Chapter 3

Seraphina POV

Tears welled up in my eyes, but almost immediately, I found it ridiculous.

In my darkest, most terrifying moments, Marco had always been there to say those words.

Those same words that had once given me comfort, courage, and a deep, aching sense of belonging.

But did he really love me?

Just one whispered word from Karen, and he would punish me without a second thought, not caring if I lived or died.

"Don't touch me!"

I thrashed wildly, but his grip on my hands was unbreakable. In a fit of desperation, I bit him.

He frowned and carried me back to his house, and wrapped me in a blanket on the sofa.

I was about to yell at him, but he handed me a cup of hot cocoa.

"Drink this," he said softly. "You need to warm up."

I curled up, keeping as far away as I could, my body still trembling.

"Stay out of my business. Just leave me alone!" I snapped.

He smiled lightly.

"Leave you alone? You really think you can live without me?"

His eyes and the slight curve of his lips were filled with the smug satisfaction of a victor.

I had hoped he would be my beacon, but he had brought me only deeper into the darkness.

Seeing me silent, Macro asked, "You hurt Karen today. What's your side of the story?"

"You saw it," I said flatly. "And you wouldn't believe me anyway."

I had long given up on explaining myself, from my parents to him, no one cared about my side of the story.

"I would believe you," he said. "But Karen is your sister. She's so fragile. Why do you have so much hostility toward her?"

I laughed, letting tears slip from the corner of my eyes. This was his idea of believing me.

"Mind your own business!" I shot back, storming into my room and slamming the door.

For the next two days, Macro ignored me.

From the constant photos Karen sent, I could tell he was there with her, comforting her.

I didn't care anymore. In two weeks, once all the paperwork was done, I could leave.

--

On the day of my college thesis defense, I woke early.

I felt a rush of excitement as completing this step would bring me closer to leaving.

Macro sat among the judges as the college's sponsor. But I knew he wasn't there for me.

Karen went first.

"Good morning, professors. The title of my thesis is..."

I froze. I jumped up and interrupted her.

"This is my thesis! It's exactly the same as mine!"

A murmur of confusion rippled through the room.

"Karen skips class all the time and never puts in half the effort Seraphina does. If their papers turn out the same, guess who's been copying."

"Plagiarizing a grad thesis? She'll get kicked out of college for that! She's got some nerve."

Karen's eyes filled with feigned tears.

"I wrote this myself. I stayed up nights. Don't you dare slander me!"

I was about to argue, but Macro's icy glare cut me off.

"This is a serious occasion," he said, his voice flat. "Don't cause a scene."

My heart sank. I finally understood.

I grabbed my water cup and slammed it into Karen's laptop.

A wisp of smoke rose and Karen screamed, covering her ears.

I ignored Macro and talked to Karen.

"Since you wrote it yourself, you should be able to defend it without your laptop."

A flicker of panic crossed Karen's face.

"The thesis is long... I... I don't remember it all clearly."

"Really?" I smiled. "Then let me go first. Professors, my thesis is divided into the following sections..."

Karen's face turned pale. She stumbled toward Macro and collapsed in front of him.

Marco held her and glared at me as if I were some evil witch.

The moment I finished my defense, Macro shoved me into a car and dragged me into his office.

I was fuming, and I needed an outlet.

"Marco, mind telling me why my thesis showing up on her laptop?!"

His voice was cold.

"Sera, I've spoiled you too much. You went out of line today. How dare you humiliated Karen in front of everyone."

Karen stood behind him. Her triumphant gaze cut into me like a knife, twisting deep in my chest.

Was defending myself "out of line"?

I grabbed a golf club from the corner and swung it hard at his cigar box, the family crest, and every expensive object in his office.

Karen screamed and fled the office, while Macro watched coldly, doing nothing.

Until the office was in ruins, papers and shards of glass scattered everywhere, I dropped the club, panting.

"Enough smashing?" he asked.

"I still want to smash you."

My phone lit up with a flight reminder. I fumbled to cover it, but it was too late.

Macro's face darkened.

"A flight? Where are you going?"

"None of your business! I'm going on a beach trip with a hot guy, so what?" I snatched my phone and stormed out.

He seized my hand, slammed me against his desk, and ripped the zipper on my dress down to the bottom.

"Looks like I haven't disciplined you for too long. You've forgotten who I am!"

My bare skin burned with shame, and for the first time, his body made me recoil in fear.

I sobbed, "Let go... this is the office. Not here..."

Macro leaned closer, voice cold and commanding.

"You need to remember who's in charge. Everything depends on my mood."

A chill ran through me.

I realized, with a sickening clarity, that I was just something for him to manipulate.

Tears streamed down uncontrollably, my body trembling with each sob.

He hesitated for a moment, then zipped up, his tone softening slightly.

"I'll let you off today. but next time, you won't be so lucky."