chapter 6
723 Words
The walls of Seraphina’s life felt like they were closing in.
After the latest headline hit, the calls hadn’t stopped.
Her father was furious. The Foundation board demanded a "statement of decorum". And Everly, though trying to play the composed political wife, kept calling with vague suggestions like "Distance might be wise" and "Let this blow over."
But none of it compared to the ache in her chest.
She hadn’t even had a chance to enjoy the morning after. Hadn’t had a moment to feel like a woman in love. Because all of it—every stolen kiss, every lesson, every ounce of intimacy—had been dragged into the public eye like meat to vultures.
And worst of all? She hadn’t heard Leo’s voice. Only a text.
Her security detail waited by the door, stiff and silent. The press had parked themselves outside her apartment building like hyenas, clicking and filming every movement she made. There were already speculations about her being pregnant, others about her being dumped, and one cruel article that called her Leo’s "latest charity project."
She shut off her phone.
Then she did the only thing she could think to do: she got in the elevator, descended into the madness, and told her driver to take her to Leo.
Leo opened the door the second she stepped out of the car.
His eyes searched her face, frantic and raw.
"Sera…"
She walked past him, into his penthouse, and turned to face him.
"You told me this would change things. You told me it was real. But I feel like a scandal."
He closed the door behind him, expression tense.
"I never wanted this. I never wanted you to be dragged into my mess."
"Then why didn’t you stop it? Why didn’t you do something? Say something publicly?"
He ran a hand through his hair. "Because the moment I make this public, you’re not just mineyou’re owned by the press. Every breath you take becomes a headline. Every move you make is up for auction. I was trying to protect you."
"But all it’s done is make me feel like I’m being hidden."
He froze.
She looked away, heart racing. "I don’t want to be your secret, Leo. Not after what we shared."
He stepped closer. "You’re not a secret. You’re the only thing that’s real in my life."
"Then act like it."
A beat of silence passed.
Then Leo pulled out his phone and, without another word, dialed his publicist.
"Get me a press conference. Today. Midtown. And tell the world... I’m not available."
He ended the call, his eyes locked on hers.
"No more hiding."
Her lip trembled.
But before she could speak, his phone rang again.
He frowned at the screen.
"What is it?" she asked.
He answeredand his face changed.
"What do you mean she filed a lawsuit?"
Seraphina’s heart dropped. "Who?"
Leo turned away, muttering into the phone. "You’ve got to be kidding me. Breach of contract? Emotional distress? There was no contract!"
He turned back to her, jaw locked.
"Nadia. She’s suing me."
"For what?"
"Claiming I promised her a modeling contract through one of my companies. That I seduced her under false pretenses. That she has..."he swallowed"evidence."
Seraphina blinked. "Is it true?"
"No! I haven’t touched her in over a year. But this is war. And she’s not after money. She’s after me."
"So what does that mean for us?"
He looked at her for a long time.
Then, quietly: "It means I’ll need to fight her. Publicly. And if you stay with me... they’ll drag you into this too."
She stepped closer. "I don’t care about the press. I care about you."
"But I care about you, Seraphina. Enough to let you go, if that means keeping you safe."
Her eyes stung. "Then maybe you don’t know what love looks like. Because letting me go isn’t noble. It’s cowardice."
That hit him like a slap.
And when she turned to leave, he didn’t stop her.
That night, she sat in her apartment alone, curled up in one of her father's oversized sweaters, watching the city flicker through the windows.
The press conference came and went.
Leo Moretti told the world he was in love with someone.
He didn’t name her.
And Seraphina couldn’t decide if that was worse than being hidden.
- Writer
