CHAPTER 1: The Corporate Pawn

Seraphina was on her way to bring lunch to her husband, Alexander Thorne, when a five-man gang ambushed her car on the highway. To protect innocent bystanders, she surrendered without a fight and let them take her to an abandoned factory.

Once inside, the gang's leader gave her an arrogant sneer. "Let's see if you're useful enough to control the arrogant heir of the Thorne Group," he said mockingly.

"Who sent you?" Seraphina asked, her eyes narrowing without a trace of fear.

"That's none of your concern," the leader sneered. "You just need to pray you're actually precious to your husband."

“She sure is pretty, boss," one of the men chimed in. "I’m sure he wouldn't leave a beauty like this with us."

Seraphina stayed silent as two goons shoved her onto a chair and held her down by the shoulders. She didn't fight back just yet. She needed to learn their real motive.

The leader called his boss and put him on speaker. "Boss, we have her." His voice echoed through the empty room. 

A moment later, a cold, dangerous voice crackled through the speaker. "Good."

Sitting comfortably in Alexander’s corporate office was his grand-uncle, Cooper Thorne. He casually waved his phone and said smugly, “Alexander, look. I've brought your new wife in for a little visit. What do you think would happen if I let my men have their way with her?"

Seraphina's heart hammered against her ribs. She knew Cooper Thorne. Now, he was using her as leverage against Alexander. She knew Alexander didn't care for her, that his heart belonged to someone else. Yet, despite that, she waited in silence, desperate to know if she held even the slightest piece of value to him.

In the background, the soft rustle of documents being flipped over signaled that he wasn't even giving his grand-uncle his full attention. He clearly didn't feel threatened.

Then Alexander’s voice came through the line, icy and distant. "Grand-uncle, I married to fulfill the inheritance clause you had with my grandfather. But the contract never said I had to love my bride."

He glanced at his watch, keeping his voice aloof as if the entire conversation were nothing but an inconvenient delay on his schedule. "So, what does her business have to do with me?"

The gang leader and his goons burst into a chorus of mocking, sarcastic laughter.

"Well, well, princess," the leader sneered. "Did you hear that? It sounds like your husband doesn't give a damn about you. Why don't you ask him yourself?" He shoved the phone roughly toward Seraphina.

Alexander’s response pierced Seraphina’s heart, making it hard to breathe. Her hands trembled as she spoke into the phone, her voice cracking into a fragile, hollow whisper. "Alexander..." she murmured, forcing back her tears. "I heard you. Even if you don't love me… will you really leave me to these people?"

A heavy silence stretched over the line for a few agonizing seconds.

When Alexander spoke again, his tone was completely devoid of emotion, cutting straight to her soul. "Seraphina, you're an adult. I told you to stay out of my affairs. If you're reckless enough to fall into a trap, that's on you. Leave me out of it."

The sheer pain of his dismissive words hit her all at once. Her heart shattered, a single tear escaping before she closed her eyes. "I see. You’re right, Alexander. It was my mistake all along, so I am sorry for bothering you."

Alexander didn't answer her.

Then Seraphina added with a trembling voice, "But let me tell you this, Alexander. Marrying you is the greatest regret of my life."

It was her mistake for forcing herself onto someone who couldn't care less if she lived or died.

Over the receiver, his voice shifted right back to a fabricated smirk as he addressed his grand-uncle. "So this is your grand play? Threatening my seat as CEO over a woman I barely acknowledge? Cooper, don't come bother me again unless you have real leverage. See yourself out."

Seraphina let her hand drop to her side, leaving his voice echoing through the speaker. The gang leader harshly snatched his phone back.

To Alexander, she wasn't a hostage worth saving. She was just a pawn caught in a corporate war, an obligation he couldn't care less about losing. 

She had believed patience and effort could win his love. But facing this bitter reality, she realized she was repeating her mother's mistake, wasting her life on a man who didn't care. Now, Alexander's scornful words stripped away her last lingering delusion.

Cooper secretly ground his teeth. His leverage was useless, but he forced a bitter sneer. "Fine then! You ruthless brat, I guess you won't care if she never makes it home." He barked into the phone, "Men, do whatever you want with her. Just don't kill her yet."

That was the last thing Seraphina heard before the call disconnected.

Silence filled the room as the call cut off, leaving only the sound of dripping water. 

Alexander had really left her to rot. If she didn't defend herself now, she would be left at the mercy of these filthy men. Seraphina’s chest tightened as the cold reality of his rejection bled through her, sharper than any blade.

From today forward, she would never pine for his love again.