Twin of the Possessive Devil

Elliana glanced nervously around as she made her way to her boyfriend Andrew's condo unit. Her heart raced, afraid that her stepfather might have sent someone to follow her. She had escaped from the restaurant where Sir Manciano had introduced her to the old man she was supposed to marry.

Since childhood, Elliana had been under the care of Manciano King after her mother, who had worked as a maid in his mansion, passed away. Owing him a great debt of gratitude, she couldn't refuse when the sixty-five-year-old man asked her to marry someone to save the King family's failing business.

Earlier, she had met the man she was supposed to marry-the owner of the Mendevil Empire. She had barely held back the urge to gag; he was even older than Manciano, with crooked teeth and a single gold one that stood out.

He may have been filthy rich, but he was a complete slob.

She wondered if it might be better to just run away with Andrew. She simply couldn't bear the thought of marrying that old man. The thought made her shudder with disgust.

"Ashley, you're so good at this, huh?" Andrew's voice floated with a seductive and teasing tone.

She froze in her tracks, her heart sinking as the sound of heavy moans followed.

"Andrew," she called out, her voice breaking as she pushed open the door to the living room. There, she saw him sitting with Manciano's granddaughter, Ashley, straddled on his lap.

Her disgust deepened as she saw Ashley's glistening lips while Andrew's pants lay unzipped.

Instead of feeling ashamed, Ashley grinned at her. She moved her hips, and Elliana almost wanted to cover her ears as her shameless boyfriend moaned in pleasure.

"There she is, Andrew. The woman who cheated on you," Ashley taunted.

"You two are disgusting!" Elliana shouted, rushing toward them in fury.

But before she could grab Ashley by the hair, Andrew shoved her hard. She fell to the floor with a thud.

"You're going to marry an old man for money!" Andrew yelled, his words making her mouth drop open in shock.

"H-How did you-"

Ashley let out a mocking laugh, her grin widening. Her chest was exposed, littered with marks.

"Don't act all innocent, Elliana. You offered yourself up to marry that old man. Did you really think I didn't know that you and Granddaddy met with your soon to be old hag husband today, for his money?"

"T-That's not true!" Tears welled up in her eyes. She was doing it for their family, and yet this was the betrayal she received in return.

"Shut up, Elliana!"

Andrew grabbed her arm so tightly that Elliana thought it might break.

"So that's why you wouldn't let me touch you-because you had another plan. How much is that old man paying you, huh? I'll triple it! Just sleep with me. D*mn it, I'll wear you out-"

A loud slap silenced him.

She yanked her arm free, furious at his insult. But Andrew only grinned more wickedly. "What? Has he already slept with you?"

The tears she had been holding back burst forth. She shoved him hard and ran out of the condo, her vision blurred as she frantically pressed the elevator button. She didn't care about the people staring at her as she rushed by.

In her haste, she collided headfirst into something-or rather, someone-hard as a wall.

"Careful," a deep voice said, the tone almost commanding.

Elliana lifted her gaze, only to be met with a pair of piercing ash-gray eyes. Despite her tear-blurred vision, the man's appearance registered in her mind. His brows were knitted together in a harsh line, his expression cold and unreadable.

"A-Are you single, Sir?" she asked, her voice trembling.

He tilted his head slightly, his lips tightening.

The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down Elliana's spine. It felt like his eyes were piercing right through her, and the size of him was intimidating-tall, muscular, veins running down his solid arms that were now wrapped around her waist.

She wanted to flee from his predatory eyes, but the fire of revenge burned too hot in her veins.

"If you are..." she said, summoning every ounce of courage, "pop my virginity. I'm giving you my piece of hymen."

The coldness in his expression vanished, replaced by a heat in his eyes she couldn't quite understand.

He gazed at her as though she were his willing prey-vulnerable, submissive. And he was the dominant predator.

"You look fragile. Your eyes are sad," his deep voice crawled across her skin, sending a shiver through her body.

"M-My boyfriend cheated on me," Elliana stammered, her tears pooling at the corners of her eyes once more.

That's when she saw it-something dark and dangerous flickered in his ash-gray eyes. His jaw clenched tightly, as if her words had struck a nerve, stirring something angry within him.

"Let's go," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

A chill ran down her spine as the man practically lifted her from where she stood. His arm was wrapped firmly around her waist, so tight that she couldn't even muster a protest.

The moment they entered a dimly lit establishment, loud music crashed into her ears, mingling with the shouts of people raising bottles in celebration. She watched as the stranger took something handed to him by a passing waiter. Moments later, they were climbing a set of stairs, heading to who knows where.

"Do you like it rough?"

Elliana gasped loudly as he suddenly shoved her without warning. She bounced onto a crimson-colored bed.

The room was bathed in a deep red hue, from the sheets to the flickering candles whose smoke carried an unfamiliar scent.

"W-What do you mean by rough?" Her eyes grew heavy-lidded, a strange sensation settling over her.

"How old are you?" he asked.

Though confused, she managed to answer, "Twenty."

One corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile. "Good. Just making sure you're not a minor. I'm Falco."

"Elliana," she replied, her voice almost a whisper.

Falco grabbed a bottle of alcohol from the bedside table, uncapping it before walking back toward her.

She obediently parted her lips as he brought the bottle's mouth to her mouth.

"Drink," he ordered.

Her lips parted wider, her eyes locking onto his with a seductive gleam, silently inviting him to do whatever he pleased.

The bitter liquid burned down her throat, and her body felt warmer, more alive.

Without even thinking, she spread her legs as he positioned one strong thigh between them, pressing firmly into her.

"Ahhh!" she moaned, the sound slipping from her lips.

He tilted the bottle to his lips, and Elliana watched as the alcohol slid down his neck and chest. When Falco's gaze returned to her, his eyes burned with desire.

She gasped as his large hands pushed her back onto the bed, gripping the side of her skirt before violently tearing it away. Moans and grunts filled the air as Elliana surrendered her virginity to a man she barely knew.

"F*ck!" Falco cursed, jolted awake by the sound. The throb in his head from last night's hangover was unbearable.

With bleary eyes, he reached for his phone, only to real he wasn't in his office.

He shot up, cursing again as pain surged through his senses, noticing the empty side of the bed next to him.

"Where is that woman?" he muttered, noticing only the traces of blood on the sheets.

'Virgin but a fighter in bed, huh?' He smirked to himself.

He usually avoided virgins; they were far too clingy. But last night's woman had been a tigress-a tempting challenge. He found it amusing that instead of sobbing over her heartbreak, she had boldly approached him, asking for s*x.

The way she had eagerly responded to his invitation for "rough s*x" amused him. Her innocent eyes had been so enticing as he had taken her. And d*mn, he had found that so incredibly hot!

"What?" he said, putting his phone on loudspeaker as he walked naked to the shower.

"The Vile Hotel construction in Belgium collapsed, Sir," the voice on the line reported.

His senses sharpened immediately.

"Chairman Mendevil demands your presence. The plane is ready. We'll leave in an hour."

He grabbed a white towel and walked back into the room, completely unbothered by his nudity.. With disinterest, he let his secretary continue speaking on the line as his fingers traced the bloodstains on the sheets.

"About the Kings, Sir."

Only then did he pick up his phone and press it to his ear.

"Chairman canceled the engagement. The lady of the Kings disagreed with the marriage-"

"No!" he interrupted firmly.

"Sir?"

The secretary sounded taken aback, knowing how strongly he had opposed that arranged marriage-until last night. He had tasted what was supposed to be his wife, and he couldn't shake the memory of her intoxicating scent that had driven him wild.

"I want that woman to be my wife."

Elliana stumbled as she entered the King mansion. The pain from her loss of virginity still throbbed, but she forced herself to move on from the chaos of the night before.

"God! Elliana Maycee, open your social media now!" Her best friend Yvah's panicked voice crackled through the line. "Someone posted photos of you! Nasty photos!"

Her eyes widened in horror as she followed Yvah's instructions. Images of her entering the club with a man flooded the internet. And not just that-there were also edited pictures claiming she had married the old man for money. They even had her face superimposed onto a scene with a naked boy doing a lap dance in a crowded place she recognized.

"Do you even know what club you went to last night?" Yvah exclaimed. "It's Jolus Club-a den for s*x-starved people. They're notorious for dealing illegal drugs and aphrodisiacs!"

"Elliana, you wh*r*!"

She didn't have a chance to respond before Loida, Sir Manciano's eldest daughter, thundered into the room.

"Auntie-"

Loida slapped her hard, nearly causing her to lose her balance. Dazed, she looked up only to receive another fierce strike.

"Auntie Loida!" she cried out as the woman yanked her hair.

"You ungrateful little brat! You have no shame. You've dragged our name through the mud. D*mn you!"

"Auntie, that hurts!" Elliana pleaded, struggling to free herself from the older woman's grip, but Loida was too strong. Her weight was enough to nearly rip Elliana's scalp off.

"She even cheated on Andrew," Ashley spat.

"You stole him from me!" Elliana shot back at Ashley, only to receive yet another slap from her mother.

"Are you answering back? You're the curse of this family! I don't understand what father sees in you to even let you live under our roof!"

Elliana felt her head spinning from the blows to her head.

"Ma'am Loida!"

Only then did Loida stop when the mansion's housekeeper, Louisa, approached.

"Don't you dare stop me, Louisa, unless you want to get caught up in my anger!"

Louisa quickly shook her head. "Sir Manciano has had an accident!"

The doctors declared her stepfather to be in a coma, suffering from severe head trauma and multiple fractures.

"This is all your fault!"

She was frozen in place as Loida charged at her again.

"If you hadn't been reckless, this wouldn't have happened to Papa!"

Loida wouldn't let her go, so even the hospital staff had to intervene to separate them.

Crying, Elliana curled into a corner of the hallway, her body aching all over. She hadn't even begun to recover from what had happened last night, and now Loida's relentless torment continued.

All she could do was sob in the corner, feeling the weight of self-blame. Once the guards finally managed to escort Loida and Ashley out, Manciano's secretary, Melchor, approached her.

"We have a problem. Loida refuses to release any funds for Manciano."

Elliana's mouth fell open in disbelief.

Melchor let out a heavy sigh. "The company is on the verge of collapse; if they withdraw any more money, Kingzone Telco won't recover."

"But Sir Manciano's life is at stake!"

"I've told Loida that too. But she's stubborn. She insists she knows Manciano well enough to know he'd rather die than-"

"That can't happen." Tears streamed down her face again. She couldn't bear to lose the one person who had always stood by her.

"We can appeal, but there's a strong chance the court will side with Loida. She's Manciano's eldest daughter and is now in control of Kingzone Telco's operations."

"We'll be kicked out of the hospital if we can't pay, Mr. Melchor. Sir Manciano will die!"

"I thought you might consider going through with the marriage to the owner of Mendevil Empire," he suggested.

Elliana gasped at his words, her tears momentarily halting.

"That's the only way I see to secure funds for Manciano's treatment," he continued, pressing on despite her shock.

Feeling as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders, Elliana realized she would have to sacrifice her future for money.

What was the difference between her and Ashley's accusations that she would marry for money?

But she couldn't bear the thought of losing Sir Manciano. The old man had loved her ever since her mother passed away. He had provided for her education, given her a home in his mansion, and made her feel as though she had a father in him.

Her conscience wouldn't allow her to let him die when she had the power to help.

So at the age of twenty, she signed the marriage certificate with her eyes closed, fully aware of the sacrifice it entailed.

"She's in tears of joy," Melchor remarked, noticing that her husband's lawyer was analyzing her expression.

She averted her gaze and quickly wiped away the tears welling in her eyes.

"Mr. Mendevil is currently abroad and has requested his wife to stay at their mansion."

She could only nod in response as the two men began discussing financial matters.

That evening, a car came to pick her up and drove her to her husband's palace-like home.

She jolted awake when she felt her stomach churn.

For several days, she had felt unwell. Initially, she thought it was just exhaustion from spending nearly every day at the hospital. Manciano had been in a deep sleep for almost three weeks, and his condition showed no signs of improvement.

However, in the past few days, she had noticed changes in her body and her sudden pickiness with food. She wasn't so naive as to ignore the possibility that she might be carrying a child.

Elliana was still emotional as she descended the grand staircase of the mansion. She was about to head straight to the kitchen when she overheard the voices of two housemaids.

"The Mendevil family is traditional. They don't accept illegitimate children," said the oldest maid.

"Why not? We're in modern times now," the other one replied.

"Just trust me, Jennie. No more questions. It reminds me of the late Doña. Chairman's father tormented the child he had outside of marriage. The Mendevils are ruthless, especially towards those who aren't blood-related but are eager to s*ck off their wealth."

Her trembling hand instinctively rested on her flat abdomen.

A chill coursed through her feet, and her hunger and thirst vanished, replaced by an inexplicable dread.

She had heard plenty about the Mendevil family, and it was hardly pleasant. Being the wealthiest in the city, no one dared to challenge the name she had married into.

Pacing nervously in her room, she couldn't quite grasp her husband's character, but what she had heard was enough to instill fear for the child she was carrying.

"What am I going to do?" she whispered to herself.

Her gaze fell on the closed walk-in closet. Quickly, she rushed over and began packing.

She needed to protect her baby. She couldn't bear to involve the innocent life growing inside her.

5 YEARS LATER

"Mommy, Lexus's fighting me!"Elliana paused from arranging the roses in her basket when she heard the shrill cry of her three-year-old daughter.

"I'm not! You're just being a bad baby!"

There was a brief moment of silence before she heard a loud smack, followed by a thud. Dropping the scissors, she rushed to the small living room.

"Maxie, what did you do?" she scolded the mischievous little girl, hurrying to comfort her twin brother, who was holding his reddened cheek.

Instead of answering, Maxie pursed her lips dramatically, looking up at her with big, pleading eyes. Her lips quivered slightly, but Elliana's stern expression remained unchanged. With that, Maxie's mouth opened wide, and she burst into loud sobs.

Elliana sighed in exhaustion. She's the one at fault, yet she has the nerve to cry!

"Maxie, stop crying. You're making our Momma tired," Lexus said, sounding far more mature than his years. He crawled over to his sister and wrapped his tiny arms around her. "I'm sorry, don't cry anymore."

Lexus even kissed Maxie's plump, rosy cheek.

"Don't fight Maxie again, okay? I'm right, and you're wrong."

"Okay," Lexus nodded obediently, as if he would agree to anything his sister said, just to stop her from crying.

Elliana pressed a hand to her forehead, watching her children in disbelief.

Maxie had always been the naughty twin-the short-tempered, bratty, and overly talkative one. She always wanted things to go her way.

"Maxie, why did you do that to your brother?" Elliana asked calmly but firmly. "You don't slap someone just because you're mad at them."

Instead of answering, Maxie hid behind her twin brother. Lexus immediately shielded her, stepping in to prevent his sister from getting scolded.

"It's my fault, Momma. I upset her," Lexus said, his voice small but protective.

Elliana crossed her arms and gave her son a quick glance. "Maxie, don't hide behind your brother. I'm talking to you. Even if Lexus defends you, I know you did something wrong."

With a pout, her baby slowly stepped out from behind her twin, fidgeting with her small fingers and keeping her head down.

"It was just because, Momma..."

"Sorry, Momma. I provoked her," Lexus interrupted again, this time stretching his small arm protectively in front of Maxie as if shielding her from their mother's scolding.

Elliana had always told them they should stand by each other no matter what, but it seemed they'd taken that lesson too much to heart. Both were unusually sharp for their age, especially Lexus Kenz. He was the mature and responsible one-calm, with an endless amount of patience.

"Lexus, you can't always cover for Maxie's mistakes. I know you're trying to protect her, but how will she ever learn if you do that?"

"I'm sorry, Momma," Maxie whimpered, clutching Lexus's hand tightly with each sob. "Sorry, Lexus. Maxie loves you."

Elliana sighed again, finally sitting down on the floor and crossing her legs.

"Come here," she said, opening her arms and offering them a warm smile.

The twins immediately rushed toward her. Maxie threw herself into her mother's arms, and Elliana caught her little body with ease.

"I'm sorry, Momma," Maxie repeated with a sniffle. "Maxie's naughty again."

Elliana gently kissed her daughter on both cheeks. "You're forgiven. But remember, you don't slap your big brother just because he disagrees with you. Didn't I tell you, when you two can't agree on something, you come to me so we can sort it out together?"

"Yes, Momma. We're sorry," Maxie said with fluttering eyelashes and a cute pout, clearly trying to charm her way out of trouble.

Elliana pulled Lexus onto her other knee, seating him beside his sister.

"So, what were you two arguing about, hmm?"

"About our birthday," Lexus replied.

"And what about it?" Their birthday was just a week away.

"We're turning four!" Maxie squealed excitedly, her big eyes wide with excitement. She even held up four tiny fingers and giggled.

"Maxie wants to go to the city, and I told her we can't because we don't have the money for that," Lexus explained calmly.

"I said no because you'll get more jobs. You'll be tired," Lexus explained, his voice soft. Elliana felt a warm sensation fill her chest as her little boy shyly snuggled into her neck.

"You're so sweet, baby. Thank you for thinking of me," she whispered.

Maxie, on the other hand, was pouting, her little fingers tapping together as her rosy lips jutted out. She blinked up at her mother with wide, pleading eyes.

"It's just a wish, Mommy," she said innocently.

Elliana laughed and kissed her baby girl on the cheek. "It's okay, Maxie. We're going to the city. Mommy has saved up some money." She had been hearing for a while now how much her children wanted to visit the city, so she made sure to set aside some savings for the trip.

"Yehey! Did you hear that, Lexus? We're going to the city! We'll see big buildings and fast cars!" Maxie jumped in excitement, and Elliana amusedly pinched Lexus's cheek when she saw him trying to suppress a smile.

Finally, a grin broke across his face, showing his white baby teeth before he threw his arms around her in a tight hug.

"Thank you, Momma. You're the best! Maxie and I love you so much."

"I love you both," Elliana replied, her eyes warming with emotion. Before tears could spill over, she stood up, kissed her kids one more time, and excused herself to return to her work.