MasukThe meeting ended shortly and she picked up her bags to leave the office. Before she stepped out of the building, she stopped by the secretary to warn her.
“If that lady comes in here again and you don't call security to lock her up, you'll lose your job. Got it? The secretary nodded like her life depended on it, maybe because it did. The drive home was quiet…too quiet. Like the calm before a terrible storm but she was ready. Her ringtone tore the peace and she glared at the phone. “Darling.” She answered “Sera Darling, I have another meeting…so I will be home late” he said hurriedly. “I do not care if you have a surgery and you are the surgeon or you're going for your burial…” she hissed “I want you home by the time I'm there.” She ended the call. After that tone in her voice, he knew better than to come late. She made a stop at her sister's office to tell her what happened and she almost exploded. “What do you mean that ugly woman is pregnant!” “Calm down, Steph. I'm going home to talk to him” “Do you need me to come? I have a bat!” “Girl! Not everything is violence” she laughed. She had no idea those words would bite her back in the ass. She got home shortly after and saw her husband's car parked in. At least he kept to time today. She walked in slowly and dropped her bag. He sprinted in, still fully suited…almost like he appeared into the room. “Darling–” “Who is she?” Sera brought out a picture of Vanessa. He stayed quiet for a split second and replied, “She's a friend of mi–” “You bloody liar!” A slap tore across his face. He stood there unsure what had just happened. Seraphina's voice was shaking “Who. Is. She. Adrian vale?” her eyes glowed red from tears and anger. He exhaled and knelt down “I can explain.” Another slap disrupted the peace of the house…not like there was any to begin with. She grabbed his hair and looked him dead in the eye. “Not only did you cheat on me, but you went and got her pregnant?” His eyes widened. “I didn't! I swear!” He cried out. “It was once! It only happened once!” She relaxed her hands and he let out a small laugh. “So these pictures…” she began scrolling through her phone “...are all from one day?” “Sera. Calm down. How did you get these?” “Oh! Mr. CEO, I am calm” she said as she slowly took off her shoes “but this little marriage we have going on, is over.” “Sera…please let's be reasonable. I swear it was a mistake.” He pleaded, tears falling down his cheeks. She couldn't care less about how he felt after what he did. “Clean your eyes darling, I'll start preparing dinner” she patted his cheek “be down in 30. I'll make something simple.” Adrian didn't know how to react, fear built up in his chest and his face turned red. “Okay, sweetie…I'll be down soon” she patted his head before he got up. After he walked up the stairs, Sarah stood in the kitchen for almost 5 minutes with a knife in her hand, staring at nothing. A tear slid down her cheeks and she began preparing rice and chicken sauce…it was easy and quick to make. By the time Adrian got down, the food was ready and she was sitting on the opposite side of the dining table, staring into the food. He sat opposite her “Thank you, Sera–” “Did you ever even love me, Adrian?” her eyes began watering again. “Of course I do. I love you.” He stretched his hand across the table but she ignored him and looked up “Do you want this marriage to end? So you can go to her…?” Her eyes, red and tired “...the woman you met before you met me?” Adrian kept mute, like he had suddenly forgotten how to speak. She stretched her hand this time to him and he held it tight “Adrian…it's a simple question…do you want to end this marriage for her?” she sniffled. Adrian's grip on her hand loosened and she nodded and laughed. “I don't know, Sera…I don't.” he cried. He dug his fingers into his hair, messing it up. Seraphina stood up, forcing her body to move with her mind and walked up the stairs, her food untouched “Adrian. Never has the thought of ending things crossed my mind but you couldn't choose…” She let out a tired laugh “you've made up your mind, you just needed assistance" she walked up more and stopped “We'll sign the paperwork tomorrow and go our separate ways” Adrian sprouted. “Sera! Give me a week. Just a week and I'll give you an answer. I promise” Seraphina nodded. She knew what his answer would be anyway, she wasn't raising her hopes for anyone. “That's Friday.” She said and looked back.The hallway outside the station was cold.Seraphina stood against the wall, her arms wrapped around herself. Stephanie was beside her, rubbing her back in slow circles."I'm fine," Seraphina said, her voice hollow."Girl! You're not fine.""I'm fine.""Sera—""I said I'm fine!" She pulled away, her eyes blazing. Then just as quickly, the fire died. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just—""I know." Stephanie pulled her into a hug. "I know, baby. I know."Seraphina buried her face in her sister's shoulder."He's been watching me my whole life," she whispered. "Every moment. I have no secrets. Every—" Her voice broke. "I never had any privacy, I never had any peace. He was always there…always."Stephanie held her tighter. "We'll find him. We'll find him and we'll make him pay.""How?" Seraphina pulled back, her eyes red. "He's not even real, he's a ghost. He has no name, no face, no—" She stopped…her expression shifted. "No. No, wait.""What?""He has a face." Seraphina's voice was urgent now.
The police station smelled like stale coffee and desperation.And Adrian hated every second of it. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, making everything have that weak yellow glow that made everyone look like they hadn't slept in days. Which, to be fair…none of them had.Seraphina sat beside him, her knee bouncing nervously beneath the table. Stephanie was on her other side, arms crossed, glaring at anyone who dared look at them for too long. The three of them had been waiting for almost two hours."I need coffee," Stephanie announced, standing abruptly. "Before you talk Adrian, I want real coffee not that burnt garbage they're serving in the break room.""Sit down," Adrian said through gritted teeth."I'll be right back.""Stephanie—""I'm getting coffee!" She stormed off before anyone could stop her. Seraphina exhaled slowly. “She's going to start a fight with someone.""Probably.""Should we stop her?"Adrian glanced at the doorway where Stephanie had disappeared. "No…let her.
The photograph burned into Adrian's retinas like a brand.Seraphina, sleep…unaware and in the background…barely visible through the window, a shadow on the fire escape. Just standing, watching…waiting.His phone slipped from his fingers and clattered against the marble floor but he didn't even notice."Fuck." He whispered. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!”They kept leaving his mouth before he could stop them. Then he was moving, grabbing his keys, his jacket, anything within reach. His hands were shaking. He couldn't remember the last time his hands shook…but they did tonight.The drive was a blur.Red lights meant nothing, speed limits meant nothing and nothing mattered except getting to her…getting to her before—“Don't think about it. Don't think about what happens if you're too late.” he yelled to himself in the car. He called her phone and it went straight to voicemail.He called Stephanie. It rang. And rang. And rang.“Come on. Come on. Pick up—”But nothing.He threw his phone into
He was unremarkable in every way. Average height, average build, average face. He wore a simple suit and an apologetic expression. The kind of man you'd pass on the street without ever noticing.But Adrian noticed him now…he couldn't help it."Mr. Vale," Marcus said, his voice calm and professional. "I apologize for the interruption. I just had a few questions about the quarterly projections."Vanessa stared at Marcus like she'd seen a ghost and Adrian's eyes narrowed. "We're in the middle of something.""Of course." Marcus nodded pleasantly, his gaze sliding to Vanessa. "I can wait."For a long moment, nobody moved. Then Vanessa laughed again…a hollow, broken sound. She looked at Adrian, then at Marcus, something unreadable flickering across her face."You think you're so clever," she said, her voice hoarse. "Both of you! But you have no idea what's coming." She turned and walked toward the door, pausing beside Marcus in the doorway."He'll destroy you too," she whispered, just loud
The words landed like a slap. Vanessa's face was drained of color. "That's ridiculous! Of course I—""You loved what I could give you. The power, the status, the access." Adrian stood slowly, his voice still calm…still measured. "But me? The actual man? You couldn't care less.""That's not—""Don't lie to me." His voice sharpened, as his eyes pierced through her. "I've watched you for months, Vanessa. Every conversation, every touch, every whispered ‘I love you’ was calculated.”“Shut up.”“I don't think you're not capable of loving anyone."Vanessa's mask cracked. Her eyes glowed with something that might have been tears or might have been pure rage."That's not true," she whispered, but her voice lacked conviction. "I did love you. I DO love you.""No," Adrian said simply. "You don't."“Why're you trying to project?!”He walked around the desk, slow and deliberate, until he stood directly in front of her. He was close enough to see the tiny muscle twitching in her jaw…close enough t
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and Adrian didn't bother to look up from his laptop.He knew who it was before she even stepped into the room. The click of her heels was too deliberate, too sharp…and now too annoying. The perfume that followed her everywhere was choking and familiar. He'd grown to hate the scent over the past few weeks. It never smelled like jasmine and honey anymore, it smelled like obsession and manipulation."Adrian." He didn't respond."I said—" he cut her off, still not looking away from his laptop."I heard you."Vanessa appeared in his peripheral vision, her silhouette sharp against the floor-to-ceiling windows behind his desk. She was dressed immaculately, as always, her blonde hair perfectly curled and her makeup flawless. But there was something wrong beneath the polish. Something angry.And Adrian felt nothing now."I need to talk to you," she said, her voice tight."I'm busy." his voice falt and final."It’s about Seraphina." His fingers pa
Seraphina got home but could barely slept that night because every single sound inside the house made her scared. From the faint rustling of curtains from the air conditioner, to even the ticking clock mounted on the wall suddenly sounded too loud. The massive white house she had fallen in love wit
The moment her car doors closed shut, Stephanie lost it immediately. “That bitch is insane!” she nearly screamed, pulling her heels off and throwing them angrily into the back of the car. “Why would anyone behave like that in public? Hair pulling? Food throwing? Is she mentally stable?” but Seraph
“C’mon, dearie...Touch me again,” Seraphina whispered as she stood, her voice low and steady, as her gaze locked on Vanessa’s. “Make hurting you easy for me, Vanessa… I beg of you.” The air grew tense, with anticipation, almost like the entire room was holding it's breath waiting for something to b
The sun hit differently the moment Seraphina stepped out of the building, not warm or comforting, just hot. Like it burnt just her. She paused beside her car, her fingers tightening around her keys and for a moment, she thought through her life choices. For a moment, she just stood there, breathing







