Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Seraphina's POV

I didn’t have to turn around to know it was him. His voice alone was word: the command, the highest authority in the DeLuca mansion. The entire kitchen froze. Adrian straightened slightly, his posture losing its casual edge. The other chefs avoided looking directly at Rafael, suddenly very interested in their tasks.

I, on the other hand, kept chewing my spring roll. Rafael’s footsteps were slow, deliberate, predatory. Then he was beside me. I turned my head just enough to meet his gaze. His expression was blank, but his eyes—dark and unreadable—were locked onto me like I was something he needed to fix, or destroy, or both. I swallowed my food, unbothered.

“Want one?” I offered the bowl of spring rolls to him however he didn’t move, neither did he act like I existed. Instead, his voice came out low.

“You are not a guest here, Seraphina.”

The weight of his presence pressed down on me, suffocating and possessive.

“You don’t get to wander around like you own the place.” His tone was edged with something dangerous. “You are collateral. Start acting like it.”

Heat rushed to my face. Adrian glanced between us, clearly uncomfortable but wisely staying out of it. I felt small. Humiliated. The reminder of my situation stung worse than it should have. I hated that he had the power to make me feel this way. I set the bowl down with deliberate calm, my hands steady even as my chest tightened. Then, I met his gaze—unflinching, stubborn.

“Of course, DeLuca. I didn't beg to be here either. Remember you brought me here against my will.” I said coolly.

A flicker of something crossed his face, too quick for me to catch. Then, without another word, he turned and left. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. The moment he was gone, Adrian let out a low whistle.

“Damn,” he muttered. “You got guts.”

I scoffed, shoving another spring roll into my mouth. I had no other choice: he drained my energy with all that ‘mafia power, collateral’ talk.

I stayed in the kitchen after Rafael left, partially because I wanted to, mostly because I refused to let him dictate my movements. If I stormed off now, it’d look like he had won. And I’d rather chew glass than give him that satisfaction. Most importantly,  I'd rather leave here.

Adrian, seemingly done with our moment, rolled his shoulders and got back to work. The rest of the kitchen followed suit, the tension from Rafael’s presence dissipating. The sounds of sizzling pans, clinking utensils, and low chatter returned, filling the air with warmth again.

I picked up another spring roll and popped it into my mouth, chewing slowly.

“You gonna loiter here all day, princess?” Adrian asked, not looking up from the fish he was filleting.

I leaned against the counter. “Maybe. You gonna kick me out?”

He smirked. “Nah. I think I like watching you annoy Rafe.”

I snorted. “Then I’ll stay a little longer.”

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I ended up staying way longer than planned. Turns out, Adrian was actually tolerable once you got past the gruff attitude. He handed me a knife at some point, testing whether I could handle dicing onions without crying. As someone who loves challenges, I took it up and I lost, not surprisingly.  

The other kitchen staff gradually stopped treating me like an uninvited intruder. A few of them even laughed when I dramatically gagged at the smell of raw squid.

For a brief moment, I forgot I was a hostage. Then, Lilliana strolled in, her usual sunshine energy lighting up the space.

“Well, well, look at you,” she mused, hopping onto the counter like she owned the place. “Bonding with the kitchen staff already?”

I tossed a piece of chopped carrot at her. She caught it with her mouth.

“Don’t judge me,” I muttered.

“I’m not,” she grinned. “It’s just—I didn't expect you to fit in here so fast.”

I shrugged, wiping my hands on a kitchen towel. God forbid that I actually start to fit into this lifestyle. “It’s better than sulking in some fancy room like a tragic princess.”

Lilliana tilted her head. “You mean like how you’re about to sulk in five seconds?”

I sighed. “I want to leave.”

The playful glint in her eyes faded.

“You know you can’t.”

I swallowed hard. “Lilliana, I don’t belong here. I have a life. People who will be looking for me.”

Her expression softened, but there was an edge of reality in her voice. “If Rafael doesn’t allow it, you won’t get far. And if you try to run, you’ll be brought back. And, Seraphina…” she hesitated. “It might be worse.”

I felt the fight drain out of me. Trapped, completely trapped.

I turned away from her, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“Thanks for the pep talk,” I muttered bitterly.

Lilliana sighed but didn’t push further.

I hated this. I hated everything about this.

---

I left the kitchen, my appetite long gone.

The halls stretched endlessly as I walked, my feet taking me nowhere and everywhere.

I had nothing. No phone, no clothes except for what I had on, no connection to the life I was ripped from.

I missed my home. My bed. My freedom.

Tears burned at the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

I turned a corner, catching my reflection in a massive mirror.

The girl staring back at me looked lost.

Was this how I was going to live now? In this gilded cage?

A small, broken laugh escaped me, and then I crumbled.

Tears spilled over before I could stop them. I pressed a hand to my mouth to muffle the sobs, sliding down against the wall as the weight of everything crashed down on me.

This wasn’t fair.

None of this was fair.

I wanted my life back.

I didn’t want to die here—

A deafening bang shattered the silence. Then another. Followed by another. Suddenly,  it dawned on me: Gunshots.

Panic slammed into me like a freight train. I scrambled to my feet, my pulse thundering in my ears. More shots. Loud, sharp, ringing through the halls. Was the mansion under attack? I spun around, but the corridors were empty. No guards. No Rafael. No Luka. The air shifted. A low, mechanical hiss filled the space then, a robotic voice echoed through hidden speakers:

“Security lockdown initiated. All non-essential personnel remain in designated areas.”

Metal shutters slammed over the windows. Some kind of high-tech security system had just activated, sealing the house shut. And I was the only one running around like a lunatic. I bolted down the hallway, my breath coming in ragged gasps. Every turn looked the same, every door locked. I was trapped.

Oh God, I don’t want to die in my enemy’s house. My vision blurred. My heart pounded. Another gunshot. I stumbled into the nearest room, pressing myself against the wall. My hands were shaking. What if they were here for me?\

What if this was the end?

I squeezed my eyes shut. I don’t want to die.

“Seraphina!”

My eyes flew open.

Lilliana and Adrian stood in the doorway, both calm. Too calm.

I blinked rapidly. “We—we need to hide—”

Lilliana stepped forward and grabbed my arms. “Breathe.”

I sucked in a shaky breath.

Adrian leaned against the doorframe, completely unfazed. “Relax, princess. It’s just a drill.”

A drill?

I gaped at them. “Are you kidding me? I thought we were all about to be murdered!”

Lilliana winced. “Yeah, sorry. Should’ve warned you.”

Adrian smirked. “You do panic dramatically.”

I shot him a glare.

“So,” I exhaled slowly. “We’re not dying?”

Lilliana smiled. “Nope. Nothing and nobody can infiltrate this place once security is up.”

Adrian nodded. “This house is a fortress. The security’s unmatched.”

I still felt shaky, but the absolute certainty in their voices was reassuring.

I wasn’t going to die.

Not today, at least. I let out a half-laugh, half-sob and collapsed onto a chair.

Lilliana patted my head. “You’ll get used to it.”

“No, I won't.” I groaned.

I really, really hoped I wouldn’t be here long enough to get used to anything.