All Chapters of The Debt Collectors Bride: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Sera’s POV: My art room was the only place that was truly mine. It didn't belong to my father. It didn't belong to his enemies. It was far away from the violence that followed him like dark mud. Here, everything was calm. The air smelled thick with paint. Soft music played. The white canvas waited for whatever I wanted to make. I dipped my brush in blue and moved it across the canvas slowly forming waves, calm waves. The kind of waves that never had screaming or gunshots near them. When I painted, the outside world didn't exist. Or, I tried to make it not exist. And suddenly a loud slam came from outside the door. I froze. Another argument, probably. My father always had loud, angry, dangerous business. I tried to look back at my painting. Just breathe, just keep going…. I tell myself. Another bang. Harder this time. My heart jumped hard. Before I could put the brush down, the door broke open. Three tall men in black rushed in like a storm. My paint jar fell and blue wate

Sera’s POV: “I won’t wear this!” I screamed, throwing the terrible silk wedding dress off the bed. It slid to the marble floor like a useless puddle. Two women, they were maids I guessed, though they looked as trapped as I felt. They both flashed each other a look of pure fear. “Miss Hale,” the older one said, her voice shaking, “Mr. Damien needs you ready before the sun rises.” “I am not marrying him,” my voice cracks. “I absolutely refuse.” “You can scream later,” the younger one whispered, her eyes fixed on the dress. “Please, just get dressed.” I held the robe tighter around my body. My heart hadn’t stopped pounding since he spoke the word marry. “Don’t come near me.” “We won't,” the older woman promised. “We just have orders to help you… prepare.” Prepare. The word made me want to vomit. Prepare for a cage or prepare for my life taken from me. My legs felt weak. I stumbled into the bathroom and grabbed edge of the sink until my fingers started hurting. My face stare

Sera’s POV: I woke up with a sharp choke, like someone had thrown me in ice water. I didn't know where I was. For a moment I thought I was still in the chapel… the promises, Damien's voice, the world turning black. My chest hurt. When I finally woke clearly, I was in a huge, soft bedroom. The bed was dark and warm. A fire crackled in the corner. The air was too soft, too calm. Then I saw him. Damien sat across the room. He was staring at me, hard. He looked like he hadn't moved at all. My heart started running in my chest. “Easy,” he said quietly. “Don’t talk to me,” I snapped, crawling backward until the wall hit my back. He kept staring. He just studies me calm, controlled like he can see the panic through me. “You passed out.” I swallowed, trying to think. My wedding dress was gone. I was now wearing a silk nightgown I didn't know. Panic hit me. “Who touched me?” I asked sharply. “I did,” Damien replied, calm but solid. “You couldn't breathe. Your dress was too ti

Sera’s POV: The first thing I felt was heat. It wrapped me up, like a heavy blanket. My eyes moved, but I couldn't see clearly. The room was spinning. Where was I? I tried to sit up. A sharp pain hit my head, and I fell back down, gasping. Then I heard voices close by, not loud, but serious. “…not just lack of water. The results show drugs.” My heart stopped beating for a second. I tried to listen harder. Damien. That was Damien's voice, rough with pure anger. “How did someone poison her here? In my house?” he shouted “We are checking everyone,” Luca said. “They didn't want her dead fast. Just weak. To make her easy to move or… kill later.” A cold sickness ran through me. What did he mean kill later? My fingers moved on the sheets. I tried to yell, but my throat was dry, and no sound came out. Damien spoke again, quieter… but much scarier. “I will tear that person apart with my hands.” It wasn't a yell. It was a promise. The voices came closer. I heard foot

Sera’s POV: Hours went by, maybe more. I couldn’t tell the time because this room had no clock. I lay staring at the ceiling, pretending I wasn't trapped. I pretended my body wasn't shaking, remembering Damien's angry voice. The walls felt like they were pushing in on me. Whoever poisoned me was still here, smiling, watching, waiting. My heart would not calm down. A soft knock made me jump. The door opened and Damien walked in, holding two boxes. He didn't speak. He just put the first box on my bed, then the second. I moved away fast when his hand came close. He saw it and paused. Then he stepped back slowly. I looked at the boxes. My fingers trembled as I opened the lid….. paint brushes, pencils, my sketchbooks. Everything they had taken from me. My throat closed up. I couldn’t look at him. What could I even say? Thanks for kidnapping me and giving me my stuffs? “They were in storage,” Damien finally said. “Luca said you fought to keep them.” I swallowed hard. “I thou