Arc 0 - Chapter 8

Satan found an extremely expensive product from the Belladonna shop- a mirror that let you see 15 minutes back in time at the specific place you desire.

Maria bought the item with a heavy sigh and watched the mirror in anticipation. Satan and Lilith beside her also kept their eyes wide open.

Inside the mirror you would see Theresa sobbing in the same room, holding a pregnancy test.

She pulled at her hair, looking at a text message on her phone miserably.

When she heard the door open, she hid the pregnancy test.

Nathan was at the door, dressed elegantly with his hair slicked back, his face was stiff and serious- as if he came to a hard decision.

Before he could open his mouth to speak, Theresa showed the test tearfully, and their conversation began.

Maria found out they were not all absent from sex as Theresa told the other man.

Every once in a while, When Nathan comes back extremely drunk from the business meeting that required him to drink loads of alcohol to please his elders- they lay together.

It was true that it barely happened in the past half year, but whenever it happened- Theresa will take a morning-after pill.

Theresa told Nathan that she probably forgot one time.

They talked about this and comforted each other, Nathan seemed as if he was empty inside, and Theresa was shakey the whole conversation.

Satan shook his head when the time ended. "This doesn't explain a lot."

Maria chewed on her fingers, her eyes lit up after a minute. "No... This explains everything!"

Lilith rose an eyebrow, her face was expressionless yet her eyes looked as if she knew the secrets of the world. "Did she say something that drew your attention?"

Maria shook her head. "No, it wasn't her words- it was her behavior."

No one knew her sister better than her.

Theresa was shakey the whole conversation and dodged her gaze to the side. It reminded her of when they were kids and Theresa got in trouble at school or with their parents.

When that happened, Theresa will always cling to others for help.

Sometimes it was Maria, sometimes her friends and other adults.

Theresa had that weird belief that if someone sticks by her side in times of trouble- it will all be fine. But what got her into more serious trouble, time and time again, the thing she never learned properly:

When the trouble is too big, you can't stick to those who cannot solve it.

When their parents got angry, she will stick to Maria- What can a small Maria even do against their parents?

When the teacher punished her, she will call her classmates. What can they do against the authority of the teacher?

When she got into trouble with older girls who were jealous of her, she will hide behind her girlfriends, but what can elementary school girls do against middle school girls?

This time- when Theresa got in trouble with the head of this mafia group, she sticks to Nathan to save her.

But she doesn't understand Nathan doesn't stand a chance against that man.

Maria explained briefly to Lilith and Satan.

They both wanted to remind Maria that she needed hard-earned evidence, but fell silent as Maria called her mother.

Maria's mother questioned how is she, if she is eating well, and why is she calling now- isn't she and Theresa at Nathan's birthday party?

Maria faked her mother a story about Theresa's stomach ache at the middle of the party, and that she needed Theresa's medical number to get her medicine at a pharmacy.

Maria's mother laughed and gave her the number, saying she is a good sister and to send her a picture of the birthday cake later.

Although Nathan explained to her parents the luxurious lifestyle he could give to their daughter and the one he is currently living, her simple parents could not comprehend this life they barely even saw on their old TV.

For Maria's mother, needing a pharmacy subscription for simple medicine is the norm, she couldn't possibly understand that there are hundreds of people that are ready to serve you here left and right.

In her mind, this birthday is filled with balloons and cake, not this whole banquet inside a castle with people you see on the news.

Maria clicked on a medical service app that her mother installed on all of their family's phones, teaching them how to get a subscription or a doctor's appointment.

Maria typed in Theresa's medical number that connects her to her sister's medical service, she clicked on the tests folder.

Just as she hoped for, inside the folder lay a recent paternity test.

On the test results was written that the father of the growing fetus was the man that came with her to check his DNA.

Jacob West.

A smile graced Maria's beautiful lips.

Nathan finished his glass of expensive scotch, his head was spinning as he looked at all the empty bottles before him.

His friends tried to calm him down, saying he still needed to greet the elders later.

Some of them wanted to talk with him about Maria, a few wanted to ask where did the beautiful girl disappear from this banquet, and a few wanted to ask for a price for total possession.

Nathan was not in the right mind to hear about her, her name only gave him pain- reminding him of a star that was once almost inside of the palm of his hand, now above his reach.

He got up and went to the bathroom, reminding himself to use the one that was not near where Theresa was resting.

Just as he wanted to exit, a message sound came to his ears.

Nathan frowned, he was sure that he turned his phone off for the night, his drunkness not letting him think that something was wrong with a turned-off phone suddenly working.

Nathan opened a message from an unidentified number, thinking in his head that it was one of those usual threats- yet the contents of the medical papers he was sent made him livid.

Nathan began to sprint all the way to the room Theresa was resting in, not caring about the servants he pushed off.

Nathan opened the door with a bang and turned on the lights in the dark room.

Theresa woke up with a scream and looked at Nathan as if he is crazy. "What's the matter with you?!"

Nathan walked to Theresa with heavy steps and breath, scaring her a little.

Nathan shoved his phone in Theresa's face. "... Tell me this isn't real,"

Theresa read the message that contained a very familiar test and her whole body pales.

For this type of thing- an excuse is very easy to come by, even if not believable now, Theresa could get help from the powerful man behind her and make Nathan believe her words with other faked evidence.

But just like when Theresa and Maria were little, getting caught stealing ice cream past bedtime, her mouth froze.

From childhood- she was never good at making excuses in times of pressure.

Nathan took Theresa's pale face, shaking hands, and silence as confirmation. He gritted his teeth so hard he could taste powder on his tongue and grabbed the pregnant woman's hair.

Theresa screamed as Nathan dragged her from the second-rest floor to the third floor- where the most important figures gathered away from the noise of the banquet.

The room had a few red and gold chairs sitting around a coffee table filled with expansive alcohol and rare cigars.

The men warmed next to the fireplace with ferocious animal heads above it, all the animals had the signature of the man who hunt them. Some of them are even a protected breed.

"Uncle!!!" Nathan scream from his lungs, and the woman who was dragged by him had even louder sobs.

The man who faced the door frowned and dismissed the other men in the room who left while closing the door.

Jacob rose from his seat, puffing the smoke of his cigar. "Nathan, you know what happens when someone shames me in this family."

Jacob West was a tall and muscular man that looked too handsome to be in his forties. He had dark brown hair combed neatly and a stubbled beard that was neatly styled, his eyes were the exact same strong blue shade as Nathan's- it was clear how he managed to make the elders believe Nathan was his son- they looked like a young and older version of the same person.

Yet Jacob held an aura that screamed dominance and power much more than Nathan. This was the obvious difference between an experienced man and an adolescent boy.

Nathan's whole body shook. Whether, from anger or intoxication, he didn't know.

"Uncle!" Nathan's red eyes looked at his uncle like the devil. "Is the child in her stomach yours?!"

Jacob took a puff of his cigar and nodded casually as if someone asks him if he wants a cup of water and he was a bit thirsty.

Nathan opened his mouth to scream again, but Jacob walked to him, dropped the cigar on the ground as if it didn't cost thousands, separated Nathan's hands from Theresa's hair, and started to beat him.

The punches and kicks were ruthless.

Common sense is saying that Nathan should have the upper hand since he has the strength and stamina of a young man and Jacob was past his prime.

But Nathan was drunk, and even when he became a bit sober and tried to defend himself- Jacob was his martial arts master, and he obviously knew all the tactics he trained him and how to counterattack them.

Not to mention that Jacob was freakishly strong, and even if Nathan was sober he couldn't overpower him.

Theresa sat on the ground, her whole face was red and her scalp hurt. She watched as Jacob finished beating his beloved nephew and crouched down to her.

"What did you tell him?" He soothed her hurt scalp with the gentle carcass of his hand.

Theresa didn't dare lie to this terrifying man.

She gulped. "I-I told him the child was his..." She had this stupid thought that maybe she could trick Nathan and get rid of his uncle, that Nathan was strong enough to protect her.

The slap that came on her face proved to her how wrong she was.

Theresa sobbed and held her face as Jacob carried her to the couch, contacting a servant through his earphone to bring ice inside a fresh towel and calming tea.

Nathan coughed, almost puking on the ground. He wiped the blood from his nose that didn't stop and tried to sit up. "H-how... Wh-when...?" The constant blood leaking from his nose made it hard to breathe and speak.

Jacob sat down on his chair with wide open legs, "On the day you had a dinner meeting with 'Heavens Order' and that white psycho," Jacob lit a new cigar. "You wanted her to sleep at the family house due to safety reasons, right? She came into my room at night and got naked in front of me. Tell me, dear nephew, what kind of gentleman your uncle would be if he refused a desperate woman?"

The stunned Nathan looked at Theresa. "Why-" His cough was violent.

Theresa didn't dare to look at him, she whimpered and shook her head. "I-I was lonely... you weren't home for so long..." Her voice was extremely quiet, but in a room where you could hear a needle drop- it was no problem hearing her.

Theresa knew she lied, her guilty consciousness ate her up inside.

She was bored. So bored with Nathan who she grew used to, so bored from all the luxuries she bought and didn't need to work for them- no sense of satisfaction at all.

And angry with her parents' praise of Maria all the time.

She heard her friend talking about the most amazing sex she had- with her stepfather, the feeling of excitement from the forbidden act with an older man drove that girl into several orgasms.

Theresa shamefully remembered Jacob's face when her friend was talking. That dominance filled arua of his that paralyzed other men into submission, his scarred and hairy chest she saw when he went swimming with Nathan at the house pool, that cocky and charming attitude, the way all the women around him swooned, and the absolute power and riches he held in the tip of his hands- ones that Theresa subconsciously knew Nathan could never reach no matter how hard he tried.

She gave in and tried to seduce him, it was easy since he never refused a beautiful woman from his bed. It was truly the best wild and intense sexual intercourse she had.

She thought she could swipe it under the rug. Jacob will never tell Nathan and neither will she.

She was relieved that she didn't need to take that damn pill that gave her stomach ache for the rest of the day- Jacob couldn't bring kids due to his accident, it was the whole reason he adopted Nathan in the first place.

Yet she was stupid enough to think it was absolute. That accident didn't leave him with a 0 percent chance, it was part of the reason why he slept with so many women- maybe one of them will get knocked up.

And to her luck- she was the chosen one. The moment Theresa started to suspect due to her late period and confide her suspicion with Jacob, she realized her mistake.

Of all the people she could have lay with- she chose the devil.

Nathan shook his head, not wanting to hear the voice that was so disgusting to him. He looked up at his uncle, tears streaming down his cheeks like a betrayed child. "Uncle, why..? I thought of you as my father."

Jacob sighed, disappointment was evident in his voice. "Nathan, what did I tell you when we first met?"

Nathan gulped the blood in his throat. "In this type of world- don't trust your father, don't trust your brother, and-"

"And don't trust your master." Jacob completed the words he said to that little boy so many years ago and drilled into his head ever since.

An older butler came inside with a knock, he quickly assessed the situation and gave Theresa the ice and tea, standing behind his master since he was not released.

Jacob sighed and shook his head. "Shouldn't you be happy in this situation? Now you are not shackled down by a baby, you are free to take that beautiful girl you bring with you everywhere lately."

Theresa raised her head from the tea she was drinking in tears. "What..?"

Jacob ignored Theresa and looked at his beaten-down nephew, signaling his butler to help him up. "This once-in-a-century beauty is yours for the taking, you should be the happiest man alive now."

Nathan stood there, dumbfounded. His uncle always kept an eye on him, so it is logical he knows about Maria. But how did he know he wanted to-?

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Jacob got up from his seat and opened the door to his connected bedroom. "Are you waiting for me to fuck her and make her my woman as well?"

Nathan got up and stabilized his shaky legs, he ran to the room the butler told him she resides in currently.

Jacob glanced at the still-like-stone Theresa and told the butler to put her in a different bedroom, immediately after he went inside his own bedroom where two naked ladies waited for him.

Maria sat on the chair beside the vanity and fixed her lipstick. She jumped as she heard the door open.

Maria expected to see Issac since he said he is going to check on the young master before he accompanied her. After all, he had the duty of protecting Nathan's safety first and then hers.

Yet all she saw was the worst beaten-down version of Nathan she has ever saw.

His face was swelling and bleeding, from the amount of blood it seemed like he had a broken nose.

So that means he already knows who the father is. The plan succeeded.

Maria panicked and went quickly to his side, bringing him to rest on the bed while trying to stop his bleeding with a tissue since she didn't know where the first aid kit was.

"What happened?! Why are you like this?!"

Nathan looked at the panicking Maria, so beautiful like an untouched angel yet she still cared about the lowly him.

His drunken mind told him she cared about him.

"Maria," His hoarse voice barely spoke. "Do you still believe in what you told me about marriage last time?"

Maria shook her head in confusion. "What..?!" She saw the serious look in Nathan's eyes. "Of course, but why-"

She won't betray him.

Nathan took hold of the soft and almost boneless hand that took care of him. "Maria..." His breath stunk from alcohol.

"Yes..?" She looked at him with worry, asked in a soft voice, with those grey eyes that resembled stars in the sky. His eyes wandered to that beauty mark at the tip of her left eye, it seemed like a much more precious jewel than all the jewelry that decorated her body.

She loved him.

And he loved her.

The ding in Maria's head notified her that she completed her mission and that Nathan fell in love with her. She looked at the two devils that sat on the side with glee and wanted to lay Nathan to sleep so she could go to another room and celebrate with her family.

Yet Nathan held her hand too tightly for her to let go.

"Maria," Nathan's eyes seemed not quite right, they were obviously drunk yet held another dark emotion. "I'll marry you, so give yourself to me."

What..?

Maria was slammed down on the bed with great force. Even though the mattress was soft, her head still rang from the impact.

Nathan towered over her, looking at the beautiful girl below him with that gorgeous dress- like a little fairy.

He really wanted to fuck that little fairy, impregnate her so that no other man can, and lock her up so they won't even have the chance to see her and think about it.

When Maria was dizzy, Nathan ripped his expensive shirt open and started to roll her dress down.

Maria froze for a second. For just a second this place was not the fancy room with her brother-in-law on top of her. And she wasn't wearing this gorgeous dress and hairstyle.

This was now the women's bathroom, with a fat man on top of her, and she was wearing her favorite pink flower shirt and her red overalls, her hair was in two simple braids her mother did that morning.

The ice that surrounded Maria melted by a great flame inside her heart, and she started screaming and hitting Nathan as hard as she could.

Even if the boy was drunk and beaten, his strength by far surpassed hers. He grounded her arms painfully with one hand, the other hand rolled down the dress completely- revealing her breasts.

In the dark Mother's hand manifested a black dagger, the black mist that came from her body darkened the brightly lit room. Her once brown and cunning eyes were swallowed by a complete black with red pupils.

The woman stepped menacingly towards the beast of a man like a vengeful ghost, ready to strike in unbound rage that rolled in waves from her breath like a roaring sea storm.

A small yet strangely strong hand stopped her, the woman looked back at the young devil whose lips were torn apart from biting, that wrathful look didn't suit his childish and angelic face.

"If you intervene with a host's game, we will be punished and never see her soul again," The boy spoke rationally, but his eyes dripped tears of blood.

They say you can only tear blood from true and pure wrath.

The blonde boy looked at the door as if he knew that help was on the way all along.

As Nathan's hands came to rest on Maria's breasts, a loud bang that flew his head to the side was heard.

Maria's eyes looked at the fallen Nathan whose head was bleeding and then at the weapon that did this to him.

It was a gold-decorated bucket used to store fine alcohol bottles with ice, since the bucket was pure gold and had many decorations- its weight was the same as a bowling ball.

Maria expected to see the face of Issac that promised to come earlier, but she never expected to see her sister.

Theresa dropped the bucket and embraced Maria tightly, whispering 'I'm sorry, sister,' over and over again.

Maria once again returned to ice. She petted her sister's back and said it was okay; 'I love you, sister.'

'I love and despise you the most.'

~~~~

Small Theatre:

Nathan: "I am the most ruthless man in this Arc!"

Jacob: "Heh~ Keep dreaming, boy,"

A Certain Psycho Male Lead: "..."

A Certain Young Devil: "..."

Jacob: "Nathan, uncle has a surprise present for your birthday~"

Excited Nathan: "What is it??"

Jacob: "A baby cousin!"

Nathan: "..."