Seraphina's POV
I'm losing my mind. This house has nothing to offer. Nicholas has been MIA. I know he's been here, the bed is messed up on his side when I wake up.
Getting dressed today in a cute green sun dress, I strap on a pair of cute sandals. When spending hours on my phone the other day I somehow ended up studying the map of this town. Did you know that this town has 2 art museums?
Anyway back to my original point. I found a cafe that I wanted to check out. Ruffling my hair a little I grab my white purse and make my way downstairs. Checking Nicholas's office he still isn't here. I will probably be back before he gets home so texting him would be useless.
Walking out of the house I head to the garage getting in the car I've been using. It's a small, grey SUV that has nice ass leather seats and a navigation system. I hook up my phone to Bluetooth and began to play one of my playlists.
I start driving out of the driveway having Derrick open the gate. Derrick is the gate handler during the day. He has a partner that stands with him but Derrick is the only one that isn't afraid to talk to me. Horror stories of my dad and brother have traveled around the world including here.
Derrick told me that the first time he heard of me was the story about when I was asked out in freshmen year and said yes. When Levi saw the kid he threatened him and the kid ran and refused to look at me in class and ended up transferring out of the classes we had together.
Driving I find the cafe that I wanted to visit. I park on the road in front of it. I picked the perfect time to go not many people go out walking around, most are at work or school. This cafe had a good rating but the hype had gone down. My detective skills are pretty up to par if I do say so myself.
I parked my car and grabbed my purse and phone and made my way inside. Walking in a small bell chimed as the door opened. I shut the door and made my way over to the wooden counter. The cafe was small but cute.
Pictures of the town lined the wall along with paintings of the town. I walk over to find a small chalkboard menu with cute drawings of coffee and desserts. I look up deciding to order an iced latte with a brownie.
"Just a minute." A girl's voice called from somewhere behind the counter. I nodded. Before I could correct myself a girl about my age with curly blonde hair and brown eyes walked out in an apron. She stood behind the counter and touched a few buttons before turning back to me.
"Hi, I'm Gabriella. How can I help you today?" Her accent is thick and pretty. Nicholas has a little bit of an accent but I think with all the traveling he's done his accent got lost over the years.
"Hi, can I get an iced vanilla latte and a brownie?" She nods along.
"Alright, that will be 5.78." I hand her a ten. She gives me the change and put it in the little tip jar that is almost empty.
"I'll bring that out to you in a second." I nod and go take a seat toward the back of the cafe facing the windows and door.
She brings me my coffee and brownie less than a minute later.
"Would you mind me asking you a personal question?"
"Go ahead." I nod for her to continue.
"Based on your accent you're from America right?" I nod at her observations, "What brings you here?"
"I recently moved here."
"You look young to move on your own."
"I just graduated high school a few months ago."
"Same."
"Nice." She takes a seat in the vacant cafe with me.
"Are you planning on college?" She asks me.
"I want to go, but I haven't decided on what I want to go for yet."
"I get it."
"What about you any college plans."
"I got a scholarship offer but I haven't accepted anything yet."
"Do you mind if I ask why the wait?" She looked hesitant to answer me.
"Well, one reason is that the scholarship isn't a full ride and I'm trying to save enough money so I don't have to work as much during school. And then I would need to find a different babysitter." She muttered the last part shamefully.
"Babysitter?" I only ask for clarification since she has to be my age.
"I have a 5-month-old daughter." She looked at the table while scrunching up.
"Do you have any pictures?" She looked up with a large smile on her face nodding and pulling out her phone.
"She's adorable. Wait can't any of your friends help you babysit so you can go to school?"
"Oh, when I got pregnant they ditched me not wanting to be friends with a teen mom."
"That's awful. Who would ditch this little cutie?" Her phone was still open showing me the cute baby with tan skin, chubby cheeks, and with wide blue eyes.
"Thank you but everyone assumed I was a whore."
"Well, do you think that?" She looked shocked at me.
"What-"
"Do you think you're a whore?"
"No."
"Then there you go. The only opinion that should matter to you is yours." I take a sip as she looks at me.
"You're married?" I catch her eying my wedding ring.
"It's a long story." We both laugh.
We spend another hour talking until a customer shows up and she must go back to work. During our talk, I turned off my phone as it kept ringing.
Checking it I see that Nicholas had been trying to call and text me since I got here. Getting up I throw away my stuff. I catch Gabriella at the register while she was finishing up with a customer.
"Gabriella I have to go now it was nice seeing and meeting you."
"You too. Hey, Seraphina I was wondering if I could have your number and we could meet up." She sounds nervous probably fearing rejection like her other friends.
"Of course, maybe next time I could meet that little girl of yours." She nodded and smiled.
I drove back home feeling happy for the first time since I got here. I had made a friend and not one that wanted me for my siblings or my money.
I pulled into the driveway parked the car in the garage and saw Nicholas's car there.
I walk inside and barely make my way inside before Nicholas starts yelling.
"SERAPHINA!!! Where the hell have you been?! I called you. Do you not know how to work a damn phone?" He stormed over to me while yelling.
"Excuse me." I take a small step back, barricading myself against the wall.
"You heard me. What are you deaf now too? I've been calling you for the past hour and you've been off ignoring me doing whatever the hell you want. Do you even care that we are married? You can't go off whoring around town when you don't get what you want." Who the hell gave him the right?
"Who the fuck are you to talk to me like that!! I've been stuck in this house alone for weeks away from my family and friends and my entire life. I had to move and change everything about my life in an instant. I was forced to marry you. Every moment in my life has been out of my control even as an adult." I take a step forward pushing him back.
"I've been stuck here after you made me move here. You've ignored me the entire time. The only person I know here is you. You have been nothing but an asshole to me. You call me a whore when I've been out of the house twice since I lived here. I've spoken to three people including you since I moved here." I put my finger on his chest and push him back.
"Who gives you the right to call me a whore when you know nothing about me!?" I push him back and walk away from him not wanting to even look at his stupid face any longer.