Untill My Last Breath

The car had been moving for nearly two hours in complete silence. Not a single word was exchanged between them, the only sound being the hum of the engine and the occasional crunch of tires against the road.

When the vehicle finally slowed and came to a stop, Celeb, the driver, was quick to step out, circling to open the door for Liam.

Alina followed suit, stepping out into the crisp air only for her eyes to widen in shock.

Before her stood not just a house, but something that looked straight out of a fairy tale.

It was massive, elegant, and gleaming white under the sunlight so pristine it almost hurt to look at. The grand building rose like a modern-day castle. For a moment, Alina forgot herself and simply stared, her mind flashing back to the pink castles in the Barbie movies she used to watch with Helen when they were little.

The sight was... magical.

Her lips curved into an unintentional smile as she imagined what the inside must look like.

"What?" Liam's cold voice sliced through her thoughts. "You like the house so much you can't stop staring?"

Alina blinked, caught off guard by his tone, but chose to ignore him. Since when did admiring something become a crime?

They passed through the towering double doors and entered a long hallway that seemed to stretch forever. Alina beginning to feel her legs ache from the walk.

By the time they reached the end, she found herself stepping into an enormous living room... and her eyes instantly caught the color.

Black.

Everything was black.

The massive sectional couch was deep charcoal, the thick rug underfoot was midnight black, the walls were painted in the same shade, and the heavy curtains matched perfectly. It was as if someone had taken the concept of darkness and decorated an entire space with it.

The only thing keeping the room from looking like a dungeon was the magnificent chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It shimmered with golden light, scattering warm glows across the dark surfaces, almost fighting to keep the room from drowning in gloom.

Before she could say anything, Liam's voice rang out. "Joe!"

From the corner of the room, an elderly man in a perfectly pressed suit hurried forward, stopping precisely five steps away from Liam.

"Have you cleaned the room I told you to?" Liam asked, his tone brisk.

"Yes, Master. Everything is sparkling clean," Joe replied in a curt, respectful voice.

Liam gave a single nod. "Hmmm." He waved the butler away without another word.

Alina, meanwhile, was still gazing up at the chandelier, her eyes following the way the crystals caught the light.

"Stop staring at the chandelier," Liam said flatly. "It might fall just from having to look at your ugly face."

Her head snapped toward him, eyes wide. Did... did he just call me ugly?

He smirked faintly at the look on her face, clearly enjoying her outrage. "What would you do if I called you ugly?" he teased, his voice low but laced with challenge.

Alina's heart skipped, then thudded hard against her ribs not from his words, but from the sheer audacity of him. She clenched her fists but refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Without waiting for her reply, Liam turned and started up the grand staircase. "Follow me."

Alina let out a slow sigh to calm herself before trailing behind him, silently wishing the staircase would swallow him whole.

On the first floor, he stopped at the first door to the right, pushing it open and stepping inside.

The room was spotless, simple yet well-kept. The bed was neatly made, the floor gleamed, and the air smelled faintly of lavender. But there was one glaring problem.

It was black.

Black bed sheets. Black pillows. Black drapes. Black furniture.

Alina stood there, blinking as if trying to process the monochrome nightmare.

"This is your room," Liam said, turning to face her.

She hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. "It's... fine. But maybe you could change the color? Orange and white would be perfect." She gave him her best pout, like a spoiled child asking for candy.

Liam stared at her as though she'd grown two heads. Did she think he was her father, ready to fulfill her every whim?

"What's wrong with the color?" he asked.

"I don't like black," she admitted bluntly. "It feels like... death."

At that, Liam chuckled, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Good. Then you've realized you're standing in hell... and the fire might burn you any second."

Her mouth fell open, but before she could retort, he said, "If you don't like it, you can always sleep in the passage we walked through earlier."

Her jaw dropped. Did he really just suggest I sleep in the hallway?

"Never mind," she muttered quickly. "Thanks for the room."

He simply gave a short nod and left.

As soon as the door closed, Alina grabbed the nearest pillow-of course, it was black-and began swinging it in the air, muttering under her breath about arrogant, heartless man. She was so caught up in her pillow assault that she didn't notice the door opening again.

The pillow flew from her hands and smacked straight into Liam's face.

For a moment, time froze.

Alina's eyes widened. "Oh... crap."

Liam stood there, the pillow still in his hands, staring at her with an expression that was a mix of shock and something dangerous.

The air in the room suddenly felt heavier.

Liam had returned to the room to tell her to inform the butler if she needs anything-only to be met with a pillow hitting him square in the face.

"Do you really have a death wish?" Liam asked, his tone bone-chilling.

"Sorry... I didn't mean it. It was a mistake," Alina stammered.

His eyes narrowed. "Do you realize you've been getting on my nerves? Do you really want to die?" His voice was low, dangerous, each word dripping with menace as he began walking toward her-step by step-like a predator closing in on its prey.

Instinctively, Alina stepped back, their movements matching in a slow, tense rhythm until her back hit the wall.

Liam braced one hand against the wall beside her head, effectively caging her in.

Alina avoided his gaze, staring anywhere else to escape the suffocating intensity in his eyes. But when she risked a quick glance, she couldn't help noticing despite the fury etched into his features, the devil in front of her was... devastatingly handsome.

The faint scent of sandalwood clung to him, filling the space between them, making it harder for her to breathe. Just when she thought she might lose control, his voice cut through the air.

"The next time you hit me, whether it's intentional or not. I'll chop off two of your fingers."

With that, Liam pushed away from the wall and left the room, leaving Alina struggling to steady her breathing.

She looked around, her gaze landing on the dark walls. She hated them. One day, she knew, she would close her eyes and never wake again only endless darkness would greet her.

After getting tired of staring at the black wall, she sighed and pulled her phone from her pocket only to see countless messages from her family and Helen.

She scrolled to her dad's number and called him. The moment he picked up, different worried voices began speaking over each other.

"Alina, are you okay?" That was her mother's voice.

"You stupid grandchild of mine! Why would you agree to go with the Devil?" her grandmother scolded.

"Alina, can you hear us? Please speak, are you okay?" her father asked.

"I'm fine. You people shouldn't worry too much about me," Alina replied.

"Really? What if he gets you killed?" her grandmother snapped.

"So what's the difference? It's not like I have much left to live for," Alina said. There was silence for a moment, she knew she had just dropped a bomb.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I'll be fine, please believe me," Alina added quickly.

"Please try visiting home soon," her mother said.

"Yes, Mom," she answered.

"We love you, dear," her grandmother said before the call ended.

She sometimes hated how worried her family could be, but she understood that's what a good family does.

Next, she scrolled to Helen's number. She knew her best friend would also be worried to death.

"How could you, Alina? Oh my goodness... Tell me what your mom told me is a lie, that you're staying with the Devil!" Helen blurted the moment she answered.

"Helen, calm down. I'm fine. I'm sorry I didn't call earlier... I was going to once I settled in," Alina explained.

"Are you sure? Or are you hiding something from me?" Helen pressed.

"No, honestly, I'm fine," Alina assured her.

"Okay, so tell me... I heard the Devil's house is the biggest in the city. Please, can I take a look?" Helen asked.

"First of all, his house isn't a house-it's like a castle from a Barbie cartoon, only difference is, it's black," Alina said.

"Black? Please just show me on video call," Helen pleaded.

Alina hesitated, unsure if Liam would allow it. But in the end, she agreed and switched to video call.

"Oh my goodness... It's huge!" Helen exclaimed as Alina showed her around the room. "Wait, why all black?"

"I don't know. I guess the Devil's favorite color is black," Alina replied.

"That's weird... and kind of annoying. What are you going to do now?" Helen asked, knowing her friend disliked black.

"Nothing. I guess I'll have to get used to it," Alina said.

"Listen, Alina, please be careful. Do whatever he asks you to, and if you feel uncomfortable-just run away, okay? We can leave the country, go somewhere he'll never find you," Helen said, sounding like a worried mother.

"Thanks, Helen. You don't have to worry too much about me, I'll be fine," Alina said with a smile. She was truly glad to have a friend like Helen.

They talked for a while before ending the call. Then Alina fell back onto the bed.

It was 6 p.m., and Alina was still lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. Suddenly, her stomach growled loudly, pulling her back to reality. She glanced at the clock on the wall-it was dinner time. With a reluctant sigh, she dragged her lazy body out of bed to look for the butler, but a knock sounded on the door before she could leave.

When she opened it, a young, beautiful woman stood there, smiling sweetly.

"Good evening, Miss. I'm here to let you know that dinner is ready," the woman said politely, bowing slightly. She looked to be in her early thirties, dressed in a maid's uniform, and was strikingly attractive.

Alina smiled back, silently wondering why everyone working for the Devil was so good-looking. She followed the maid as she led the way.

The maid brought her to an enormous hall-the dining room. Alina's eyes widened as she took in the long table, which could easily seat about twenty people on each side. The table was made of sleek black wood, adorned with shiny bronze candelabras holding tall, thin candles spaced at measured intervals. Overhead, a glittering chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow. At the head of the table sat an ornate golden chair, with rows of elegant chairs extending down either side.

She walked to the right of the golden chair, where a single plate and dishes had been set out, clearly meant for her. As soon as she sat down, Joe, the butler, appeared behind her.

"Please feel free to ask if you need anything," Joe said with a respectful nod.

Alina nodded in return, her gaze falling on the lavish spread before her. The food looked mouthwateringly delicious, but something caught her attention only one place setting was arranged. All of this... for her alone?

What about Liam? she wondered. But before she could ask, Joe spoke again, almost as if he had read her mind.

"The Master is working," he explained.

"Oh... okay," Alina said softly, turning her attention back to the food. She began eating but couldn't manage much. Maybe it was because she wasn't used to dining alone. Back home, meals were always lively, surrounded by her family. Here, she supposed she'd have to get used to the silence.

After forcing herself to eat a little more, she rose from her seat and left the dining room.

Back in her room, she decided to take a shower before sleeping. Without a second thought, she stripped off her clothes and stepped into the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, she emerged, a short black towel wrapped around her body-just barely covering below her hips.

That was when it hit her: she had followed the Devil to his house without making any preparations. She hadn't brought a single change of clothes.

What was she supposed to wear now? She definitely couldn't put back on the clothes she'd just taken off-they were dirty.

********

Liam sat in his chair, eyes fixed on the laptop in front of him. The steady tapping of his fingers on the keyboard filled the quiet room-until a knock at the door interrupted him.

He frowned. At this hour? Caleb knew better than to disturb him while he was working.

"Come in," Liam called, his tone clipped.

The door creaked open, and light footsteps approached. Oddly, no one spoke.

"What is it?" he asked without looking up. Silence.

His jaw tightened. "Have you gone dumb? What's cut your tongue?" He swiveled his chair around-only to be the one left speechless.

Alina stood in front of him, draped in a large blanket that pooled at her feet. A few damp strands of hair clung to her face, and her long, wet lashes made her eyes seem softer, more alluring. Liam guessed she'd just stepped out of the bath. The blanket hung over her head and down her back, but left the front open.

His gaze traveled-briefly, unintentionally-from her eyes to her light pink lips, then to the delicate curve of her collarbone. Her skin still held the faint flush from the heat of the bath, a warm baby-pink tone that, against her fair complexion, looked almost... tempting.

The towel she wore underneath barely reached mid-thigh, exposing a glimpse of smooth skin.

"What are you doing here? Trying to seduce me?" Liam asked flatly.

"No! Why would I do that? Do I look like a prostitute to you?" Alina shot back.

Liam exhaled slowly, his irritation barely contained. "What do you want before I throw you out?"

"I... I don't have any clothes to wear," she admitted.

That caught him off guard. "What?"

"You didn't let me bring my things," she said defensively.

"So? Just because you have nothing to wear, you show up in my room half-naked?"

Alina looked down at herself, baffled. "Half-naked? I'm wearing a towel and a blanket."

"Let me rephrase-half of you is covered, half of you isn't. I can see... everything." His finger pointed toward her chest in deliberate emphasis.

Her cheeks warmed. She looked down, fiddling with her fingers to hide her embarrassment. "It's your fault. If you'd given me a day to go home and get my clothes, I wouldn't be here."

"So? Aren't you afraid of what I might do to you?"

Her mind stalled. That was when it hit her-she was alone in a man's bedroom, late at night, wearing nothing but a towel beneath a blanket. The thought made her feel ridiculously reckless.

"I... I..." she stammered, unsure how to respond.

"Follow me," Liam said, rising to his feet.

She hesitated, but reasoned that if the devil really intended to harm her, he would have done so already. Keeping five steps behind him, she followed.

His room was as vast as she expected, every corner drenched in black. This man is obsessed with the color black, she thought.

Liam stopped at a door and pushed it open. Inside was a walk-in closet lined with neatly arranged suits, business attire, and a few casual outfits-nearly all in black.

"Pick one," he said simply.

Alina scanned the racks with visible distaste until she finally spotted a white T-shirt and black shorts. They looked far too big for her.

Liam's eyes flicked from her to the clothes in her hands, but he said nothing except, "You can change here." Then he turned and left.

Rolling her eyes, Alina closed the door and quickly changed. The T-shirt was long enough to touch her knees, with a wide neckline that revealed the pale line of her neck and collarbone. The shorts were loose, so she tied them tightly with the drawstring-but they disappeared under the oversized shirt anyway.

When she stepped back into the room, Liam was already at his desk again, his long fingers gliding over the keys, eyes locked on the glowing laptop screen.

"I'm done," she said softly.

He looked up. For a split second, his eyes lingered. She looked... cute. Too cute, actually. But his face remained cold.

"Get out."

Alina muttered a quiet "thank you" and left the room.