Chapter 12
2012
The moment Isabelle saw Damien, a flicker of hope ignited in her eyes. She dragged her bruised and broken body across the floor, scrambling toward him. Tears streamed down her face, her voice a shattered wreck. “Damien… she… she was trying to kill me! Seraphina’s gone insane! She can’t stand to see me happy…”
Damien wrapped an arm around her, his gaze locking onto Seraphina, dark and furious. “What is the meaning of this?” he growled.
Seraphina wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand and let out a cold laugh, tossing the steel pipe aside. It clattered against the concrete, the sound echoing in the vast, empty space.
“Damien,” her voice was hoarse but unnervingly calm. “You’d better think long and hard about who was really in the wrong today.” She paused, her eyes as sharp as daggers. “And don’t forget, you still owe me for today.”
Damien’s brow furrowed, his voice laced with ice. “Weren’t you the one who conspired with Julian?”
“Hah.” Seraphina let out a short, bitter laugh, a dangerous light in her
met
this gaze, her voice low and steady. “der!
ly is trying to acquire that land parcel on the east side,
“Fine. In that case, I’ll just have to tell the media-” She
you’ll handle that kind of press. If I remember correctly, the Blackwood fami-
ren’t th
Her gaze then shifted to Isabelle. “And Miss Croft, I’m sure you row, branded as a homewrecker, would you?”
want to
see
ps your face plastered all over the internet tomor-
sobbing. “Damien, it’s all
my fault… I’m
Isabelle’s face went white. Her lips trembled as she sagged
sure it’s because the wedding didn’t happen. That’s why Miss Vance is
weakly into
Damien’s frown deepened. He looked at Seraphina. “If that’s what this is about, I can make it
Isabelle?”
Damien’s
so angry…”
”
up
to
you. Why
you take it out on
injuries, her posture
A scornful laugh escaped Seraphina’s lips. “Don’t waste your breath.” She stood up straight, and despite
was proud and unyielding. “Who wants your pathetic wedding? Even without the ceremony, I am still Mrs. Black”
With that, she turned her back on them, pressing a hand to the wound in her side as she walked toward the
Warehouse Submit a quali
As she passed Damien and Isabelle, she paused for a fraction of a second, her voice like splintered ice. “We’ll leave it at this for
today.”
“Don’t worry. We have plenty of time.”
Then, without another glance, she was gone.
Damien stood frozen, watching her retreat. A strange, unfamiliar emotion stabbed at his heart. She was a complete mess, he had
personally put a knife in her, she should have been furious, hysterical… but all she did was give him that one, calm look, and it left
him feeling suffocated.
He suddenly realized he had never truly seen her before.
In his arms, Isabelle was still weeping, but for some reason, the sound grated on his nerves. He reflexively raised a hand to wipe
away her tears, but as his fingers brushed her skin, the image of Seraphina’s blood–streaked, sneering face flashed in his mind.
His hand froze.
A secret, unprecedented emotion began to sprout in the depths of his heart.
Did she become like this because of Isabelle?
Was it… because of me?
The thought made Damien’s breath catch in his throat.
