Chapter- Five

Serafina POV

The next day, I’m awake before dawn out of habit. The moment I step into the room, I notice a white dress laid neatly across the bed, like it’s been waiting for me.

A note rests beside it.

I wanted to wrap the gift, but I figured you’d hate that. — Zavier.

I toss the note into the bin.

The gown doesn’t feel real. None of this does. I’m about to marry a man I’d rather see dead. The weight of it presses in, tight and suffocating.

I shut my eyes. What would Kael say if he were here right now? A memory surfaces from training. His voice is steady.

“Remember, when you’re trapped, you don’t lose your cool. Don’t let your emotions take over. You stay calm. You fight through. Survival comes first if you want to finish the mission.”

I take a slow breath. Then another. A soft knock breaks the silence.

Madison.

“Come in,” I say.

“Serafina, these are your makeup artist and hairstylist,” Madison says as she steps inside.

“I could’ve managed on my own,” I reply.

“Sir insisted.”

Of course he did. I exhale and slip into a bathrobe as they get to work, hands moving, brushes gliding, turning me into something polished. Something perfect.

A bride.

Meanwhile, my mind stays somewhere else. With Kael.

Is he even alive? Still in a cell? Or has Zavier already dealt with him?

Zavier wants this marriage fast, especially now that his godfather knows about it. So he’ll want the ceremony done today.

Then I’ll use that. I need to see Kael before this goes any further. I need proof. When the makeup artist and hairstylist are done, I open my eyes.

A stranger stares back at me. A fitted off-shoulder mermaid gown. A soft veil. Half-up hair, perfectly styled. Flawless makeup.

The perfect bride. I don’t feel like one.

“Madison,” I call.

She steps closer.

“I need to see Zavier. Right now.”

“Well, you know Mr. Zavier is busy with the arrangements,” Madison says.

“Tell Zavier to get here right now,” I say coldly. “Or I’m not walking down that aisle.”

Madison doesn’t argue. She relays the message through her earpiece. I sit on the edge of the bed, still and controlled.

Madison keeps her eyes on me like I might bolt at any second. I roll my eyes. If I wanted to run, I would’ve disappeared before dawn without a trace. Kael is the only reason I’m still here.

The door opens, and Zavier strolls in dressed in a black tuxedo. For once, he looks more like a man heading to a wedding than a gangster. And damn it, the asshole looks good. That only annoys me more.

“You look pretty,” he says.

“Yeah. Whatever.”

“You’re called for me, princess?” He kept his tone sweet. His eyes told me he is pissed.

“I need to see Kael,” I say, my voice steady. “I need to know he’s okay before you force me into marrying you. Though I’d rather kill you at the altar and turn our wedding into your funeral, livestreamed for the entire Ventura family to watch.”

A mocking smirk tugs at his lips.

“Funny,” Zavier says. “You think you can kill me?”

He steps closer, his voice lowering.

“But I like the idea. You could try right now.”

“You know I’m agreeing to your deal,” I shoot back. “All I need is assurance. I don’t trust your word.”

I hold his gaze.

“I’ll play along and act in love for the cameras. Or you can drag me down that aisle by force and let your godfather start asking why you lied to him last night.”

That lands. His expression tightens.

“Fine,” he says after a beat. “Assassin princess, you get to see him. Two minutes.”

I nod. Jero leads me down to the dungeon.

“I hope you keep it quick,” he says. “And no telling him about the deal, Serafina.”

“You really think Kael won’t ask why I’m wearing a white gown?” I reply.

“You check if he’s alive. That’s it,” Jero says flatly. “Best case, you say nothing. Worst case, we sedate him. Or do worse to shut him up.”

I shoot him a glare. He doesn’t care. I swallow hard as we stop at the cell.

One guard steps forward, unlocking it with a retinal scan. The door looks impenetrable. No one is getting out of here. Not without help. And definitely not alive. I see Kael. Bruised, worn down, but not broken. His eyes snap to the glass the second he sees me, shock flashing across his face.

“I’ll leave you two,” Jero says. “But we can hear everything.”

And just like that, he’s gone.

“Serafina. Thank God you’re okay,” Kael whispers.

Relief softens his voice until his gaze drops to the dress. His expression shifts. Tightens.

“Why are you wearing a wedding gown?”

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” I say, forcing the words out while holding back everything else threatening to surface.

“Serafina,” he says, sharper now, commanding. “What did you agree to?”

Not a friend asking. A commander demanding answers.

“Everything’s fine,” I say, managing a small smile.

“Don’t lie to me,” he snaps. “Tell me, damn it.”

I hold his gaze for just a second.

“I’ll see you soon. Okay?”

The buzzer cuts through the moment. Time’s up. A guard steps in.

“Be safe out there,” Kael says as they pull me away.

I smile faintly. I will be. For both of us. Outside, Jero is waiting.

“Looks like I was right,” he says casually. “You do have a soft spot for him.”

I say nothing. I shut everything down behind my cold expression. We move out of the dungeon. Then Jero stops.

“This is for you.”

I blink, staring at the gun in his hand.

“Giving me your blessing to shoot Zavier?” I ask coldly.

He scoffs.

“Sure. Try it.”

He holds up his phone.

“You should know there’s a collar around Kael’s neck. One trigger.” He taps the screen. I watch Kael’s body jolt through the glass feed, electric current ripping through him. I feel nervous learning this new information. Is he lying? No. I saw the collar around Kael’s neck.

We step back toward the aisle, masking our emotions. Jero offers his hand. I want to break it. Instead, I place mine in his gently. Cameras are everywhere. Watching. The Ventura family’s eyes, the security feeds, all of it tightening after Caspian’s death.

Or maybe because something worse is already in motion. Either way, the show is about to begin.