CHAPTER 4: She Was Just A Fake Wife

[Seven Days Earlier]

A week ago, Seraphina and Alexander finally tied the knot. It was a long-awaited moment for Seraphina, who had loved him secretly for years.

Alexander wasn't able to attend the registrar's office, but he signed the papers so the process went through successfully, making them officially Mr. and Mrs. Thorne. 

Given how sudden the arrangement was, Seraphina didn't mind skipping a big wedding ceremony. That could wait. All she really wanted was to grow closer to Alexander.

Eager to fulfill her role as his wife, she had excitedly headed to Grandma Eleonor's study that day to meet him, only to hear his cold, dismissive words through the door.

"My wife?" Alexander had sneered through the door. "Grandma, have you forgotten why I agreed to this arrangement? It was to secure the company, not to pamper a fake wife."

Seraphina froze. 

A fake wife. That was all she was to Alexander Thorne. 

Hearing Alexander dismiss their marriage as a mere business agreement felt like a dagger to her heart. She closed her eyes as sadness washed over her.

She remained outside. So, he never really wanted this marriage, she thought.

"How can you say that, Alex?" Eleonor’s voice flared from inside. "Her grandfather died barely a month ago. You married Seraphina but you let her sign those papers alone! The least you could do is comfort her."

"Grandma, I’m not a doctor," Alexander replied, his tone flat and indifferent. "She doesn't need me. If she's struggling with her loss, hire her a grief counselor."

"You brat! You didn't even try to talk to her before you signed those papers," Eleonor hissed.

"That's not necessary. We will divorce eventually," Alexander added. “You know that I loved someone else, Grandma. So, there's no point in wasting our time."

Seraphina went completely still. So he already loved someone else. The realization shattered her.

If he had merely forgotten his promise to marry and love her once they grew up, she would have tried to win him over. She genuinely believed they had a lifetime ahead to build a future together, but knowing his heart belonged to another woman deeply wounded her.

Part of her wanted to step inside and pretend she hadn't heard anything, but her feet wouldn't move. Her mother’s final words replayed endlessly in her mind.

In the end, she slowly pulled her hand back from the door handle. Without a word, she turned and walked down the grand staircase, leaving the estate in silence. Some pain was simply too heavy for words.

_

However, that evening, Grandma Eleonor invited her to dinner at a VIP lounge with Director Evelyn. Seraphina simply couldn’t decline her invitation.

"Sera, where did you go?" Eleonor asked worriedly. "I thought you were going to the estate to meet your husband."

Her husband. The word felt cold and heavy. Yes, Alexander was her husband now. But to him, she was nothing more than an inconvenient obligation.

"I just needed some air, Grandma," Seraphina said gently.

Evelyn reached out, placing a warm hand on Seraphina’s arm. "Sera, you look exhausted. Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine, Nana," Seraphina said, giving a small, reassuring nod. Having grown up visiting the orphanage so often, she had come to love Director Evelyn like a second mother.

Seraphina turned back to Eleonor, pausing as she chose her words. "Grandma Eleonor... about my marriage with Alexander, I think it's best if we keep it strictly on paper. We don't need to carry any personal obligations to each other."

Eleonor frowned, leaning forward. "Sera, you don't have to push him away. Alexander is guarded, but if you give him time—"

"I don't want to force anything, Grandma," Seraphina interrupted quietly. "I've decided to focus entirely on my career. Having just graduated, my professor offered me an overseas training assignment."

Evelyn gasped. "An overseas assignment? Sera, I understand you just buried your grandfather, but you don't have to face this pain alone. We're here for you."

"I know, Nana, but it's exactly what I need right now," Seraphina said softly, deeply grateful for their concern.

"Sera, just give your marriage a chance," Grandma Eleonor insisted. "Try it for one week. If you still think it won't work after that, we won't stop you from leaving."

"She's right, my dear," Evelyn offered a warm smile. "Give yourselves just a week."

Seraphina sighed heavily. She had always sworn never to fight for a man whose heart belonged to someone else. Yet Grandma Eleonor’s proposal broke that resolve. 

Looking at their earnest, hopeful faces, Seraphina couldn't bring herself to refuse. "Alright. I'll give it a try for one week.”

Deep down, she wasn't ready to give up on Alexander. At that time, a small part of her still wanted to give their marriage a chance, hoping her love and effort might soften his cold heart.

But that single week proved to be the most painful chapter of loving Alexander, though it finally gave her the strength she needed to walk away.