Chapter 6

Seraphina's POV

"Significant other?" The words hung in the air between us, sharp and impossible. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Rafael's smirk widened, satisfaction gleaming in his dark eyes. He pocketed his phone and the gun with casual ease, as if he hadn't just threatened my life seconds ago.

"Your father and I have come to an... arrangement."

My stomach dropped. The way he said "arrangement" made my skin crawl. I backed away until my legs hit the edge of the bed.

"What kind of arrangement?"

Rafael moved to the window, pulling back the curtain to gaze out at the grounds. The evening moon cast half his face in shadow, making him look more dangerous than usual.

"Dante Moreau is many things," he said, his voice deceptively calm. "But above all, he's a businessman. And when faced with losing everything..." He turned to me, his eyes cold. "Even he knows when to make a deal."

"Stop talking in riddles," I snapped. My patience had evaporated. "Tell me what's happening."

He regarded me for a long moment, then shrugged as if my life was an afterthought.

"Simple. You're going to marry me."

The world tilted beneath my feet. I actually laughed—a sharp, hysterical sound that clawed its way out of my throat.

"You're insane." I shook my head. "My father would never—"

"He already agreed."

My laughter died. The certainty in Rafael's voice made my blood run cold.

"You're lying."

"Am I now?" He raised an eyebrow. "Call him again. Ask him yourself."

I felt sick. My father had sold me like a piece of property, a bargaining chip in his endless power games. After everything—after letting me escape that world, after promising I'd never be dragged back in—he'd offered me up without hesitation.

"I won't do it," I whispered.

Rafael's expression hardened. "You don't have a choice."

"There's always a choice," I snarled, finding my voice again. "I'll run. I'll—"

"And risk the lives of those children you care so much about?" His question was soft, but the threat underneath was unmistakable.

Evvrything flashed before my very eyes. My students. The innocent souls who had no part in this sick game.

"You're a monster," I breathed.

He didn't deny it. Instead, he crossed the room until he stood directly in front of me, close enough that I could smell his cologne—something expensive and darkly masculine.

"Think of it this way," he said, his voice dropping lower. "As my wife, you'll have protection. Status. No one in this house will dare disrespect you again."

I scoffed. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? That I'll be respected as property instead of just treated like it?"

Something flickered across his face—frustration, perhaps, or irritation at my defiance.

"The wedding will be in three days."

"Three days?" I choked out. "That's—"

"Enough time," he cut in. "Lilliana will help you with whatever you need."

He turned to leave, but I wasn't done.

"And what does my father get out of this?" I demanded. "What could possibly be worth trading his daughter?"

Rafael paused at the door, glancing back with a cold smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"His life. His empire. Everything he's built. Its either you or that." He tilted his head. "You should be flattered, Seraphina. He values you quite highly."

The door closed behind him, leaving me alone with the crushing weight of my new reality.

I am getting married. To Rafael DeLuca. The man I loathed.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my mind spinning. This couldn't be happening. I'd escaped this world once—the arranged marriages, the business alliances sealed with blood and family ties. I'd built a life away from all of it, only to be dragged back in the most permanent way possible: marriage. Was this all I amounted to? A toy for bargain?

A knock at the door pulled me from my spiraling thoughts.

"Go away," I called, not caring how brittle my voice sounded.

The door opened anyway, and Lilliana slipped in. Her usual bright smile was dimmed, her eyes sympathetic as she took in my hunched figure.

"So," she said softly. "I guess my brother told you."

I looked up at her, tears burning behind my eyes. "Did you know?"

She hesitated, then nodded. "Since this morning. The negotiations finished last night."

"Negotiations," I repeated bitterly. "Like I'm a business contract."

Lilliana moved to sit beside me, her shoulder brushing mine. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry it happened this way."

A hollow laugh escaped me. "Which part? The kidnapping? The threats? Or the forced marriage?"

"All of it."

We sat in silence for a moment, the reality of the situation settling between us like a physical weight.

"Why would your brother even want this?" I finally asked. "He hates me. And he could have killed my father without dragging me into it."

Lilliana sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Rafael doesn't do anything without purpose. A marriage alliance gives him control of your father's territories without bloodshed. Without a war that would cost lives on both sides."

"How considerate of him." I spat.

"And," she continued cautiously, "you're valuable, Seraphina. The Moreau daughter, educated, accomplished, with a reputation untouched by your father's business. You bring legitimacy."

I stood abruptly, unable to sit still as anger coursed through me. "I'm not a trophy to be displayed. I had a life. Plans. Dreams."

"I know." Her voice was gentle, too gentle. It made me want to scream.

"What am I supposed to do now?" My voice cracked. "Just accept this?"

Lilliana stood, reaching for my hands. I let her take them, too numb to pull away.

"For now," she said softly, "yes. Accept it. And then, you adapt."

"Adapt," I echoed flatly.

She squeezed my hands. "Rafael may be cold, but he's not cruel to those under his protection. Trust me, he has a bit of affection for yog. As his wife—"

"Affection? I'll still be a prisoner" I cut in. "Just with a fancier title."

Lilliana shook her head. "You'll have influence. Access. Things you can use."

I frowned, studying her face. There was something in her eyes—a hint, perhaps? Was she suggesting I use my new position to my advantage?

"My brother isn't the only one with power in this family," she whispered, so quietly I barely heard her. "Remember that."

Before I could ask what she meant, the door opened again. Adrian stood there, his expression unusually grave.

"Boss wants you downstairs," he said to Lilliana. "Something about wedding arrangements."

She nodded, squeezing my hands once more before letting go. "I'll be back later. We'll talk more then."

As she left, Adrian lingered in the doorway, his eyes meeting mine.

"For what it's worth," he said gruffly, "not everyone here is happy about this either."

I blinked, surprised by the admission. "Careful, Adrian. That almost sounds like sympathy."

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "Don't get used to it, princess."

After he left, I walked to the window, staring out at the sprawling grounds of the DeLuca estate. Three days. In three days, I would become Seraphina DeLuca, wife to the most feared man in Italy.

But as I watched the sun begin to set over the distant mountains, Lilliana's words echoed in my mind.

‘You'll have influence. Access.’

My father had taught me one thing before I left his world: in the game of power, position is everything. And as Rafael's wife, I would have a position few others could claim. Is this what Lilliana meant?

If I couldn't escape this fate, perhaps I could use it. Turn Rafael's own game against him. After all, I was Dante Moreau's daughter. And if there was one thing I inherited from him, it was the ability to survive. Three days to prepare. Three days to plan. And then, I would show Rafael DeLuca exactly who he was marrying.