ENTERING THE DEVIL'S DEN

    ISABELLA'S POV

The rain lashed against the café window as I traced the rim of my untouched coffee cup. 

THREE MONTHS and Ninety days of trying every possible way to regain what Daniel had stolen from me. Three months of runing into locked doors, empty promises, and outright rejection. I had sold everything I had left.

Lawyers were useless. Bankers smirked at my empty accounts and refused to approve my loan requests. Even the few people I had once considered allies disappeared the moment I asked for help. And those who decided to help, demanded something; that I sleep with them.

I was running out of options. And there was only one name left on my list.

Nicholas Montgomery. 

Founder and CEO of NeuraCorp, a leading tech empire specialized in advanced AI systems and biomedical technologies. Nicholas Montgomery, the richest man in North-Virexia. At just the age of 22, with strong resilience and determination, he founded NeuraCorp and in just 10 years, turned it into the top leading tech empire in the entire world. 

Nicholas Montgomery, the most dangerous man in the whole of North-Virexia. Five years ago, two companies rose against him, attempting to tarnish NeuraCorp's reputation and dismantle its power, only to fold within four months. Their CEOs vanished without a trace, and to this day, their fates remain a mystery. 

Nicholas Montgomery, the most feared and respected man in the country. Those who had seen him said he was like a scorching sun ever ready to destroy, like a burning furnace ever ready to scourge. Get on his bad side and watch everything you have, including your life taken from you. All those known to have crossed part with him, were ruined beyond repair. He was a manipulative and dangerous man. A devil in human clothing.

I shouldn't get myself involved with someone like him but I don't have a choice. He is my last resort and I am running out of time.

"Have you finally lost all senses, Isabella?! Nicholas Montgomery? That was all you could come up with?!" Sloane exclaimed, her eyes wide with horror.

"He is just the perfect ally I need. He has more than enough money, fame, intelligence and power: the four most essential things I need to get my revenge. His empire has the most advanced technology, equipments and AI systems. Should I go on listing? If I can get this man on my side, I will become unstoppable"

"Isabella Lucia Sterling!" Sloane yelled, slamming her cup to the kitchen counter. I gulped. Sloane only calls me by my full name whenever I was...well, in trouble. She strode to me across the counter, eyes blazed in fury.

She gripped my arms, shaking me vigorously as if she could force sense into me "Do you want to fucking die?!" 

"No, Sloane. I plan to live a little bit more, probably a year, so I can get my revenge" I brushed her hands off me. Sloane might not understand what I was saying. Besides, I haven't told her or anyone about my heart disease and I don't intend to anytime soon.

"If you can get Nicholas Montgomery on your side?' Do you even realize how absurd that sounds?" Her voice rose, near panic. "He won't even listen to you! And if you cross paths with him, you're as good as dead. How exactly do you think you'll persuade him to help you?"

I pressed my thumb against my ear, attempting to muffle her piercing yells.

"Sloane, you're yelling too much. My eardrums are going to burst," Evan called from the living room, where he lounged on the sofa in Sloane's apartment.

"Why don’t you help me talk some sense into her? Tell her she’s practically signing her own death warrant!" Sloane demanded.

I scoffed quietly. I’m dying anyway. What’s wrong with hastening it?

"As much as I support your revenge, Isabella, Sloane is right," Evan chimed in. "Nicholas Montgomery isn’t the type to ally with anyone without clear benefits. How exactly do you plan on meeting him, let alone convincing him?" Ethan demanded.

"You don't need to worry, Ethan. I have a plan. I know what I'm doing"

ONE WEEK LATER

I stood before the tall building of NeuraCorp, tilting my head to take in its endless stretch into the sky. The structure seemed to disappear into the clouds, a tower of gleaming glass and steel that reflected the sun like a light trapped within its walls. Each floor was illuminated, a testament to the sheer power of the man who ruled within. My pulse quickened as I forced myself to breathe.

I made my way to the receptionist, a woman with a welcoming smile and the usual "Welcome, how can I help you,. ma'am?"

"I'm here to see Mr. Montgomery" I replied and gradually the woman's smile faltered. She gave me a quick glance from head to toe, her brows squeezing a bit in confusion. I guess she wasn't that friendly after all.

She cleared a throat and demanded "Do you have an appointment with him?"

"No" Her confused look quickly turned to a soft glare, almost like she's trying hard not to glare at me.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am but you can't see Mr. Montgomery without an appointment. He is a busy man"

I let out a breath, remembering myself why I was here.

"I know but it's really urgent. Tell him Isabella Sterling wants to see him"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am but I cannot do that" She hissed through her teeth.

"Please, I really need to see Mr. Montgomery"

"Then make an appointment with him!" She snapped, already irritated.

“I’ve already tried that,” I snapped back, my voice edging toward desperation. “Every time, I’ve been told his calendar is full. I need to see him now.”

Her smile was thin and polite, but her eyes were dismissive. “As I said, you’ll need to schedule a meeting. The next available slot is in three months.”

Three months? I couldn’t wait three more hours, let alone months. I leaned forward, lowering my voice. “I’m not leaving until I see him.”

The receptionist’s brows lifted slightly, but her calm didn’t waver. “You’re welcome to wait. But I can assure you, Mr. Montgomery will not see you without an appointment.”

Another hour quickly passed and when my patience ran out, I returned to the desk, planting my hands firmly on the polished surface. “Listen, I know you’re just doing your job, but I need to speak with him. I’m not some lunatic off the street. This is important.”

Her smile turned brittle. “Ma’am, as I’ve already explained—”

“You don’t understand” My voice rose, drawing the attention of a few employees lingering nearby. “I have no other choice. Please, just let me see him. Just five minutes. That’s all I’m asking.”

Her hand hovered over the phone. For a moment, I thought she might give in, but then she pressed a button. Within moments, two large men in suits appeared, their expressions neutral but firm.

“Ma’am,” one of them said, stepping forward, “we’re going to have to ask you to leave.”

I stood my ground, my heart racing. “I’m not leaving.”

“You can either leave on your own,” the other guard said, his voice cold, “or we can escort you out.”

------

The moment, I stepped outside, it started raining. It was relentless, a torrential downpour that drowned out the noise of the city. Within moments of stepping outside, my clothes were soaked through, clinging to my skin like a second layer. The cold seeped into my bones, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t care.

I stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at the gleaming doors of Montgomery Tower. My mind screamed at me to leave, to stop this madness, but my feet wouldn’t move. 

The rain poured harder, the drops stinging against my skin as if punishing me for my stubbornness. My hair plastered itself to my face, strands curling into my mouth and eyes, but I didn’t bother brushing them away.

Minutes turned into hours.

I hugged my arms around myself, shivering violently as the cold began to take hold. My heels, once polished and proud, sank into the growing puddles on the sidewalk. 

How long had I been standing here? An hour? Two? Time felt meaningless in the storm.

I couldn’t stop the thoughts that began to creep in. Maybe this is a mistake. Maybe I’m wasting my time. Maybe he won’t come out at all.

The voice of doubt clawed at me, whispering that I was foolish to think someone like Nicholas would even notice me, let alone help me.

I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms. No. I couldn’t give up now. If I walked away, I would lose my chance at revenge, at justice. And I couldn’t live with that.

The rain didn’t let up. My teeth chattered uncontrollably, my body shaking from the cold, but I stayed. I stayed because I had no choice.

As the hours dragged on, darkness began clouding in and exhaustion set in. My legs ached, and my head pounded from the cold. The cold was unbearable now, my limbs stiff and unresponsive. My breath came in shallow gasps, each one burning my throat.

Just when I was about to give up, the doors slid open.

At first, I thought it was another guard coming to escort me away, but the footsteps were measured, deliberate.

My heart leapt into my throat as I turned to face him.

Nicholas Montgomery stood under the shelter of a large black umbrella, his presence commanding even in the storm. His tailored suit was immaculate, untouched by the rain, and his gray eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that stole the breath from my lungs.

For a moment, I could do nothing but stare. He looked exactly as I had imagined—calm, collected, and utterly in control.

He stepped closer, the umbrella shifting to shield me from the rain. My breath hitched at the gesture, though his expression remained unreadable.

Finally, his lips curved into the faintest smirk, his voice smooth and low. “I see you’ve finally decided to come.”