Shattered vows
Seraphina's POV
I stood in front of the tall mirror in my room, staring at the woman in the deep blue silk gown.
I adjusted the neckline for the fifth time, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, and sighed.
I didn't want to go tonight. I didn't want to smile for people who didn't care about me, laugh at jokes that weren't funny, or stand beside a man who didn't even look at me or love me anymore.
The door slammed open.
Lucian stepped in, tall and commanding, his black suit sharp, his eyes cold. He looked at me like I was nothing more than an accessory he had paid for.
"You're not ready?" His voice sliced through the air.
I turned slightly, lips pressed tight. "I am ready."
He walked closer, his gaze raking over me. "Fix your posture. Chin up. You'll smile, you'll behave, and you'll look perfect. Or do I need to remind you who you are without my name?"
The words stung like a slap. I turned back to the mirror, gripping the edge of the shelf to steady myself.
"I don't want to go tonight, Lucian," I whispered.
His laugh was sharp, humorless. "Of course you don't. You never want to do anything useful. What's new?"
I spun around, heat flooding my chest. "Useful? Is that all I am to you? A tool? Something to show off in front of your investors?"
His jaw tightened. He stepped closer, towering over me, his cologne too sharp and suffocating. "Yes. That's exactly what you are. That's what you agreed to when you married me. Or did you think this was a fairytale?"
"I married you because I loved you," I shot back, voice cracking. "Because I thought you loved me too."
His lips twisted into a cruel smile. "Love is for fools. You should've known better."
My heart clenched. I stared at him, searching for the man I once knew - the man who once held me close, whispered promises, made me laugh under the stars.
But he wasn't here. He was gone. Or maybe he never existed at all.
I swallowed hard, blinking back tears. "Why do you treat me like this?"
He tilted his head. "Because you let me."
The words hollowed me out. I turned back to the mirror, blinking rapidly, desperate to keep myself together. If I cried now, he'd only enjoy it.
"Let's go," he said flatly, checking his watch. "Don't embarrass me tonight."
****
The ballroom was golden and bright, chandeliers glittering above rows of powerful men and women.
Lucian's hand gripped my waist like steel as he led me from one conversation to another.
To the outside world, we were perfect. The dazzling billionaire and his beautiful wife. But every smile I gave was a mask, every laugh hollow.
He never once looked at me. Not really.
At one table, a gray-haired investor leaned toward Lucian. "Your wife is stunning, Veyron. You're a lucky man."
Lucian's lips curved, but his eyes stayed cold. "She polishes up well. Doesn't she?"
Heat rushed to my cheeks. The men laughed as if it was funny. I forced a small smile, heart sinking.
Later, Lucian left me standing alone while he crossed the room to shake hands with someone. Minutes stretched. I stood there clutching my glass, pretending I belonged.
A woman in a glittering red dress brushed past me. She leaned into Lucian, her manicured hand resting boldly on his arm. He smiled at her - an easy, warm smile, one I hadn't seen in months.
Something inside me cracked.
I turned away, blinking fast. My throat tightened. I lifted my champagne glass, gulping it down even though it burned.
"Are you alright?" a stranger asked beside me.
I forced a smile. "Yes. Just tired."
Lucian returned minutes later, barely sparing me a glance. "Come," he ordered, guiding me toward another group.
The rest of the night dragged, every moment a performance. I laughed when expected, nodded when spoken to, stood still as Lucian's prop. By the time we left, my face hurt from the fake smiles.
****
The car was silent as I sat stiff in the passenger seat, hands clenched in my lap. Lucian scrolled through his phone, not sparing me a glance.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to feel alive again.
Finally, I found the courage to speak.
"You weren't always like this," I said quietly.
His thumb stilled over his phone. He glanced at me, then back at the road. His face was unreadable.
"Maybe you were too naรฏve to see me clearly," he replied coldly.
The words cut deep, sharper than glass. My throat closed. I turned my face toward the window, biting down hard on my lip.
I swallowed hard. "Do you hate me that much?"
His jaw twitched. "I don't waste emotions on you, Seraphina. Hate, love - it's all the same. Pointless."
Tears welled in my eyes. I pressed my forehead against the cool glass, wishing I could disappear.
The silence was suffocating.
Then-
Headlights blazed in front of us.
Lucian cursed, jerking the wheel. Tires screeched. My body slammed against the seatbelt as the car swerved.
"Lucian!" I screamed, clutching the door handle.
The world spun. Glass shattered, raining across my arms. Metal crunched, the sound deafening. My head hit the side window - pain exploded.
The car flipped once, then landed hard. My breath whooshed out, chest aching like it had caved in.
The smell of burning rubber filled the air. I tried to move, but my body wouldn't obey. Everything blurred.
"Seraphina!" Lucian's voice was faint, almost drowned by the ringing in my ears. His hand grip
ped my shoulder, shaking me. "s**t! Don't close your eyes!"
I wanted to answer, but darkness swallowed me whole.
