"No-please-don't do this!" Seraphina sobbed, her voice cracking as she clung to her eldest brother's wrist. "I-I'll be good. I'll do whatever you say, just don't-"
A sharp crack echoed through the room as his palm struck her cheek, sending her crash...
Chapter 53 & Chapter 54 published already. Please read in case you missed it
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Silence. Thick. Suffocating.
Seraphina stood by the edge of the bed, trembling.
Rafael back was to her, fists clenched, body radiating fury.
Her voice cracked. "R-Raf... I-I didn't... I-I don't—"
Her words broke, and so did her courage. Was he going to hate her now? Was he going to look at her the same way her family and everyone around her did—with disgust, with judgment?
Suddenly, he turned.
His stormy eyes blazed, but they weren't filled with hatred. Not for her.
He crossed the room in two strides, grabbed her by the arm—not to hurt, but to stop her from falling apart—and hissed, voice low and furious, "WHY didn't you SLAP that bitch?!"
Seraphina blinked. "W-what?"
"You should've dragged her by that ratty little ponytail and reminded her whose fucking wife you are."
His voice was trembling with rage now. "You're mine. You're a Romanov. She insulted you—in our house. You should have show her, her fucking place"
Rafael stepped closer, his jaw clenched, voice low and razor-sharp as he looked down into her trembling eyes.
"I could've killed her, Seraphina... right there in front of everyone. I could've put a bullet between her brows the moment she dared speak your name like that. I could've crushed her windpipe with a snap of my fingers"
His breath trembled with restraint. "But I didn't."
He cupped her face, firm yet gentle, his thumb brushing away a tear she didn't even realize had fallen.
"I didn't... because you didn't say a word. You just stood there. You let her say those vile things, and you didn't even look at me—not once. You stood there with your head bowed...."
His voice cracked a little, just enough to betray the storm behind his calm.
"Did you think I'd believe her?" he whispered, eyes darkening.
"Did you think for even a second I'd choose that venomous snake's words over you?"
He stepped even closer, their foreheads almost touching now.
"I know you're too soft for this world, my love. I know your heart wasn't built for war. But mine is. And all I ask—" he gripped her hand, placing it against his chest where his heart beat like a drum, "—is that you tell me. Show me. Just tell me who hurt you... who tried to break you. I'll take care of it."
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