CHAPTER 36
Seraphina
The hallways of the estate felt hollow tonight, the chandeliers casting shadows that seemed to follow my every step. I walked slowly, pressing my palms to the polished walls, trying to feel grounded but nothing could steady the storm inside me.
Every corner reminded me of him. His presence lingered even when he wasn’t near, in the scent of the wood polish, the faint warmth of the hearth, the echo of footsteps that might have been his.
I hated myself for thinking of him, for remembering the way he moved, the way his hands had brushed mine, the intensity in his eyes that made my stomach flip.
I stopped at the terrace, overlooking the city lights. Marseille sprawled beneath me, calm, indifferent, unaware of the chaos that brewed within me. My chest tightened as I imagined him standing behind me, his shadow larger than life, claiming me with only a glance.
I tried to breathe, tried to tell myself I could resist him, that desire and danger were not meant to be entwined but my body betrayed me. Every memory, every fleeting thought of him, ignited a hunger that I could not contain.
I was tired of pretending. Tired of holding back, and I knew, deep down, that my own heart had already surrendered. This was my world, my life now.