Three months after William Thorne got back together with his ex, he suddenly asked about me. “Has Sera been hiding away, crying her eyes out again these past few days?” His friends exchanged glances. “Come to think of it, we haven't seen her in ages.” “Didn’t I hear she got married a while back?” “No way. That’s just a rumor, probably a desperate ploy to get William’s attention.” William’s voice was cool and detached. “Go tell her to meet me at the usual place tonight.” His friends started to whoop and holler. “If she shows up crying, you gonna go soft on her, William?” He let out a soft, dismissive laugh. “We’ll see.” But that night, I never came. I waited until the city was draped in the deep blue of late night, and still, there was no sign of me. He called my phone. I didn’t answer. He had a girlfriend, and I was a married woman. It was better to keep our distance. 1 The day William Thorne and his ex-girlfriend, Melina Vance, got back together was my birthday. Just as I was about to cut the cake, the door to the private room was thrown open with a violent shove. It was Melina again. The one who had nearly driven William to self-destruction. She was breathtakingly beautiful, her dress and makeup flawless, every strand of her hair seeming to catch and hold the light. My first instinct was to hide my hands behind my back, but the rough calluses on my fingers snagged on the delicate silk threads of my dress. “William.” Melina pushed past one of our friends, her designer skirt swishing as she rushed toward him. “I give up,” she declared, her voice ringing through the sudden silence. “I’m waving the white flag this time.” Though her words were of surrender, she held her chin high, a queen refusing to let her crown slip, fighting back the tears that welled in her eyes. The room was dead quiet. I couldn’t help but look at William. He sat on the sofa, his expression a mask of cold indifference. He hadn't even glanced at Melina, but the hard line of his jaw told a different story. “William, I’m only going to ask you this once,” Melina’s voice trembled. “Do you want me back, or not?” A dry, cynical laugh escaped William’s lips. “Who do you think you are, Melina? You break up with me when you want, and you get back with me when you want?” As he spoke, he reached out, yanking me into his lap. The movement was so abrupt that my nose slammed into his solid chest, the impact sending a jolt of pain so sharp it made my eyes water. “Can’t you see I have a girlfriend, Melina?” William’s voice was a low growl. He dipped his head, and his lips found the damp corner of my eye where a tear was forming. The color drained from Melina’s face. “Fine. You’re ruthless.” She pointed a shaking finger at him, tears finally streaming down her cheeks. “William Thorne, I swear I am done with you for good this time!” Her furious gaze then landed on me, a look of pure venom, before she spun around and shoved the table with all her might. The champagne tower crashed to the floor in a symphony of shattering glass. The cake, my beautiful birthday cake, was now a ruined mess on the carpet. Shards of glass flew through the air, cutting both of us. A deep gash on her arm, and for me, a slice across my face. But in that instant, William let go of me. His immediate reaction was to grab her. “Don’t move. You’re bleeding,” he said, his eyes filled with a raw, undeniable ache for her. “Don’t touch me! Go worry about your precious little girlfriend!” Melina cried, shoving him away before running out of the room. It was as if I’d become invisible. William stood frozen for only two seconds before he bolted after her, not even sparing me a single backward glance. 2 Maybe it was to spare me the embarrassment. Or maybe, more likely, it was because they were William and Melina’s friends. I was just an outsider, someone who didn't belong in their world. One by one, they all trickled out, leaving me alone in the room. I stood there in my pretty dress, my hand pressed to the stinging cut on my face. A tide of grief, dark and silent, began to swallow me whole. This was meant to be the grandest, most extravagant birthday of my life. That beautiful, two-tiered cake… I had stared at its twin through the bakery window countless times as a child, dreaming of what it would taste like. I almost had it. But now, it was just a ruin on the floor. I knelt, found a piece that was still clean, and took a bite. It didn't taste as magical as I’d imagined. It wasn't even as good as the cheap cupcakes I sometimes bought. Still, I ate the whole piece. Just as I finished, my phone rang. It was William. “Seraphina.” His voice came through the receiver, and in the background, I could faintly hear Melina’s. “I’m here,” I whispered. “There’s something I need to tell you. Please, just… don’t cry.” It was true, I cried easily. It was like I was born with tear ducts that were a little too close to the surface. “William, are you serious?” Melina’s voice, sharp with anger, cut through. “You’re breaking up with her, and you’re still trying to comfort her?” William’s tone became rushed. “Let’s break up. They said your face got cut. I’ll send you some money.” He added, his voice low and hurried, “Don’t make a scene. It’ll be more money than your father makes fishing for three years.” Before I could say a word, he hung up. 3 William had always been generous. I’d heard stories about his past girlfriends; he showered them with gifts while they were dating and gave them a hefty severance package when it was over. My best friend, Ruby, practically twisted my ear as she lectured me. “Don’t you dare be stupid, Sera.” “Only an idiot would turn down the money.” “You got dumped on your birthday, and your face was nearly ruined. The fact that we’re not suing him for emotional distress is us being merciful.” The cut, stretching from my forehead to the corner of my eye, began to heal slowly, but the money from William never arrived. I tried to contact him and Melina for an explanation, but I couldn't even get past their gatekeepers. Instead, I got a vicious verbal beatdown from Melina and her circle of friends. Just as I was about to go to the police, my family ran into trouble. My dad owns a small fishing boat. A few days ago, out on the water, a storm kicked up and his boat scraped against someone’s private yacht. The owner was demanding a huge sum for repairs. Money we didn't have. If we couldn't pay, my dad would go to jail. If the compensation William had promised was anything like the legends, it would have been just enough to cover the damages. My dad was so stressed his hair seemed to turn grayer overnight. I transferred all my savings from part-time jobs and scholarships to him, but it was a drop in the ocean. Ruby, fed up with my hesitation, snatched my phone and sent a message to William. His call came almost immediately. But when I answered, it was Melina’s voice on the other end. 4 “Seraphina, is it?” Her voice dripped with contempt. “So pathetic. I guess poor people really have no shame.” “Wasn’t leeching off him enough? You still have the audacity to ask for compensation?” “You women from fishing villages… you really know how to hook a man and reel in the cash, don’t you?” My face burned with humiliation. I wanted to fight back, to say something, but my words caught in my throat, and tears started to fall. How could she say that to me? We had been dating for less than a year, and nearly every fight we ever had was because of her. The first time, he abandoned me on the side of the road in the middle of the night because of her. I was terrified. We gave each other the silent treatment for two weeks, and I cried for two weeks straight. The second time, he flew off to Europe to chase her down and was unreachable for a week. I had decided then and there to break up with him. But he came back a wreck and got into a minor car accident. His friends called me, over and over, telling me he wanted to see me. I saw him, and my resolve melted. The third time was my birthday. My face was almost permanently scarred. The doctor said if the cut had been half a centimeter over, I would have lost my eye. Didn’t they owe me for that? “I’m just asking for what I’m owed,” I said, forcing the words through my sobs. “You’re the one who scarred my face.” “But you’re not disfigured, are you?” Melina scoffed, then hung up with a sharp click. A moment later, a notification popped up. A transfer of five thousand dollars from William’s account. I clutched my phone, tears dripping onto the screen. In the end, out of a stubborn sense of pride, I refused the transfer. Accepting that money would have been settling. I was a poor girl from a fishing village; I couldn’t win a fight against a prince and princess like them. But I swore to myself, one day, I would make Melina Vance pay for what she did. 5 The deadline to pay for the yacht came and went, and we still hadn’t raised enough money. Then, the owner of the yacht showed up at our house. I found it strange. Weren’t people that rich supposed to be busy? Why would he personally come all the way to our small town over something like this? Was he afraid we’d abandon the boat and run? I snuck a glance at the man. The watch on his wrist was a brand William had mentioned once. It was worth at least eight figures. I couldn't make sense of it, so I stopped trying. I just stood beside my father and brother, our heads bowed, hoping he’d show some mercy. And this man, Nathaniel Vance, did more than show mercy. My father was stunned. “You’re… you’re giving me a new fishing boat?” My brother was trembling with excitement. “You mean… I can open a shop on shore? I don’t have to fish anymore?” A new, state-of-the-art, fully automated fishing boat was my father’s lifelong dream. Opening a small shop and settling down was my brother’s. “Correct,” Nathaniel said, his gaze landing on me. He got straight to the point. “On one condition: she marries me.” He pointed at me. “She has a lucky star. An astrologer I trust told me that marrying her this year will double my assets.” My father and brother both turned to me. “Sera, what do you think?” I was completely dumbfounded. Nathaniel looked to be in his late twenties. He was handsome and well-built, though he had a stern look on his face when he wasn't smiling. A billionaire with a towering frame and a sharp suit… by any measure, I was getting the better end of this deal. I swallowed nervously. “My dad gets a new boat, and my brother gets a shop. What’s in it for me?” Nathaniel paused, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, and then he smiled. When he smiled, his stern features softened, revealing a surprising warmth and elegance. I felt my cheeks grow hot and quickly looked away. He waved a hand, and an assistant brought in several boxes of small cakes. They were delicious-smelling cupcakes. The kind I could eat three of in one sitting. Clutching a box of cakes, I asked him the most important questions I could think of. “Your last name is Vance. Do you know a Melina Vance?” Nathaniel thought for a moment. “I believe there’s someone by that name among the junior members of a branch family.” “Is she… afraid of you?” The smile in his eyes deepened. “Her entire family is most likely very afraid of me.” “In Port Sterling… is the Vance family more powerful than the Thorne family?” “By a significant margin.” “Okay, then.” I hugged the cupcakes tighter and nodded firmly. “I accept.” “But I’m still in college. Can we… wait to get married?” Nathaniel’s gaze was deep as he looked at me, a soft smile playing on his lips. “We can get the license now. The wedding can wait until after you graduate.” I held up my hand to him. “Deal.” Nathaniel shook my hand. “A pleasure, Mrs. Vance.” My face flushed. “Maybe you should just call me by my name for now. I’d rather not go public with this yet.” Nathaniel stood up. He was so tall. I had to crane my neck to look at him. “Of course, Sera.” Hearing him say my name felt… different. So different that my ears were still burning long after he’d gone. 6 I’d occasionally run into William and Melina on campus. Sometimes they were the picture of a perfect couple, all lovey-dovey. Other times they were fighting. But they always made up quickly. I started to actively avoid them. Many students whispered behind my back that I had fumbled the bag, letting a golden goose slip through my fingers. They assumed I was consumed with jealousy over Melina. But none of them knew my little secret. Often, I would wake up in the middle of the night, open my banking app, and stare at the astronomical sum Nathaniel had given me as a betrothal gift. I would count the zeroes over and over again until I drifted back to sleep, completely content. Summer break arrived quickly. I went home to fish with my dad, completely removing myself from William’s world. So, I was surprised when one of his friends called me. After a bit of small talk, he finally got to the point. “Sera, the usual place tonight. William wants to see you.” I was about to refuse. “Dress up, wear something pretty, okay?” he added conspiratorially. “I’ll let you in on a little secret: William and Melina are done. For real this time.” “This is your chance. Seize it.” He hung up before I could even get a word in. My dad was calling me to help with the nets. I quickly forgot all about the phone call. 7 His friend returned, clapping William on the shoulder with a grin. “Just got off the phone with Sera.” The others immediately started their teasing. “So, William, if she shows up crying, you gonna go soft on her?” William tapped the ash from his cigarette, a slight smile on his lips. “We’ll see.” “But seriously, man,” one of them said, “Sera’s way easier to be with than Melina.” “Yeah, Sera’s a sweetheart.” “Remember when you had that car accident? The way she rushed to the hospital?” “She started bawling the second she walked into the room. It was heartbreaking to watch.” William seemed to drift back to that memory, a flicker of softness entering his eyes. “You and Melina have been all over each other lately. Sera’s probably been crying her eyes out in private.” “The last time I saw her, she looked like she’d lost a lot of weight. And you could still see the scar above her eye.” The hand holding the cigarette paused mid-air. Sera had been hurt that day, too. How could he have been so callous, just leaving her there? But Sera was sweet. She was easy to soothe. He went home and changed into a crisp white shirt. Sera loved him in white shirts.
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