All Chapters of CAGED, CLAIMED, AND FATED: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREEThe flashbulbs and the suffocating whispers of the gala finally faded as the elevator doors of the Corvinus Grand Plaza hissed shut. My head was spinning. The emerald silk of my dress felt like a second skin, one that had been marked by their hands all evening under the table.Dante was a dark, brooding presence to my left, his chest heaving with a restlessness that made the small space feel like it was vibrating. To my right, Seraphina stood with a terrifying, icy stillness."I am not going back to your mansion tonight, Dante," Seraphina said, her voice cutting through the silence like a diamond against glass. "The press is already swarming your gates. My penthouse is private. Secured. And unlike your home, it is designed for the kind of education Elena requires tonight."Dante let out a low, guttural growl that vibrated in my very bones. "She is staying with me.""She is staying where she is safe," Seraphina countered, turning her ice-blue eyes toward me. "And wh

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOURThe car ride to Diamond Group feels longer than it actually is.I sit in the back seat, staring out the window at Caracas passing by in a blur of color and movement. The driver navigates through traffic with practiced ease, but every minute feels like an eternity.My heart is beating too fast. Anxiety mixing with something else I don't want to name.Because I don't want to see her.Don't want to face Seraphina after last night. After what she did to me. What they both did to me.The thought of looking into those ice-blue eyes, of pretending everything is normal and professional when she knows exactly how I sound when I'm begging...I can't.But I don't have a choice.The car pulls up in front of Diamond Group headquarters. The same building I stood in front of just two days ago. When everything was simpler. When I thought I was just starting an internship.Before everything spiraled completely out of control."We're here, ma'am," the driver says.I take a breath. Fo

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIXThe door opens.The PA walks in, her expression carefully neutral. But I can see the questions in her eyes as she takes in the scene.Me, standing near Seraphina's desk. My blazer on the floor. My blouse still partially unbuttoned. My face flushed and my breathing uneven.Her eyes narrow slightly. Calculating. Judging."You called, Mrs. Corvinus?" Her voice is professionally polite, but there's an edge underneath."Yes." Seraphina doesn't acknowledge my disheveled state. Doesn't explain. Just gestures for me to button my blouse. "I have a meeting this afternoon. An auction for a commercial property portfolio in the financial district."The PA nods. "I have the details prepared. Your car will be ready at...""Elena will be accompanying me." Seraphina's interruption is smooth. Casual. Like it's already decided.The PA's expression falters for just a second. "I'm sorry?""I said Elena will be accompanying me to the auction." Seraphina walks around her desk, picking up a

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHTThe murmurs start immediately.Whispers rippling through the auction room like waves. Everyone trying to process what just happened.Ten million dollars. For a journal.But no one dares speak out loud. No one questions Seraphina's decision. No one challenges her.They just whisper among themselves. Stealing glances at us. At her.Wondering what kind of person spends that much money on a book.I'm still reeling. Still trying to understand what I just agreed to.Any time. Any where. Any day.The auctioneer clears his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to the podium."And now, ladies and gentlemen, we come to our final piece of the evening." His voice carries a different weight now. More gravitas. "The main event, if you will."He gestures to someone offstage. A large screen descends from the ceiling. A projector flickers to life.And suddenly we're looking at blueprints. Architectural renderings. Financial projections."The Coastal Development Project," the au

CHAPTER SEVENTYI look down at my phone again.Two missed calls. Both to Miguel.No response. No callback. No text saying he's busy or in class or anything.Just silence.He's probably busy. Has to be. Right?I haven't heard from him since Seraphina's men threw him out of Diamond Group.Since he was dragged through the lobby like a criminal while everyone watched.That was days ago now. And nothing. Complete radio silence.I want to see how he's doing. Want to make sure he's okay. Want to explain what's happening, or at least try to explain the parts I can without sounding completely insane.But he's not picking up.My thumb hovers over the call button again. Maybe third time's the charm. Maybe..."We are here, ma'am."The driver's voice pulls me from my thoughts.The car stops smoothly. We're in front of a building that looks nothing like a typical casino. No neon lights.No flashy signs. Just an unmarked door with two guards stationed outside.The driver exits and opens Seraphina's