Chapter 3 I love Liam

Seraphina's POV

I was officially Liam's fiancée.

I had no idea that a mere title could build a wall between me and Dominic Blackwood-a cold, unyielding wall I could not break through no matter how hard I tried.

He began ignoring me... deliberately.

I didn't know why, but he was no longer the same. He no longer spent time with me, no longer came to my room to check on me before bed, no longer barged into my bathroom to drag me out when I took too long. He was no longer the Dominic I knew.

The last conversation we had still lingered in my memory.

That day, he stood before me, carrying the same aura of strength and dominance that had always made me feel safe. But this time... his eyes held something different, something I couldn't fully understand.

"Are you sure about your decision?"

He asked in a low voice, as if my answer would determine something crucial for him.

"No one can force you into this marriage, Seraphina. If you don't want it, just say so."

But I said what I never should have said.

"I love Liam."

I lied.

But it was a necessary lie.

Because I couldn't tell the truth. I couldn't admit that I had agreed only to stay close to him, only to remain under his shadow-even if he no longer looked at me the same way.

The moment I uttered those words, I saw something shift in Dominic.

Something extinguished.

And from that day on... he was never the same.

He no longer asked about my day, no longer sat with me as he used to, no longer teased me with his casual touches or forced me to eat my meals.

All that remained was a cold, distant formality:

"Are you okay?"

"Do you need anything?"

"How is your relationship with Liam?"

"I hope you have a happy new life."

A happy new life?

How could I be happy when he was no longer a part of it?

But Dominic wasn't the only one who changed.

I did too.

I became quieter, colder-as if I were living in a body without a soul.

Yet, I noticed it...

I noticed how his smile faded.

I noticed how he grew silent, how he no longer smiled the way he once did.

And I-

I no longer smiled either.

But what could I do?

---

I had thought Liam was merely an arrogant, self-centered man.

But I was wrong.

He was worse than I had imagined-more brutal, more ruthless.

He wasn't just cruel in words or looks. He was cruel... to my body.

For long, endless nights, I felt like nothing more than an object to him, a means to satisfy his desires. He didn't care if I cried. He didn't care if I begged him to stop. He took everything he wanted from me... except for my virginity.

And even that-I felt it was only a matter of time before he took it too.

"Don't pretend to be innocent, Seraphina."

He whispered one night, his hands gripping me as my body trembled.

"You belong to me. You'll be my wife soon, so don't resist what's coming."

But I wasn't his. I wasn't anyone's.

Yet, I had no choice.

Every time I resisted, he became more violent.

At first, it was just threats, but over time... I learned what real pain was.

The first blows weren't the worst. But with time, I learned to expect them.

A punch here. A slap there. My wrists twisted so hard I screamed in pain. My legs trembling from the force of his kicks. Scars that refused to fade.

He destroyed my body.

Every time I looked in the mirror, I saw his marks carved into my skin. I was nothing but a canvas for his cruelty.

At first, I wanted to tell Dominic Blackwood.

A small voice inside me screamed for help, begged me to tell him, to let him protect me the way he always had.

But I remained silent.

Why?

Because Dominic was no longer Dominic.

He was no longer the man who held me when I cried. No longer the man whose touch alone made me feel safe.

He had left me.

And if he had already abandoned me... would he even care if I told him?

---

One night, I couldn't bear it any longer.

I stepped out of my room, my bare feet against the cold floor. I was trembling-but not from the cold.

I stopped in front of his door.

For a moment, I hesitated. I raised my hand to knock-but I froze.

From the other side, I heard his footsteps. Then, a soft sound... a long, heavy sigh.

I stood there, torn between knocking and walking away.

But I couldn't move.

"Daddy..."

The word slipped from my lips before I even realized it.

I flinched, as if I had committed a sin.

And suddenly-

The door opened.

Dominic stood before me, half-naked, his hair disheveled, his features exhausted. He stared at me for a long moment, his eyes empty, cold.

But there was something else... something that nearly shattered me.

When I saw Luna Sofia is wearing a little lighter clothes, it seems that she is trying to seduce him, trying to restore him after she won and went from my room. while he stood there, bare-chested, I staggered back.

He said nothing. He didn't ask why I stood at his door in the middle of the night.

So, with trembling lips, I forced out the words, "Sorry for disturbing you. Go back to bed."

Then, I turned and walked away, my tears falling freely.

I felt like I was dying.

I left with tears streaming down my face, feeling as if I were dying. I wanted to run far away. But if I fled, I would be leaving Dominic Blackwood forever.

And now, he has replaced me with that woman. It should have been me there, not her. Perhaps he has already kissed her, and soon he will marry her-she will have him completely!