The sudden appearance of the mysterious woman left me frozen in place, my breath caught in my throat. Her white hair and red eyes gave her an almost ethereal presence, and the horns only added to her otherworldly aura. I had no idea who she was, but she clearly knew Seraphina.
"Seraphina," the woman began, her voice a mix of amusement and reprimand, "you got married and didn't even tell us."
Before Seraphina could respond, the woman strode into the room with surprising speed and punched Seraphina squarely in the stomach. The force of the blow doubled Seraphina over, but instead of anger, a look of resigned acceptance crossed her face.
"Mother," Seraphina managed to gasp out, clutching her stomach.
The woman turned to me, her stern expression melting into a warm smile. She crossed the room and enveloped me in a surprisingly gentle hug. "It's nice to meet you, daughter-in-law," she said, her voice now soft and affectionate.
