---
MOMENTS AGO
"It's Lady Charlotte... she wants to see me… Lady Charlotte wants to see me!"
Seraphina stared at her phone in disbelief. She had hoped and prayed for this moment, but never in her wildest dreams did she expect it to happen so soon.
"About damn time," Alexander replied, clearly ecstatic, mostly because the conversation had shifted away from the tension that had been hanging over his head moments before.
"What do you think she wants?" Seraphina asked, even though she already knew the answer. She just needed someone else to say it, a second voice to confirm what she was too afraid to believe on her own.
"What do you mean? Don't tell me you don't know why she texted you."
"Yeah, I do, I just… I don't know, I want to be sure."
"You want to be sure?" Alexander scoffed in disbelief. "Come on, Seraphina, I thought you'd be happier."
"I am! It's just…"
"It's just nothing, Seraphina. You earned it, you deserve it, so stop doubting yourself and go meet the sadistic old hag."
"You're right," Seraphina said, standing up with renewed energy. "You're absolutely right, but not about the 'sadistic old hag' part." She smiled.
"Yeah, I'm definitely right about both," Alexander smirked.
Seraphina bolted to the shower. Even though she felt like she was in a time crunch, she still took her time, making sure there wasn't a single blemish on her face when she was done. Afterward, she stepped out, wrapped in a towel, and Alexander's jaw nearly dropped. In that moment, she looked like a goddess, her flawless caramel skin glowing. How could something so beautiful be human? Alexander thought. She had to be a goddess from another world.
Seraphina didn't notice Alexander's mesmerized expression as she hurriedly rifled through her closet, selecting her finest corporate outfit. This was her first official position at the Lockwood family company, and she wanted to look the part.
"How do I look?" she asked, turning to Alexander.
"Like a goddess," he blurted out, the words slipping from his mouth unconsciously.
"What?"
Oh, shit. Had he said the wrong thing? Alexander panicked internally. In their five years of marriage, Seraphina had never asked that nine-letter question, so in his defense, he was caught off guard.
"Erm, you look great. Really great," he corrected awkwardly.
"Okay… I'm going now," Seraphina replied, picking up on the weirdness in the air but deciding not to press it.
"Okay, bye." Alexander waved. "And call me when it's done!" he added as she closed the door behind her.
As Seraphina walked out of the house, she found herself perplexed. Why would he ask me to call him? She had never called him before—not once. Yes, he was her husband, but they both knew that kind of closeness and familiarity didn't exist between them. It bothered her for a moment, but her excitement about the upcoming meeting quickly overshadowed it.
The drive to the Lockwood Mansion took less than fifteen minutes. When she arrived, two of the mansion's staff greeted her, handing her a glass of champagne. In all her years as a Lockwood, Seraphina had never experienced this level of reverence. Is this what it's like to be the head of a multi-billion-dollar project? she wondered, feeling like this was just the tip of the iceberg.
As she entered Lady Charlotte's private office, she was immediately struck by its beauty. It was her first time stepping into Lady Charlotte's personal space, and it was one of the most exquisite offices she had ever seen.
"Seraphina, my favorite granddaughter. You're here already, as expected," Lady Charlotte said, her voice carrying its usual regal tone.
"Yes, ma'am, thank you for having me," Seraphina replied, bowing her head slightly out of respect.
"Always on time. One of your many outstanding qualities. Please, you can call me 'Grandma.'"
"Oh, how you flatter me, Grandma."
"Is it flattery if it's true? Have a seat," Lady Charlotte said, gesturing to the chair in front of her desk.
"I think it's best if we skip the formalities and get to the business of why I called you here, though I'm sure you already know."
"I wouldn't be so bold as to assume, Grandma," Seraphina replied, her heart racing in anticipation.
"Well then, it's about the Maverick contract and the project head position. I didn't want you to hear this from anywhere else—I wanted to be the first to tell you…"
Seraphina's face lit up with a smile, goosebumps prickling her skin. This is it, she thought. This is the moment that will define the rest of my career.
"…that we will not be going back on our decision. Daniel will remain Project Manager of Maverick Corporation contract."
"What?!" Seraphina yelled, her voice a mix of shock, anger, and disbelief.
She was sure her ears had failed her. This had to be a joke—maybe Lady Charlotte was pulling some elaborate prank, and any second now she would shout "Bazinga! Got you!" But deep down, Seraphina knew better. Lady Charlotte was the most serious, no-nonsense person she knew. This was no joke.
"Yes, Daniel is already on his way to finalize details with Maverick as we speak."
"No! This can't be happening! I refuse to believe this is happening!" Seraphina's voice rose with every word. "WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?"
"I'm sorry, Seraphina, but the media is still focused on you. Do you really think a midnight confession from a man who seemed like he was under duress is enough to erase the bad press?"
"Grandma, I didn't do it!" Seraphina pleaded, her voice breaking.
"And I believe you. I'm sorry it took me so long, but I do. I really do."
"Then why are you doing this to me?" Her voice cracked, her eyes welling with tears.
"Because, honey, just because I believe you doesn't mean the public does. And Lockwood Industries isn't equipped to deal with that kind of negative press right now. You understand, don't you?"
'Understand what? What is there to understand?' Seraphina's hands balled into fists, her whole body trembling with anger and heartbreak. This was the opposite of how she had imagined things would play out.
"Then why did you text me at 5 AM to come and see you?" she asked, her voice trembling with fury. "Because trust me, that same text message could've done the job of telling me this."
"Seraphina—"
"Let me guess," Seraphina interrupted, her anger boiling over. "You wanted to watch my reaction as you destroyed everything I've worked for, everything I dreamed of, so you could hand it over to some white guy? Is that what gets you off?!"
Lady Charlotte stood, her face filled with shock at Seraphina's audacity. "Seraphina, how dare you! I understand this is upsetting, so I'll let this slide if you apologize right now. Otherwise, I'll make sure you regret this day for the rest of your life."
Seraphina was still struggling to grasp the reality of what was happening. Now she was being asked to apologize? Unbelievable.
"You know what? Fuck you, you sadistic old hag!" Seraphina spat, storming out of the office and slamming the door behind her.
She raced to her car and drove off. Tears poured down her face, the pain too much to bear. This betrayal hurt more than she could have ever imagined—more than anything she had ever experienced before. As she sobbed, her final words to Lady Charlotte replayed in her mind. What had she done?
In her moment of grief, she picked up her phone. She needed to call someone—anyone. And only one name came to mind.
Alexander.