Page 1 of Ruined By a Devil

CHAPTER ONE

Jade

“I’m not going,” I don’t even bother lifting my eyes from the series playing on the flat screen TV in my room.

My cousin Julia has been trying to convince me to join the party my Papà decided to throw at our estate, for the last thirty minutes. Even though I’ve made it clear that I find eating sand more appealing than hanging around all the people that came to witness the freak show that’s about to go down. Julia just won’t leave me alone and the temptation to just push her out the window is getting more real by the minute.

“It’ll be fun!” She sits across from me on the coffee table, blocking the TV screen. “Besides, Nolan is hot!”

“Then you marry him,” I get up and walk past her watching her face light up as I approach the door. “Get out.”

“But—”

I open the door for her, but my cousin doesn’t move. Instead, she remains put, not even trying to pretend how much she dislikes me. Or how much she wishes to be the one whom Papà wants to marry off to Nolan Devlin.

“What’s with this circus?” Mamma walks in carrying the same frown I saw on Julia just minutes earlier. “Why aren’t you dressed yet?”

“I am dressed,” I respond dryly.

“A pair of skinny jeans and a top that is a size too small small is not appropriate for this type of party,” Mamma closes the door behind her with a loud click and walks up to my walk-in closet.

“You’re both wasting your time,” I make myself comfortable in the sofa again. “I said I’m not going and I’m not going to change my mind.”

“Yes, you are,” Mamma responds from inside the closet. “And if you don’t get downstairs yourself, your Papà will come here himself. We both know that’s not something you want to happen.”

I sigh. She’s right, even though I hate admitting it and would never do so out loud. Mamma doesn’t need a verbal confirmation that she’s right, she’s already too full of herself as it is.

“Told ya…” Julia mouths and I roll my eyes.

“This is perfect!” Mamma walks out of the closet carrying a puffy white dress a porcelain doll would wear. “Put this on with the silver shoes and come greet your guests.”

Your guest.

The reason why this whole freak show exists in the first place. Even though Papà didn’t explicitly tell me what he’s planning, I’m aware that he’s throwing this party so I can spend time with Nolan Devlin. Or my future fiancé. And I’m not the only one who knows it, I’m willing to bet, even the service staff is aware of the potential engagement between me and Nolan.

“Hurry!” Mamma helps me get up from the sofa, rushing me. “It’s rude to make people wait when you’re the host.”

I sigh, starting to undress myself. “I’m not the host, Papà is.”

“Maybe be more careful with the things you say around Nolan,” Mamma continues. “Men don’t like when a woman is too stubborn and speaks a lot.”

“Oh,” I raise an eyebrow. “You’re both those things and you’re married.”

I see Julia chuckle behind her, but Mamma doesn’t seem very amused with my comeback. Instead, she turns around on her heel, her short hair bouncing as she walks to the door and slams it shut behind her.

Someone else would consider this a win, but I know better. It’s always been like this with my parents and I’ve gotten used to it. But if they think I’m going to willingly walk from one prison into another, they clearly don’t know me enough.

“Your Mamma said to put on the white dress,” Julia’s eyes widen as I walk back into the room wearing a red dress that highlights every curve on my body and might be a little too short for a family party.

“Do you like that white dress?”

Julia nods.

“It’s yours,” I give her a small smile as I lift my long black hair into a high ponytail.

“Are you kidding me?” Her eyes go wide, but there’s an undeniable sparkle behind them. “It’s designer!”

“Everything in this house is,” I proceed to apply my makeup and finish it with perfume on my wrists and behind my ears.