THE DEVIL’S HEART
The Devil’s Heart – Chapter 25
(Her possessive devil)
©Goodness Okoye
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“MOM!” he shouted.
Silence.
Then—
A slow clap echoed from the shadows.
“Brave boy.”
A man stepped forward.
August froze.
His eyes widened in shock.
“No… it can’t be…”
The man smiled darkly.
“Well, well, August.”
“It’s been a long time.”
The warehouse was silent.
Dust floated in the air under the weak yellow lights.
August stood frozen near the entrance.
His heart pounded violently in his chest.
Standing a few meters away from him…
Was a man he never expected to see again.
Wayne.
The man smiled slowly as he clapped his hands.
“Well done, August. You came faster than I expected.”
August’s entire body tensed.
“Where is she?” he demanded.
Wayne slowly raised his hand.
From the shadows…
Two men dragged a woman forward.
Her hands were tied.
Her face was bruised.
“Mom!” August shouted.
His heart shattered when he saw her condition.
She looked weak, but when she saw him—
Her eyes widened in fear.
“August!”
Her voice trembled.
“Run!”
Wayne sighed dramatically.
“Ah, mothers…”
He walked closer to her and gently grabbed her chin.
“So emotional.”
August stepped forward instantly.
“Don’t touch her!”
Wayne’s eyes flickered with amusement.
“Oh?”
He released her slowly.
“You’re brave today.”
Tommy leaned slightly toward August and whispered,
“This is bad… he has at least ten men here.”
August didn’t respond.
His eyes were locked on Wayne.
“You should’ve stayed dead,” August said coldly.
Wayne smirked.
“But if I stayed dead…”
He stepped closer.
“You would never learn the truth.”
August’s brows furrowed.
“What truth?”
Wayne leaned forward slightly.
His voice dropped into a whisper that felt like poison.
“The truth about Hazard.”
August’s expression darkened.
“Watch your mouth.”
Wayne chuckled.
“You still trust him?”
August didn’t answer.
Wayne straightened.
Then he said something that made the entire warehouse feel colder.
“Tell me, August…”
“Did Hazard ever tell you who really killed your father?”
August froze.
Tommy’s eyes widened.
“What the hell are you talking about?” August growled.
Wayne smiled slowly.
“Let’s just say…”
“He didn’t die by accident.”
Silence filled the warehouse.
August’s chest rose and fell heavily.
“You’re lying.”
Wayne shrugged.
“Am I?”
Then he pulled something from his pocket.
A small flash drive.
“I have the proof.”
August stared at it.
Wayne tossed it lightly into the air and caught it again.
“But you’ll have to earn it.”
Suddenly—
Several guns clicked from the shadows.
Wayne’s men stepped forward.
Tommy cursed under his breath.
“Yep… definitely a trap.”
Wayne spread his arms slightly.
“Welcome to the game, boys.”
August slowly cracked his knuckles.
His eyes burned with fury.
“If anything happens to my mother…”
His voice turned deadly.
“I will bury you here.”
Wayne’s smile only grew wider.
“I’d like to see you try.”
The warehouse lights suddenly went out.
Darkness swallowed everything.
And then—
Gunshots exploded.
**
August’s hands were shaking.
The room Wayne kept him in was dark except for a small lamp on the table. The windows were locked. The door was guarded.
Wayne stood near the door, calm as ever.
“You’re quiet,” Wayne said.
August didn’t answer.
Wayne studied him for a moment.
“You love Pispa, don’t you?”
August finally looked up.
“Yes.”
Wayne smiled faintly.
“That’s unfortunate.”
August clenched his fists.
“You kidnapped me.”
Wayne shrugged.
“I prefer the word borrowed.”
August’s anger grew.
“What do you want?”
Wayne walked closer.
“Pispa.”
August’s stomach dropped.
Wayne continued calmly.
“I offered her money. A very large amount. Enough to change her life.”
August shook his head.
“She would never accept that.”
Wayne chuckled.
“You’d be surprised what desperation does to people.”
August’s voice hardened.
“She’s not like that.”
Wayne leaned slightly toward him.
“That’s what makes this interesting.”
August realized something then.
Wayne wasn’t just trying to buy Pispa.
He was testing her.
And using August as the pressure.
Wayne straightened his jacket.
“I gave her a choice,” he said.
“If she accepts the money, she belongs to me.”
August felt sick.
“And if she refuses?” he asked.
Wayne looked at him for a long moment.
Then he smiled.
“Then I see how far Hazard is willing to go to keep her.”
Wayne turned and walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he said something quietly.
“Think about it, August. You’re the easiest way to break her.”
The door closed.
August sat there for several minutes.
Thinking.
Then he noticed something.
The guard outside the door had started snoring.
Wayne trusted his control too much.
August slowly stood up.
He checked the window again.
Still locked.
But the chair in the room was metal.
August lifted it.
He hesitated for only a second.
Then he smashed it against the window.
CRASH.
The glass shattered.
Voices shouted outside.
August didn’t wait.
He climbed through the broken window and jumped into the dark yard below.
Pain shot through his ankle when he landed.
But he forced himself to run.
Behind him, guards were already yelling.
“HE’S ESCAPING!”
August ran into the trees.
Branches hitting his face.
Heart pounding.
But one thought pushed him forward.
Pispa.
He had to find her before Wayne did.
Because if Wayne reached her first…
The money wouldn’t be the real trap.
August was.
The truth about Wayne’s plan
Wayne did offer Pispa a huge sum of money.
But it wasn’t really about the money.
His real plan was:
Offer Pispa a fortune to leave with him.
Use August as pressure.
Force Pispa to choose between love and survival.
Wayne doesn’t actually care about the money.
He cares about winning.
**
The academy kitchen had grown quiet.
Most of the students had left for the day.
Pispa was still cleaning her station when the door behind her opened again.
She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
Corey.
She sighed in frustration.
“I thought you already left.”
Corey leaned against the counter, watching her.
“I did,” he said casually.
“Then why are you back?” Pispa asked coldly.
Corey smiled lazily.
“To talk.”
Pispa stopped cleaning and looked at him.
“We have nothing to talk about.”
Corey stepped a little closer.
“You’re very hostile.”
“That’s because you’re disgusting,” Pispa replied without hesitation.
Corey laughed.
“At least you’re honest.”
Pispa crossed her arms.
“You came here to look at me like I’m some toy.”
Corey shrugged.
“You’re beautiful. What did you expect?”
Pispa’s eyes flashed with anger.
“I’m not interested in you.”
Corey didn’t look offended.
“Most people say that at first.”
Pispa grabbed the towel from the counter.
“You really think every woman wants you?”
Corey leaned closer, lowering his voice.
“No.”
He smiled slightly.
“But I usually get what I want.”
Pispa stepped back immediately.
“Well not this time.”
The tension between them grew thicker.
Then another voice cut through the room.
“She already said no.”
Both of them turned.
Hazard stood in the doorway.
His expression was darker than Pispa had ever seen.
Corey chuckled softly.
“Relax.”
Hazard walked toward them.
“You shouldn’t be talking to her.”
Corey raised an eyebrow.
“And why not?”
Hazard’s voice was firm.
“Because she hates you.”
Pispa didn’t even try to deny it.
Corey looked at her.
“Do you really hate me that much?”
Pispa answered instantly.
“Yes.”
Corey studied her face for a moment.
Then he laughed again.
“That’s unfortunate.”
Hazard stepped between them.
“You’re leaving.”
Corey folded his arms.
“You act like she belongs to you.”
Hazard didn’t respond.
But the silence said enough.
Corey’s smile slowly faded.
“So it’s true,” he murmured.
Hazard’s voice dropped lower.
“You will stay away from her.”
Corey tilted his head.
“And if I don’t?”
The two brothers stared at each other.
Years of rivalry and tension filled the space between them.
Pispa watched nervously.
Because she realized something.
This wasn’t just about her anymore.
It was about two brothers ready to fight.
Finally Corey stepped back.
“Fine,” he said calmly.
“But don’t worry.”
He looked at Pispa one more time.
“I’ll find someone who actually appreciates me.”
Pispa rolled her eyes.
“Good luck.”
Corey laughed as he walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he said one last thing to Hazard.
“You’re getting too protective.”
Then he left.
The kitchen fell silent again.
Pispa exhaled slowly.
Hazard looked at her.
“You shouldn’t be alone when he’s around.”
Pispa frowned.
“I can take care of myself.”
Hazard didn’t argue.
But the look in his eyes said something else.
Corey might have walked away tonight.
But he wasn’t finished with Pispa yet.
**
Wayne’s office was quiet.
Too quiet.
The soft ticking of the wall clock echoed through the room as Wayne sat behind his desk, flipping through a file.
Then the door burst open.
Hazard walked in.
His presence immediately filled the room with tension.
Wayne didn’t look surprised.
In fact, he looked like he had been expecting this.
“Well,” Wayne said calmly, leaning back in his chair.
“I was wondering when you would come.”
Hazard closed the door behind him.
His eyes were sharp.
“You went to see August.”
Wayne shrugged lightly.
“I had a conversation with him, yes.”
Hazard stepped closer to the desk.
“You offered him money.”
Wayne folded his hands together.
“A lot of money.”
Hazard’s jaw tightened.
“You tried to make him give Pispa to you.”
Wayne smirked.
“I gave him a choice.”
Hazard’s voice hardened.
“She’s not something you can buy.”
Wayne leaned forward slightly.
“Everything can be bought.”
“Not her,” Hazard said.
Wayne studied him carefully now.
There was something different in Hazard’s tone.
Something personal.
Wayne chuckled softly.
“This is interesting.”
Hazard’s patience was wearing thin.
“You will stay away from Pispa.”
Wayne raised an eyebrow.
“And why should I?”
Hazard placed both hands on the desk and leaned closer.
“Because I’m telling you to.”
Wayne laughed.
“That’s not a reason.”
Hazard’s eyes darkened.
“You already tried to take her from August.”
Wayne shrugged again.
“He’s a high school boy. What does he know about protecting someone like Pispa?”
Hazard’s voice dropped.
“He loves her.”
Wayne smiled coldly.
“Love doesn’t win against power.”
The room went silent.
Hazard slowly straightened.
“If you go near her again,” he said quietly,
“this stops being business.”
Wayne stood up too.
Now the two men were facing each other.
Rivals.
Neither willing to back down.
Wayne crossed his arms.
“Why are you so invested?” he asked.
Hazard didn’t answer.
Wayne’s smile slowly grew.
“Oh… I see.”
Hazard’s eyes narrowed.
Wayne stepped closer.
“You’re not protecting August,” Wayne said.
“You’re protecting Pispa.”
Hazard remained silent.
But Wayne had already figured it out.
“That means you want her too.”
The words hung heavily in the air.
Wayne chuckled.
“This just got much more interesting.”
Hazard’s voice was calm but dangerous.
“You will not claim her.”
Wayne tilted his head.
“Try and stop me.”
Outside, thunder rumbled in the distance.
Two rivals.
One woman.
And neither of them planned to lose.
TBC…
