Chapter 4 I am your father

Seraphina's POV

He rolled off me, his chest rising and falling heavily, while I lay on my back, my face blank. I never believed sex could be enjoyable, and this time was no different. It was dull, to be honest-just another item on the list of things I had to do. Maybe that's what I lacked in life. Or maybe, it was happiness in general.

I got out of bed and picked up the silk robe from the floor just as Liam asked, "What's wrong?"

I wanted to tell him everything, every thought running through my head, but I swallowed the words and kept them locked inside.

I turned to him with a wide smile. He was propped up on his elbows, the white sheets pooling around his waist. There was no denying he was attractive, but he sparked nothing inside me.

"Nothing, baby," I purred, moving slowly, swaying from side to side as his eyes followed every detail of my body like I was some treasured prize. Crawling onto the bed on my knees, I let him pull me down by my waist.

"Isn't it crazy that our wedding is just around the corner?" he asked, his tone laced with something odd, as if he still couldn't grasp how quickly time was passing.

Isn't it crazy that I'm only marrying him to stay close to Dominic Blackwood?

"I can't wait," I feigned a dreamy smile, letting out a soft, artificial sigh.

Everything was a lie-the feelings, the sex, the smiles. I felt nothing for this man. Nothing at all, except perhaps the faintest trace of friendship.

Then, as if the thought had been lingering in his mind, Liam suddenly asked, "Are you excited to meet Dominic Blackwood?"

Dominic Blackwood had been away for four months, but he was returning soon.

I managed another carefully crafted smile. "Of course. After all, he is my future father-in-law."

A part of me screamed that Dominic would force me to surrender-to give him my body, my dignity. And that alone explained why I held such deep contempt for Liam. I didn't long for any emotional connection, nor did I crave intimacy.

Leaning over him, I trailed soft kisses down his stomach, my eyes watching his face with detached indifference. He threw his head back, lost in his desires. Just as he began to push further, I bit down-hard-on his skin, making him jolt and groan in pain. A wicked smile curled on my lips, satisfied by his reaction.

He stared at me, stunned. Men were always weak when it came to sex.

"Damn it, Seraphina, what's wrong with you?!"

I batted my lashes at him innocently. "Sorry, I just wanted to play a little."

He shook his head and let it slide, leaning in to kiss me. I saw his expression shift the moment I turned my face away, rejecting his touch.

My first kiss wouldn't be with someone I didn't love. A kiss was far more intimate than sex-it was the one thing he couldn't take from me.

With a sigh, he stood and pulled on his boxers. I nodded silently as he left the room.

"Just get dressed, okay?"

I walked toward the mirror, running my fingers along my cheek, as if trying to force myself to feel something-anything. It didn't work.

I practiced my smile until it looked real.

Breathe, Seraphina.

A hot shower was exactly what I needed, as if it could wash away the weight of everything. Once I stepped out, I adorned myself with my usual jewelry, including the massive engagement ring I would never get used to wearing. I chose a short, orange leather dress, with pearls dangling from the back straps and a small slit that revealed my bronzed thigh.

My dark curls barely reached the middle of my back. I added some dry shampoo for extra volume, slipped into a pair of white heels, and spritzed perfume over my skin.

Plastering my perfected smile back onto my lips, I stepped out of the room.

Liam stood at the door, adjusting his tie in the mirror. I cleared my throat lightly to catch his attention. He turned toward me, smiling with pride. He loved flaunting me as if I were a prize he had won.

"I want you on your best behavior tonight," he murmured, gripping my elbow, his voice laced with quiet authority.

I swallowed, but masked my unease with a small smile.

If I stepped out of line, I would be punished.

The car ride was filled with forced laughter and empty jokes.

When I was younger, I had everything a girl could ever dream of. I was cherished... But now, there was no family left.

"My father already booked us a table at the restaurant," Liam said excitedly.

I stared out the window, boredom settling in, wondering how much longer I could keep up this charade.

Liam laced his fingers with mine as we entered the luxurious restaurant. Everything around us screamed wealth and status-even the pets were adorned with jewels.

Liam suddenly stepped ahead of me, and as I lifted my gaze, my feet froze in place.

Not Liam.

The man standing before me was none other than Dominic Blackwood.

I missed him so much. A part of me wanted to run to him, to throw my arms around him and cry. But as always, I remained silent.

Dominic Blackwood was my fiancé's father, nothing more.

He had abandoned me, left for months without a word. Now, I would ignore him just as he had ignored me. He wouldn't be my Daddy.

Just Dominic Blackwood. My fiancé's father.

I could still see him in Luna's bed, naked, and that alone fueled my thirst for revenge, justifying my presence in Liam's life. When I was in Liam's bed, I closed my eyes and pictured Dominic-Dominic in Luna's bed.

My gaze dropped to his hand, where intricate words were tattooed across his skin, a massive dahlia blooming over his knuckles. I followed the lines of his navy-blue suit up to his neck, where a name was etched in delicate lettering.

And then, finally, my eyes met his-those smoldering gray eyes, like gateways to another world.

No words could capture how devastatingly handsome he was.

I had never looked at a man like this before.

Now, staring at this god standing before me, I realized just how blind I had been.

I held my breath, feeling the air slowly drain from my lungs.

He extended his large hand toward me, and my mind ignited with a dangerous thought-just how many ways could Dominic Blackwood ruin me?

For a fleeting moment, I almost forgot he was my future father-in-law.

Still holding his hand, I raised a brow slightly. "How have you been, Dominic Blackwood?"

He leaned in closer, his breath ghosting over my skin, sending a shiver down my spine.

"My dear Seraphina..." he whispered, his voice like silk. "I am your father."

Lifting my hand to his soft lips, he pressed a gentle kiss against my skin.

"This is going to be fun."

With that look in his eyes, I knew-Dominic Blackwood was back for something. Maybe he was playing a game I didn't yet understand.

But for the first time in months, now that he had returned... I felt safe.