The Line She Crossed

“You really picked the worst possible moment to come back.

“But you were discharged so quickly. Were you actually fine? Were you just exaggerating?”

I grabbed the ashtray from the table and hurled it at Alaric’s head.

Seraphina instinctively pulled his head into her arms and took the blow for him.

“Is this ever going to end?

“I already told you I’d marry you. Why do you keep picking on Alaric?”

Once, when Seraphina and I were kidnapped, she had held me the same way, fearless, taking a knife for me.

But now, the person she protected had become someone else, a man who didn’t even need her protection.

I looked at the scar on her shoulder, already faded with time, and completely let go of my feelings for her.

After all these years, it had been nothing but my one-sided devotion.

“Alaric, you’ve protected me so many times. I finally get to protect you this once.”

Their cloying intimacy made my stomach churn.

“Get out of my house,” I said through clenched teeth.

Alaric laughed and rummaged through a pile of clothes, pulling out the property deed.

“This villa is mine now. If anyone’s leaving, it’s you.”

He told Seraphina to get dressed and called the other bodyguards inside, then ordered them to throw out everything that belonged to my parents and me.

My gaze snapped toward Seraphina.

She frowned slightly.

“It’s because you kept making a scene and made Alaric suffer.

“I used this villa to compensate him.

“You’re not short on places to live. Don’t be so stingy.”

“You seem to have forgotten why I gave you this villa in the first place…And how I gave it to you.”

The villa held every happy memory I had of home.

When I proposed, I gave it to Seraphina, wanting to offer her the most precious thing I owned.

I had wanted us to continue filling this house with happiness together.

Only then did Seraphina seem to remember the words I had once said to her.

She looked uneasy and opened her mouth to explain, but nothing came out.

Alaric put on another show of feigned concern.

“Does this villa mean that much to you? Sorry, I didn’t know. Well, consider it yours now.”

I didn’t want it anymore.

The place I had once called home had already been defiled by Alaric and Seraphina.

I no longer wished to be entangled with Seraphina.

I turned to leave but Seraphina chased after me.

“By the way, on the wedding day, I’m going to hold a marriage ceremony with Alaric first.

“When he saved me before, I promised to give myself to him. Promises can’t be broken.

“Don’t worry. It’s just for show. I’ll still marry you.”

I wasn’t going to marry her anyway.

Seraphina frowned.

“Don’t you have anything to say?”

I answered honestly, my tone sincere.

“Then I wish you a long and happy marriage, and many children.”

Seraphina looked unsettled.

“In any case, don’t cause a scene at the wedding.”

Alaric grinned as if he had won a battle, his tone dripping with mockery.

“I didn’t expect you to be so generous, letting me have your wife and the wedding.

“In return, I’ll make sure the wedding is spectacularly grand.”

I nodded and forced a smile.

“Fine. I’ve got a special program planned too. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”