"Come in," Count Alaric's cold voice cut through the door.
Seraphina flinched a bit as she stepped inside. No matter how many times she faced him, her father always had a way of making her feel small like she didn't quite measure up.
Once, she had longed for his approval. But when she saw the difference in how he looked at her compared to her brother, she gave up trying a long time ago.
As she entered the room, Count Alaric's expression twisted slightly.
"For someone who's getting married tomorrow, you look terrible," he remarked, his tongue clicking in disapproval, making her cheeks burn.
Seraphina didn't respond, though she could feel the weight of his judgment. He continued, "Lucky for you, the Duke is a patient man, so the wedding will go ahead as planned."
"Do you even care that I'm sick?" Seraphina asked softly, barely lifting her voice.
"Well, by the time the banquet wrapped up, everyone already knew you'd been carried off by some man," he said sharply. "Do you have any idea how worried I was when I heard? I thought the Duke would call off the wedding! But no, he's still willing to go through with it, so don't mess this up."
Seraphina had never seen the Duke set foot in their house, even though she was unwell. She had a vague picture of him in her mind—someone who cared more about his schedule than his bride-to-be. He seemed a lot like her father. The future ahead of her felt bleak, a path she didn't want to walk but had no choice.
Running away had crossed her mind a few times, but her frail body wouldn't allow it. And even if she somehow managed to escape, where would she go? If not for her father's status, she likely wouldn't have survived this long.
"She's the perfect child to abandon," her father had once said, his words echoing in her mind.
The memory made her stomach turn. She never found the courage to stand up to him.
She sat down in the parlor, where tea and snacks had been set out. Seraphina wrapped her hands around the warm teacup, sipping it slowly. The heat brought a little color to her pale cheeks.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Seraphina tensed up.
"Count, the Duke of Everwyn has arrived," a servant announced.
"Bring him in," her father ordered.
"Yes, sir," the servant replied before his footsteps faded down the hall.
Seraphina's hands shook, causing the teacup to tremble slightly. The Count noticed and clicked his tongue again, clearly irritated.
"Don't screw this up. If this marriage doesn't happen, it's not like you'll find another suitor," he said, his words laced with a harsh edge.
"...Yes, Father," Seraphina whispered.
"And let's not forget, you're unable to bear children. No man will want you once word gets out about that," he added, his voice cold as ice.
Her heart sank at his remark. She knew he was right—her health made it dangerous for her to even think about having children.
She lowered her head, feeling smaller than ever. Useless. A burden to her family, someone who couldn't get anything right. That familiar, heavy feeling of worthlessness settled deep in her chest.
"Count Alaric," a different voice cut in, pulling her from her thoughts.
Seraphina lifted her gaze. "I'm the Duke of Everwyn," the voice continued.
Her father's tone instantly shifted, becoming all warm and welcoming as he jumped to his feet to greet the Duke.
"Ah, please, come in!" Count Alaric said, practically beaming. "It's an honor. Soon enough, we'll be family."
Seraphina's breath caught in her throat as she saw the man who stepped inside. It couldn't be… Was she imagining things?
Her heart pounded as she realized the Duke of Everwyn was the same man from the night before.
'Why him? Of all people…' her mind raced.