brought here, everything about you changed..." Kira paused and flashed Rebecca a smile. "But then, I can help you escape if you want."

Rebecca stopped crying immediately. She looked at Kira expectantly and felt a glint of hope, but it was washed away when she thought of something. "Why would you want to help me escape? Aren't you working for the men who abducted me?" She questioned.

She wasn't dumb to jump on an offer like that. Why would her enemy want to help her escape, just why?

Kira twitched her tongue. "The thing is that your presence here will be nothing but a threat to me, that's why I'm willing to help you escape. You don't have to worry about anything, just accept to work with me."

She still wasn't impressed by Kira's explanation. She stared at her blankly and was about to speak when the door opened and a guy walked in.

As soon as he entered the room, Kira bowed her head in respect.

"Welcome, boss."

He ignored her greeting and stared at Rebecca whom was also staring back at him.

For the first time in years, he felt like a common person. He always had people greeting him respectfully and no one dares stare at his eyes, but this girl in front of him didn't care, she broke those rules.

He didn't seem offended about it because he knew she was unaware of who he was. He was sure she would get familiar with him soon.

"Hello, Rebecca." He flashed her a smile.

She didn't find him familiar, but the way he spoke to her sounded as if he knew her.

"Who are you?" She didn't waste time in asking.

"I am someone you don't know." He replied, still smiling.

"But then you know me, right?"

"Yes."

"How? Why did you guys bring me here?" She asked.

The guy sighed. He exchanged looks with Kira before looking back at Rebecca.

"Stop being inquisitive, Becca."

Rebecca's eyes twitched when he called her that. Tears were about to come out of her eyes but she held it. "Don't call me that!" She snapped.

Kira moved to her swiftly and dragged her up from the floor. "You do not get to speak to him that way! Apologise now!"

"Kira!" The guy called cautiously and Kira scoffed before letting go of Rebecca roughly.

She fell to the floor and her elbow scrapped the floor in the process, and it began bleeding slightly unknowingly to her and unknowingly to them.

She bit her lip in order to stop herself from yelping, she didn't want to look weak in front of the two strangers.

"She must be hungry, get her food and get her ready to meet him." The guy told Kira.

He took a last glance at Rebecca and walked out of the room with his hands dipped in his trousers pocket.

"From your behaviour, you won't last here." Kira glared at her before storming out of the room.

Rebecca didn't hold back her tears anymore, she let it out.

She wanted it to be a nightmare, she wanted it to be a dream. She wanted someone to wake her up and tell her to get dressed for her wedding. She wanted to go back to Eric.

Her cries were silent, but it was from the soul of a broken and sad girl.

Rebecca had finished crying, and she was seated on the floor with her hands wrapped around her knees. She couldn't cry anymore, she was tired and hungry, she hadn't eaten anything since the previous day. Just as if her mind was being read, the door opened and Kira walked in, holding a tray of food.

"Get up quickly." Kira said, as she dropped the tray on the bed, ignoring the scattered bedsheet.

Rebecca spared the food a stare, and surprisingly, it was her favorite meal, stir-fried spaghetti.

"Eat up fast, you need to prepare. I made the chef prepare the food with extra spice. I was told you liked it." Kira informed her, before walking out of the room.

She was taken aback. It was true she liked her food extra spicy. How did Kira know about that? Who told her? She was still trying to figure it out when her eyes spotted the tulip of roses on the bedside table. She had seen the flowers when she woke up, but she didn't give attention to it, but now that she thought of it, she became astonished. It was her favorite flower.

She waved the thought and climbed the bed, instantly devouring the food like a hungry lion. In less than five minutes, she was done eating. She drank the juice for easily digestion and took a deep breath after that.

Immediately, the door opened and Kira walked in with a girl. The girl was holding a big box. She placed the box on the other side of the bed and then took the tray out of the room.

"How do you always know when to come in?" Rebecca asked, feeling amused.

Kira always came in at the right time and somehow it was satisfying.

"This box here contains the things you'll be needing to dress up. The boss has brought this to you, you're so lucky." The way Kira said the words with malice didn't go unnoticed.

Rebecca noticed the girl had purposely ignored her question, but she didn't budge, she let it be. Moreover, she had important things to be worried about.

"I don't know what your boss wants or who he is, I just want to go home." She muttered to Kira's hearing.

Kira laughed lightly and Rebecca creased her brows, wondering what was funny in what she said.

"I doubt that, Rebecca," Kira said. She opened the box and pushed it to Rebecca.

Rebecca stared into the box and a frown appeared on her face. "Why do I need all these?" She questioned.

The box contained a black gown, silver heels, a diamond bracelet and a necklace.

"Because you need to look your best before meeting with the boss... Now get up, go to the bathroom, freshen up and put this on, understood?" Kira instructed.

Rebecca scoffed, she didn't understand anything, the whole thing looked like a movie.

"And what if I don't?" She stood her ground. She didn't like the fact that she was being ordered around like a lost puppy.

Without saying a word, Kira dipped her hand in her jacket pocket and took out a gun.

Rebecca backed away immediately. Her heart raced, beating in her chest like a drum. Fear crept up her spine, and the only thing she could do at that moment was to cry.

Kira rolled her eyes as she stared at the poor girl. "Now that you know what I'll do if you don't do as I say, you better adhere to anything I tell you. Understood?"

Rebecca nodded quickly, and a satisfactory smile appeared on Kira's lips.

"Good girl. I'll be back to take you to him." With that being said, Kira walked out of the room.

Rebecca rushed to the bathroom in tears, she didn't want to take chances.

Some minutes later, she was dressed in the outfit, and she looked so gorgeous in it.

If it was a normal day, she would take her time admiring her figure, but not in this situation.

As she walked beside Kira, her melancholic eyes were fixed in a particular direction. She didn't give attention to the luxurious decor of the place.

They got outside the building and even though it was nighttime, the whole place looked bright because of the numerous lights fixed everywhere.

A young man approached them, holding a bouquet of roses.

When he got to them, he handed the bouquet to her, and she didn't want to take it. But as soon as she recalled Kira's action earlier, she collected the bouquet from him.

She watched the guy whisper something to Kira, and he then walked away after that.

"You are so lucky." Kira muttered to her hearing, and she wondered what the girl meant by that.

They continued walking, and Kira stopped when they got to the garden entrance.

"Go on from here. Don't try to do anything stupid, I'll be watching you." She warned her and walked away.

Rebecca took a deep breath, wondering what was awaiting her there.

As she entered the garden, a light gasp escaped her lips. The pathway was adorned with twinkling lights and lanterns, casting a golden glow on the flowers there.

A sweet fragrance welcomed her, and she could tell it was from the roses around the garden.

Whoever the boss was, he definitely knew her favorite flower was a rose.

She spotted a beautifully set table in a quiet corner.

When she got to where the table was, she met a huge figure standing four meters from the table.

His back was turned against her, so she couldn't see his face.

The golden lighting cast a glow on his broad shoulders, highlighting the tension in his posture.

She didn't know if he knew about her presence there, so she decided to speak up. "Hey." She cooed.

She didn't get a reply.

The atmosphere was heavy with anticipation. Her gaze was fixed on his back, searching for clues that might reveal his identity.

Her heart raced with a mix of curiosity and trepidation. She took a deep breath and decided to take a bold step. She walked closer to him and just when she was about to tap his shoulder, he slowly turned to her.

Her hand stopped midair immediately she saw his face. The bouquet fell from her hand.

Her expression transformed from curiosity to shock. Her eyes dimmed, it was as if she had just seen a ghost.

Time freezed as they locked eyes, the air thick with unspoken words.

The silence between them was awkward. Only the gentle rustling of leaves and the soft chirping of birds could be heard.

Her lips parted, but no words came out. She took a step backward, her brain scrambling to process the unexpected situation.

"Axel." His name left her mouth in a whisper.