Chapter 10 – The Jealous Husband
1245 Words
The rain had stopped, but the world still felt heavy. Seraphina stood by the tall window of the west wing, gazing out at the glistening gardens. The mansion had been quiet for days — too quiet. Since her failed escape, Kael had kept his distance.
No harsh words. No cold looks. Just silence.
It should have been a relief. Instead, the emptiness felt worse than punishment.
When a knock came at her door, she half expected it to be Kael. But it was a servant, bowing low. “My lady, Lord Darvesh requests your presence in the grand hall. There are… guests.”
Guests? The word struck like a spark in the dark. Kael rarely entertained anyone. His world was one of secrets and shadows, not laughter and conversation.
She followed the servant down the polished marble corridor, her steps echoing softly. When she entered the hall, the sound of voices met her — deep, refined, carrying that particular tone of power and wealth.
Men in fine coats and jeweled cuffs stood in small groups, their eyes turning as she entered. Among them was Kael, towering and composed, his black attire sharp against the gleaming chandeliers above.
His gaze flicked to her the moment she appeared — dark, assessing, possessive. But before he could move, another man did.
“Lady Seraphina, I presume?”
The stranger was young, with golden hair and a charming smile that reached his eyes. His bow was deep, practiced. “I am Lord Eran of Merrow. I’ve heard much about the beauty hidden within these walls — but the tales hardly do you justice.”
His words were bold, his tone daring.
Seraphina’s breath caught. Compliments were not uncommon in her old life, but in this house — in Kael’s world — they felt dangerous.
She offered a polite smile. “You are kind, my lord.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw Kael stiffen. His jaw tightened, his gaze hardening into something sharp and dangerous.
Eran seemed either oblivious or foolishly brave. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “It must be lonely here, my lady. A woman such as yourself deserves laughter and warmth, not cold stone halls.”
Before Seraphina could respond, Kael’s voice cut through the room like a blade.
“Eran.”
The single word carried a warning that made even the bravest noblemen falter.
Eran straightened, smiling easily. “Ah, Lord Darvesh. I was merely keeping your wife company while you discussed business.”
Kael’s lips curved in something that wasn’t quite a smile. “My wife doesn’t need company. Least of all from men who don’t understand boundaries.”
The room grew still. The tension between the two men was a palpable force, drawing the attention of every guest.
Seraphina stepped forward, her voice soft but firm. “Kael, please—”
“Enough.” His tone was final. His hand found hers, strong and possessive, his fingers curling around her wrist as he turned sharply toward the stairs. “We’re leaving.”
“Lord Darvesh—” Eran began, but Kael didn’t spare him another glance.
Seraphina’s cheeks burned as Kael all but dragged her through the hall. Whispers followed them like shadows, gossip blooming in their wake.
When they reached the privacy of his study, Kael released her, his movements taut with restrained fury.
“What was that?” His voice was dangerously calm.
“What was what?” she shot back, anger flaring. “You embarrassed me in front of everyone!”
“Because another man was touching you with his eyes,” he growled. “You didn’t see the way he looked at you?”
“He was being polite!”
“He was undressing you in his mind.”
The accusation struck her like a slap. “You think so little of me?” she demanded, her voice shaking. “You think I would encourage him?”
Kael turned away, pacing like a caged predator. “I think I don’t like seeing what’s mine become another man’s interest.”
Seraphina froze. “Yours?”
He stopped, his back to her.
“Don’t,” she whispered, anger and hurt mixing in her chest. “Don’t call me that. You may have my hand, Kael, but you don’t own my heart.”
He turned then, slowly, his gaze blazing with emotion too fierce to name. “No,” he said, his voice rough. “But I want it.”
The words took her breath away.
Kael stepped closer, his eyes never leaving hers. “You think I enjoy this jealousy? This rage?” His hand came to rest against the doorframe beside her, caging her in. “Every time another man looks at you, I feel it — that burning. Not because I doubt you, Seraphina, but because I fear losing what I never thought I could have.”
Her pulse raced. “And what is that?”
“You.”
The air between them thickened. For a long, trembling moment, neither spoke. His gaze dropped to her lips, his breath mingling with hers.
But then she stepped back, breaking the spell. “You can’t demand love, Kael. Not through fear, not through possession.”
His jaw tightened, pain flickering in his eyes. “And yet you make me lose control every time you breathe.”
He turned away, dragging a hand through his hair. The silence that followed was suffocating.
Finally, Seraphina whispered, “You can’t keep treating me like a thing you might lose.”
He looked back at her, and for the first time, his expression softened. “Then tell me how to stop,” he said quietly. “Tell me how to look at you and not feel like the world would end if you ever walked away.”
Her lips parted, but no words came.
Kael’s gaze lingered a moment longer before he spoke again, lower this time. “Stay away from men like Eran. They don’t see you. They only see what they can take.”
She met his eyes. “And what do you see, Kael?”
His answer came without hesitation. “Everything I never deserved.”
The words silenced her more effectively than any command.
Kael took a step back, regaining his composure. “You’re free to return to your chamber,” he said, voice steadier now, but his hands were still clenched. “Dinner will be brought to you.”
She wanted to argue, to reach him — but something in his eyes told her that tonight, he was fighting a battle even he didn’t understand.
As she turned to leave, his voice came again, softer, rawer.
“Seraphina.”
She looked back.
“If another man ever looks at you that way again,” he said, “I can’t promise I’ll be civil.”
Her heart twisted. “You don’t need to be civil, Kael. You need to trust me.”
And before he could answer, she left him standing alone in the dim study, the sound of her retreating footsteps echoing through the hall — a rhythm that matched the ache in his chest.
When the door closed, Kael exhaled sharply, the fury fading into something heavier — guilt, longing, confusion.
Because even the beast within him knew the truth. His jealousy wasn’t about power.
It was about fear — fear of losing the only light that had ever dared to step into his darkness.
- Writer
