The air in the master suite was thick with the scent of expensive hairspray and cold tension. Seraphina sat motionless at the vanity while a stylist finished pinning a cluster of sapphires into her hair. In the mirror, she barely recognized herself. The "timid mouse" was buried under layers of silk and high-end cosmetics, but her eyes remained hollow.
Alexander stood behind her, adjusting his cufflinks. He looked at her reflection, his gaze lingering on the curve of her neck with a clinical intensity.
"The Lumière Auction isn't just a charity event, Seraphina," he said, his voice a cool warning. "It's a presentation. Tonight, you aren't just a woman; you are the physical manifestation of the Thorne family's stability. Every smile, every tilt of your head, is a message to the board of directors."
"I'm a billboard, then," she whispered, her voice steady. "A very expensive one."
Alexander's eyes darkened, but he didn't argue. He simply reached down, his large hand gripping her shoulder with a possessive weight. "The car is downstairs. Let's go."
The Auction
The grand ballroom was a sea of velvet and the sharp scent of old money. As they entered, a hush fell over the room. Alexander's hand remained firmly on the small of Seraphina's back—a gesture that looked affectionate to the cameras but felt like a shackle to her.
The main event began: "The Eternal Promise," a rare, pear-cut blue diamond necklace. The bidding was fierce among the city's elite, but Alexander sat with a bored, predatory disdain, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"Five million," Alexander said calmly, his voice cutting through the chatter like a gavel.
The room went dead silent. No one dared to challenge the Thorne checkbook. The auctioneer's hammer fell. "Sold! To Mr. Alexander Thorne."
The Private Truth
Later that night, back in the sanctuary of the Master Suite, the necklace sat on the vanity, glowing with a cold, blue fire. Seraphina stood before it, her fingers trembling as she unlatched the heavy clasp.
"You spent five million dollars to make a point," she said, her voice hollow.
Alexander was unbuttoning his shirt, his movements precise and cold. "I spent five million to remind the city that a Thorne always gets what he wants. And to remind you who you belong to."
Seraphina turned, her eyes fixed on him. "I need to know something, Alexander. And I need the truth for once. Are you truly not interested in the welfare of this baby? Is this child really nothing more than a 'Thorne heir' to you? A line in a contract?"
Alexander's jaw tightened. "The 'welfare' of the child is guaranteed. I have secured the best medical team and the highest security. They will want for nothing. That is the only interest that matters."
"But will they be wanted?" she pressed, her hand moving to her stomach. "Will you ever look at this baby and see a person, or just a legacy?"
Alexander took a step toward her, closing the distance until she had to tilt her head back. "I provide protection, Seraphina. Not poetry. I grew up without 'warmth,' and I became the most powerful man in this city."
"Then why me?" she suddenly blurted out. "You could have had anyone. A woman from a powerful family, a socialite who knew the rules. Why did you marry me in the first place?"
Alexander leaned down, his face inches from hers. The air between them grew thick.
"You want the practical reason?" he murmured, his voice a low, jagged rasp. "My grandfather was relentless, setting me up on blind dates with women who only wanted my accounts. I needed a shield. I needed someone the public would accept as a 'romantic' choice, but who wouldn't have the power to challenge me or my business."
He leaned closer, his breath hot against her ear.
"And," he whispered, "we had already slept together. I knew what I was getting. I didn't have to guess about our compatibility, and I didn't have to worry about a stranger's agenda. You were a known variable, Seraphina. You were convenient, you were available, and you were desperate enough to sign anything to change your life."
He pulled away, his face snapping back into a mask of indifference. "I bought my freedom from Arthur's meddling, and I bought a wife I already knew how to handle. It was a logical decision based on the best possible presentation of a stable marriage."
Seraphina felt as if he had slapped her. To hear their one night together—the night she thought had sparked something—categorized as a "test drive" for a business presentation was a different kind of pain.
"Logical," she whispered, her eyes stinging. "I'm just a solution to a scheduling problem."
"Exactly," Alexander said, turning his back to her as he headed for the dressing room. "Don't go looking for deeper meanings, Seraphina. You'll only find shadows."
He left her standing in the center of the room, her heart racing. She had her name, she had her safety, but as she looked at the closed door, she realized she had never been more alone.