Chapter 4

"You don't have to keep running between here and the villa because of me. Go take care of them."

Her voice shook despite her effort to keep it steady.

"I'll be fine. I don't need you here anymore."

Before, those words would've terrified him. If Serafina was even slightly upset, he'd panic, send his soldiers out of the room, stay beside her, apologize, tease her, spoil her, do everything he could to make her smile again.

This time, he just stared at her for a few seconds. His thumb turned the heavy Castellano signet on his finger, once. Then he walked over and pulled her into his arms.

"Don't think too much, Serafina. I know you're upset, but I'll handle everything. I'll be back soon, okay? Just rest and wait for me."

He kissed her hair. Then he left.

Just like that.

Serafina watched the door close behind him and heard the two men posted outside fall into step at his back. A small smile crossed her face. Then tears rolled down her cheeks and soaked into the pillow.

Serafina didn't know what hurt more... that he left, or how easily he did it.

A few days later, Serafina was finally strong enough to walk around the private wing, the one the Family paid for so no chart ever carried a Castellano name. She went to get her own medicine, and on the way back she passed the emergency stairwell.

That's when Serafina heard Lucian's voice. He was on the phone. The man on the other end was loud enough for her to catch every word.

"Luca, I'm honestly shocked. Didn't you used to hate that little boy? You said he looked too much like Celeste and you couldn't stand hearing him cry. So why'd you let Serafina get hurt protecting him?"

Serafina stopped walking. Her fingers tightened around the medicine bag.

A long pause. Then Lucian answered quietly.

"No matter how much I disliked Matteo before, he's still my son. My family pushed me into having kids with Celeste, and I fought it at first. But he's five now. I've watched him grow up, raised him, and somewhere along the way I started caring."

His voice grew heavier.

"Blood is blood. I can't watch my own child die in front of me, even if things between Celeste and me aren't what people think."

His friend laughed in disbelief.

"So you've really changed? Then tell me, Matteo's your son, so he's the Castellano heir now, right? The ships, the banks, the seat at the table, it all goes to him someday? And Celeste? She gave you three kids, two sons and a baby girl. After everything she's done, are you still calling her nothing more than an old family friend?"

The stairwell went silent. Somewhere below, a door hissed shut on its hinge.

Serafina didn't move. Her heart was already pounding.

Then Lucian spoke.

"Yes."

One word. It felt like a knife through her chest.

"I'll marry Celeste."

Her fingers went cold. His friend exclaimed, "I knew it! But what about Serafina? You were crazy about her and you said you couldn't live without her!"

"I love Serafina. I don't think I'll ever love another woman the way I love her."

Her eyes burned.

"Then why won't you marry her?"

His voice dropped. "Because her blood isn't suitable for my family." Serafina stopped breathing. "She's the daughter of an alcoholic. Her mother's seriously ill. She grew up in the slums. No matter how much I love her, she can't be my wife. The old man and the council would never accept her. She was never going to fit into the Castellano family."

Every word cut deeper.

His friend went quiet. Lucian went on. "She can stay beside me. I'll give her everything she wants. I'll protect her, spoil her, make sure she never struggles again." A pause. "But she'll always be my canary. Something beautiful that stays safely in its cage."

A canary. A bird that never sees daylight.

Serafina stood there, frozen. So that was what she was to him: a pretty thing to keep hidden. He loved her, but not enough to give her his name. He wanted her beside him, but never in the light.

Serafina lowered her eyes and turned away.

How funny.

* * *

A few days later, Serafina was discharged. Lucian came to pick her up himself, the Maybach idling at the curb with his men standing at the doors, guilt written across his face. "Serafina, I know I haven't been around as much as I should. Let me make it up to you, okay? There's a bloodstock auction at the stables this weekend. Whatever catches your eye, I'll buy it. Don't worry about the price."

Serafina almost laughed. After everything, he still thought money could close the distance between them.

Still, Serafina didn't refuse.

At the Castellano racing stables, Lucian kept his word, raising his paddle again and again without blinking at the cost. Half the money in that room had been washed somewhere before it arrived, and everyone knew it. His capos started complaining. "Luca, seriously? Planning to leave anything for the rest of us? Every decent horse comes up and you grab it."

"I haven't even found one for my father's birthday. You're ruining the whole auction."

Serafina sat quietly beside him, playing the same clueless girl they'd always taken her for.

Someone glanced her way and laughed. "Lucian, don't take this wrong, but you're spending a fortune on someone from the slums. What does a girl like her know about horses? Put a fancy saddle on a cheap horse and it's still cheap."

Lucian's face went cold. The men nearest him stopped talking. "Watch what you say."

The man raised both hands. "Fine, fine. Not saying another word. But you know I'm right. She's a poor girl, and you're treating her like some priceless treasure. She's got no blood, no name. She's nowhere near Castellano level."

Serafina had heard it for years. Poor girl. Slum girl. Not worthy. Lucian would shut them down sometimes, but the same men always said it again the moment he wasn't around. Now that she knew what he really thought of her, none of it surprised her anymore.

If he truly believed Serafina was worthy of standing beside him, why had everyone in his world always felt so comfortable insulting her?

Serafina already knew the answer.

Then Celeste appeared at the entrance of the private viewing box, dressed beautifully, their four-month-old daughter in a nanny's arms behind her, one twin holding her hand and the other beside the nanny. Two Albanese soldiers took up the doorway after her.

Everyone greeted her at once. "Signorina Albanese, what brought you here?" "It's been a while! Dio, you look amazing."

Celeste smiled and touched her hair. "I've been so busy with the children since the baby came, I barely have time to dress properly. Since I'm finally out today, I thought I'd see if there's a horse I like."

Someone laughed. "You're naturally beautiful. You don't need expensive things to stand out."

Another glanced at her. "Exactly. Some people can spend all the money in the world and still can't hide where they came from."

Serafina said nothing and just watched.

The second half of the auction began, and a few beautiful horses were led into the ring. The teasing started again. "Luca, you've already bought half the stables. Leave something for Celeste, it's rare she gets out with the kids."

Lucian smiled. "Fine. I won't compete for these."

As expected, he lowered his paddle. Celeste bought several horses in a row, each time flashing her a smug little smile that lingered a beat too long after the room looked away.

Serafina almost smiled back. Was she really that happy about a few horses?

Then the final horse came out, and the room went quiet. A magnificent black stallion. Glossy coat, strong legs, unmistakable presence. The auctioneer called it a rare champion bloodline worth a fortune.

Celeste's eyes lit up. She raised her paddle.

The bidding climbed fast. A hundred million. Two hundred. Three hundred. It passed a billion.

Serafina laughed softly.

Celeste turned, annoyed. "What are you laughing at, Serafina?"

Serafina rested her chin on her hand. "Nothing. Just funny that everyone's willing to spend over a billion on a horse with questionable papers."

The room went silent. Even the soldiers at the door went still.