Chapter 1

Seraphina's POV

Raindrops hammered against the shutters of the Cross family mansion as I stood outside the study, my palms slick with cold sweat.

Angry voices from inside made my heart race in my chest. The old men from the board of directors were loudly questioning my stepmother Vivienne, their voices sharp with desperation and fury.

"Vivienne, you owe us an explanation! How could the company collapse so suddenly?"

"The stock has hit rock bottom. Our investments are completely worthless!"

I took a deep breath and eased the door open a crack. Vivienne sat in what used to be my father's chair, her face pale but maintaining her usual haughty composure. Her fingers clutched the documents on the desk so tightly her knuckles had turned white.

"Gentlemen, I understand your anger," Vivienne's voice was calm, but I could detect the tremor in it. "But now is not the time for blame. We need to find a solution."

"A solution?" one director scoffed. "What solution could possibly exist? I assume the bankruptcy papers are already prepared?"

My heart sank. Bankruptcy? Was the Cross family truly finished?

Vivienne suddenly stood up, her gaze turning sharp and dangerous. "There is one option. The Blackwood heir is willing to provide financial support on one condition..." She paused. "A marriage alliance with our family."

The study fell so silent that only the rain could be heard.

"Marriage?" someone asked. "With Cordelia?"

At my half-sister's name, I clenched my fists. All my life, everyone's attention had been focused on her. Beautiful, elegant, cherished—she was the jewel of the Cross family, while I remained the illegitimate daughter hidden in the shadows.

"Cordelia lost her voice after the car accident, as you all know," Vivienne's tone carried something I couldn't quite identify. "She... declined the arrangement."

My heart lurched, dread pooling in my stomach.

"Then what can we do?"

Vivienne turned around, her gaze seeming to penetrate the door directly to where I was hiding. "We have another option. Seraphina may be illegitimate, but she still carries Cross blood. This marriage could save all of us, including the child we've always overlooked."

My knees nearly buckled. Was she talking about me? Offering me as a substitute bride?

The door suddenly swung open, and Vivienne stood in the doorway, her eyes cold as winter. "Come in, Seraphina. Since you've heard everything, there's no point in hiding."

I hurriedly entered the study, feeling everyone's eyes on me. These directors who normally wouldn't even glance my way were now scrutinizing me with strange expressions, as if assessing my value.

"This is her?" someone frowned. "Will she do?"

"Her looks aren't bad, somewhat similar to Cordelia."

"The real question is whether the Blackwood heir will accept her."

I opened my mouth, but no words came. These people were discussing my future like I was something to be bought and sold.

Vivienne approached me, her voice soft but with an edge that made my skin crawl. "You should be grateful for this opportunity, Seraphina. Someone finally needs you."

"I..." my voice trembled. "I don't want—"

"You don't want what?" Vivienne's expression turned dangerous. "You don't want to save this family? Or would you rather watch all of us go bankrupt and end up on the streets?"

She pulled out a roll of yellowed sketches from a drawer—my mother's design work before she died, the only thing I truly cared about in this house.

"If you refuse," Vivienne said slowly, "I'll burn these designs right in front of you. Do you want your mother's life's work to disappear forever?"

My eyes filled with tears. These sketches were the only inheritance my mother had left me. On sleepless nights, I would look at them and feel my mother's warmth.

"I'll do it." As these three words left my mouth, something inside me broke.

Vivienne smiled with satisfaction. "Good. The wedding will take place tomorrow. Tonight, you'll move to the Blackwood estate."

She paused, her expression growing even more menacing. "And I'm sure you've heard the rumors about Caspian Blackwood. They say he's ruthless. You'd better pray you survive this marriage."

That evening, I sat in my new room at the Blackwood estate, wearing a white wedding gown that had been intended for Cordelia. The dress hung loose on my frame—like a role I was never meant to play.

Candles flickered around the room, casting dancing shadows on the walls. I had been waiting for three hours, but Caspian had yet to appear.

Every second felt like torture. My mind kept replaying the rumors about him: cruel, cold-blooded, his previous fiancée mysteriously dying the day before their wedding, and all those business rivals he had destroyed...

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing closer. My heart raced so fast I thought it might burst from my chest.

The door opened.

A tall figure appeared in the doorway, his silhouette outlined by candlelight. He walked slowly into the room, each step predatory and graceful.

When he fully entered the light, I nearly gasped aloud.

How could any man be this handsome?

Deep, penetrating eyes, chiseled features, and an innate aura of power. He was like a dark prince from ancient legends—beautiful in a way that made my blood run cold.

I quickly reminded myself of my current role—the voiceless heiress of the Cross family. I couldn't speak, only communicate with my eyes.

Caspian approached me, his height forcing me to tilt my head back to see his face. He reached out, lightly tracing my cheek with his fingertips. The gesture seemed gentle, but I sensed a deadly threat beneath it.

"I hear my new wife cannot speak," his voice was deep and magnetic, yet carried a cruel undertone. "So even when it hurts, you won't be able to scream, will you?"

My pupils dilated with terror crashed over me. What did he mean by that? Were the rumors true? Did he have some kind of twisted preferences?

Caspian seemed pleased by my terrified expression. He chuckled softly, a smile that was both stunningly beautiful and spine-chilling.

"That will do," he said, then turned toward the bathroom. "I'll get to know my wife properly after I shower."

The bathroom door clicked shut, leaving me alone with my fear, while I sat on the enormous bed, my body trembling uncontrollably with fear.

What is he going to do to me?

And how am I supposed to survive this dangerous game?