Chapter 4 Stay
639 Words
"It hurts…"
Seraphina curled beneath the blankets, her body drenched in cold sweat. Even her memories began to blur.
In her dream, the k********g from seven years ago returned in vivid detail.
Julian had been tied up and taken to the top floor of an abandoned factory. The kidnappers had blindfolded him and dragged him to the edge, preparing to push him off.
Seraphina had deliberately made a noise to lure the kidnappers away.
By the time they returned, Julian had already been rescued by the police she had called. Enraged, the kidnappers had turned on her and shoved her off the rooftop.
She had survived, but only barely.
A blood clot had remained in her brain ever since, impossible to remove. She had relied on medication all these years just to stay alive.
A familiar, cold voice suddenly rang in her ears. "Seraphina, what trick are you playing now?"
She opened her eyes. Her consciousness was still hazy, but when she saw Julian's face, she smiled instinctively. "Julian… you're safe…"
For a brief moment, his expression went blank.
He could not remember the last time he had seen her smile so purely. Around him, she was always guarded and distant.
Something in his chest tightened. He lowered his head and kissed her.
At first, it was only a brief kiss, but her unexpected compliance made him lose control. His hand slipped beneath the hem of her clothes.
Seraphina snapped back to full awareness. She pushed him away without hesitation. "Let go of me!"
Julian stumbled awkwardly onto the edge of the bed, his expression turning dark. "Seraphina…"
His phone suddenly rang. It was Elara.
Her crying voice came clearly through the speaker. "Julian, aren't you coming to stay with me tonight? It's raining outside. I'm scared of thunder…"
At that moment, a flash of lightning split across the window, followed by a deafening crash of thunder.
Seraphina flinched and covered her ears, retreating under the blanket. She was terrified of thunder.
When she was a child, she had returned home on a stormy night to find her parents dead from poisoning. She and her sister had been sent to an orphanage soon after. Since then, thunder had always left a scar in her heart.
Julian knew that.
Back when they were together, whenever it stormed, no matter where he was, he would rush back to her. He would hold her gently and promise that she had nothing to fear, that he would protect her for life.
Now, he simply watched her curl beneath the blanket with cold indifference.
Elara grew more anxious when he did not respond. "Julian, did you hear me? I'm really scared… I'll wait for you at home. Please come back and stay with me…"
Julian's gaze remained fixed on Seraphina. A faint, cold smile curved his lips.
"Are you scared, Seraphina?" he asked quietly. "If you beg me to stay, I won't leave tonight."
Seraphina remembered Elara's words. Elara had said she would wait at home. Julian had bought Elara a grand villa. That was their home now.
He ate with Elara there. He watched movies with her. He slept beside her. Just like he used to with Seraphina. Even on stormy nights, he stayed with Elara.
Seraphina's eyes reddened. She shook her head slowly. "I don't need you anymore. You can go."
The emotion in Julian's eyes was unreadable. He looked at her in silence for a long time before letting out a soft, self-mocking laugh.
He picked up the phone and answered without hesitation. "Don't be scared. Wait for me. I'm coming back to stay with you."
After hanging up, he did not look at Seraphina again. He stood and walked out.
Seraphina watched his figure disappear beyond the doorway. She buried her face into the blanket. Her tears slipped down silently.
- Writer
