SERAPHINE POV
"Dashiell, you need to leave. Right now."
We're standing in the mansion's garden the morning after the warehouse attack. The police finished questioning us at 3 AM. I haven't slept. My wrists are bandaged where the zip ties cut into them.
And Dashiell is still here.
"I'm not leaving you," he says firmly. "Not after what happened last night. Someone tried to kill you, Sera."
"Which is exactly why you should go!" My voice rises. "Everyone around me gets hurt. Your business, your safety—"
"I don't care about my business." He takes my hands gently. "I care about you."
Tears burn my eyes. This kind, normal man followed me into danger without hesitation.
"Come back to London with me," Dashiell says. "Right now. Pack your things and never look back."
I want to say yes so badly.
"It's not that simple—"
"Yes, it is." His brown eyes are earnest. "You don't owe these people anything. Not the Aldrics. Not your biological father. And definitely not Theron."
The way he says Theron's name—bitter, angry.
"Dash, about last night. When you saw us—"
"You don't have to explain." But his jaw tightens. "I saw how he held you. How you clung to him."
Shame floods me. "I was scared. I'd just almost died—"
"I know." He squeezes my hands. "But Sera... is there something between you two? Something more?"
My mouth opens. Closes.
How do I explain? That Theron kissed me and I kissed back? That I'm terrified of him but also drawn to him?
"I don't know," I whisper.
Pain flashes across Dashiell's face. "You don't know if you have feelings for him?"
"I don't know ANYTHING anymore!" The words burst out. "Three days ago, I was happy in London. Then I find out my entire identity is a lie. And Theron..." I trail off.
"Theron what?"
"He's been controlling my life for years. But he also just saved me." I pull my hands away. "He's a monster who treats me like property. But he's also the only person who's fought for me when everyone else threw me away."
"That's not love, Sera. That's obsession."
"I know!" Tears stream down my face. "I know it's sick and wrong. But..."
"But what?"
But when Theron looks at me, I feel seen.
I can't say that to Dashiell.
"I need time," I say instead. "To figure out who I am. What I want."
"And I'm supposed to wait?" His voice is gentle but hurt. "Watch you get pulled deeper into this toxic family?"
"I'm not asking you to wait—"
"Good. Because I'm staying." He cups my face. "I love you, Seraphine. The real you. And I'll fight for you. Even against whatever hold Theron has."
He kisses me.
Soft, tender, everything a kiss should be.
And I feel... nothing.
No fire. No electricity. Just comfort.
Dashiell pulls back, studying my face. Whatever he sees makes him step away.
"You felt it too," he says quietly. "Or rather, you didn't."
"Dash—"
"It's okay." He smiles sadly. "I'd rather know now."
"You're not—"
"Yes, I am competing with him." He looks past me toward the mansion. "And I've already lost."
I turn around.
Theron stands on the terrace, watching us. Even from this distance, I feel the intensity of his gaze.
"I should go," Dashiell says. "Before I do something stupid like punch him."
"Please don't. He's dangerous." I grab his arm. "Promise me you won't confront him."
"I promise." He kisses my forehead—a goodbye. "But Sera? When you figure out what you want, make sure it's YOUR choice. Not something he manipulated you into."
He walks away.
I watch him leave, feeling like I lost something important.
But also relieved.
What's wrong with me?
My phone rings. Isolde.
"Izzy—"
"GIRL." Her voice is sharp with worry. "I've been calling for hours! The news said there was a shooting—"
"I'm fine. Mostly." I sink onto a stone bench. "It's been a really bad week."
"Start talking."
So I do. Everything spills out—the DNA revelation, Octavia, Theron kissing me, the warehouse, Harwick.
Isolde is silent after I finish.
Then: "That obsessive psycho actually KISSED you?"
"Izzy—"
"No. Your brother—sorry, ex-brother—who's been sabotaging your life for YEARS took advantage of this situation?"
"It wasn't exactly—"
"DID YOU KISS HIM BACK?"
I'm silent too long.
"Oh my God, you did. Sera, you need to GET OUT. Now."
"I can't. He's trapped me legally—"
"Then I'm coming there. Tomorrow. First flight out." Her voice is fierce. "You're not facing this alone. Don't sign ANYTHING until I arrive. Promise me."
"I promise."
"Good. And stay away from Theron until I get there. Lock your bedroom door if you have to."
We hang up.
I sit in the garden, head in my hands.
Footsteps crunch on gravel.
I look up, expecting Theron.
It's Senator Harwick.
My biological father stands ten feet away.
"Hello, Seraphine," he says calmly. "We need to talk."
My heart races. "How did you get in here?"
"I own half the security company the Aldrics use." He gestures to a path. "Walk with me."
I stand on shaking legs. "What do you want?"
"To make you an offer." He starts walking. I follow, keeping distance. "Last night was unfortunate. My people overreacted."
"Your people tried to KILL me."
"And they'll be dealt with." No remorse. "But you're still a liability to my campaign. A secret daughter complicates things."
"So what? You want me to disappear?"
"No." He stops, turns. "I want you to BE mine. Publicly."
I stare. "What?"
"A secret bastard is a scandal. But a long-lost daughter I've been searching for? That's heartwarming." His smile is calculated. "We announce you exist. I play the grieving father. You support my campaign. Everyone wins."
"Everyone except me."
"You become wealthy, protected, powerful." He pulls out papers. "Penthouse. Trust fund. Security. All yours."
"I don't want your money."
"Then what DO you want?" He leans closer. "Freedom from the Aldrics? Protection from Octavia? Or perhaps..." His eyes glitter. "You want me to remove Theron from your life? Permanently?"
My blood runs cold. "What?"
"If Theron's making you uncomfortable with his attention, I can make that problem disappear."
He's offering to kill Theron.
"No," I say quickly. "Don't touch him."
"Interesting." He studies me. "You defend him. Why?"
"Because—" I stop. "It's complicated."
"Then uncomplicate it. Work for me. Or stay with the Aldrics and risk whatever Theron plans now that you're not his sister."
He hands me papers. "Twenty-four hours to decide. After that, I'm holding a press conference anyway. You can be there as my daughter, or I'll announce you exist and let the media destroy you."
He walks away.
Behind me, someone clears their throat.
Theron leans against a tree.
"How much did you hear?" I ask.
"All of it." He walks toward me. "Are you considering his offer?"
"I don't know. Will you stop me?"
"No." His answer surprises me. "I'll just kill him first."
He says it so calmly.
"You can't just kill a senator—"
"Watch me." He takes the papers, rips them up. "You're not going with Harwick. You're not his campaign prop."
"Then what AM I doing?" My voice breaks. "Everyone wants to own me! Nobody's asking what I want!"
"What DO you want?"
Before I can answer, my phone buzzes.
Unknown number:
"Isolde Chen's flight just crashed during takeoff. No survivors. Stop involving people in your problems. They keep dying. — A Friend"
Below it, a news link.
My hands shake as I click it.
Breaking news: Private flight crashes. All passengers dead.
Isolde's name is on the victim list.
The phone slips from my fingers.
"No," I whisper.
Theron catches me as my legs give out.
"What happened?"
I can't speak. Can't breathe.
Isolde is dead.
Because of me.
Theron picks up my phone, reads it. His face goes deadly.
Another message arrives:
"That's two people hurt because of you. How many more die before you make the right choice? Disappear, Seraphine. 48 hours. — A.L."
A.L.
Lucasta Aldric.
My not-mother is killing everyone I love to force me to leave.