Chapter 13 - Seraphina

The house felt unusually still when I returned. The usual bustle of the staff was missing, and it made my heart race a little faster than I cared to admit. As I walked through the mansion, the silence seemed to press against my chest, making each step feel heavier.

I headed straight to Iris's room, hoping to find her there. The door creaked as I pushed it open, but what I saw inside froze me in place. The room was a complete mess. Clothes were scattered on the floor, the bed unmade, and the once neatly organized space now looked like it had been ransacked. I couldn't understand it. Iris was always so tidy, so careful about her things. Where was she?

I glanced around the room, hoping for some kind of clue, but there was nothing. No sign of her. Not even her favorite doll, which she always kept nearby. My stomach twisted with unease. This wasn't normal.

I called out for her, but my voice echoed back at me, unanswered. My eyes darted around the room again, but there was still no sign of Iris, and no sign of her personal maid, either. The one who was always by her side. This wasn't just strange; it was terrifying. What was happening?

Frantic now, I moved through the entire house, checking every room, every corner. No Iris. No maid. My pulse quickened, the feeling of dread settling deep in my bones. I couldn't shake the worry gnawing at me, the fear that something had happened to her. My head was spinning, and I felt the weight of my injury from earlier in the day. The sprained hand made it difficult to focus, but the thought of Iris being missing overpowered everything else.

That was when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned, startled, and saw Adrian standing there. His sharp eyes scanned me before settling on my expression.

"What happened?" His voice was cold, distant, but there was something in his tone that suggested he knew something was wrong.

"My maid," I stammered, my voice trembling slightly. "Iris... she's gone. The maid's gone too. I searched everywhere. I don't know where they are."

He didn't react immediately, just stood there, eyes flickering with something unreadable. But then he spoke, his voice low and firm.

"You wait here," he ordered. "I'll go find her."

I shook my head before he could take another step. "No," I said, my voice more forceful than I expected. "How can I trust you? You've held me at gunpoint before. You don't get to act like some hero now."

Adrian's jaw clenched, and I saw the brief flash of frustration in his eyes. "This is different," he said, his voice harder. "You don't understand."

I could feel my pulse pounding in my temples. The thought of letting him handle this was infuriating. How could I trust him? How could I trust anyone in this mess?

He stepped closer, his presence suddenly filling the room. I could see the tension in his body, but there was something else—something almost desperate. I didn't know if it was genuine concern or something else entirely, but I couldn't shake the feeling that his words weren't just about his need to fix the situation. It was something deeper.

But I couldn't think straight. Not with everything happening so fast, not with the frustration and anger boiling over from everything that had already happened between us.

"I have a sprained hand," I snapped, trying to deflect my own vulnerability. "How am I supposed to deal with this, Adrian? I don't even know where she is. I'm not going to just sit here and wait for you to come back and tell me everything's fine."

He didn't respond immediately, just stared at me, as if calculating something in his mind. I could see the internal battle he was fighting, the pull between his own instincts and the reality of our situation. But for the first time, I saw a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

I could feel the tension in my body as Adrian guided me to the couch. My thoughts were racing, a storm of worry and anger clouding my mind. I couldn't sit still, not with Iris missing, not with everything hanging by a thread. But as Adrian made me sit, his hand firm on my arm, there was something in his gaze that made me pause. I wanted to fight him, to push him away for all that had happened between us, but there was also something else, something that made me stay in place and listen.

"Listen to me," he said, his voice steady and calm. I wanted to argue, to push back, but his words stopped me, and for a moment, I just stared at him. "I know you're scared. I know you don't trust me after everything that's happened, but right now, the only person who can help Iris is me."

His words hit me harder than I expected. He was right about one thing—no matter how much I hated what had happened between us, I couldn't deny that in this moment, I needed him. I needed him to protect Iris, even if it meant swallowing my pride.

"You?" I whispered, my voice trembling slightly. "You want me to trust you? After everything?"

Adrian's eyes softened, and he knelt down in front of me, placing his hand on mine. His touch was unexpectedly comforting, and I found myself not pulling away, even though a part of me still screamed at me to stay angry. "I know I don't deserve your trust," he said quietly, his voice almost a whisper. "But this is bigger than the past. Iris needs us both right now. She needs someone who can protect her, and I'm the only one who can do that. I know I've hurt you, Seraphina, but I'm not going to let her get hurt. Not like this."

I bit my lip, trying to hold back the flood of emotions that threatened to spill out. His words were both comforting and infuriating. The logical part of me wanted to tell him to leave, to let him go off into the night and deal with Iris's disappearance on his own, but the truth was that I couldn't. I couldn't let Iris be in danger because of my pride.

"You want me to believe you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, "After everything you've done? After all the lies, the gun, the betrayal?"

Adrian's jaw clenched, but his grip on my hand tightened in an almost desperate way. "I know. I know I've been a bastard. I know I've done things that you can never forgive, but right now, all I want is to protect you and Iris. I've been a fool, but I'm trying to make it right. I swear, I will do whatever it takes. Just trust me for once, Seraphina. Let me help you."

The words felt like a dagger to my heart—too much, too soon. But even as my head screamed at me to stay angry, to not give in, something inside me softened. His sincerity was there, buried beneath the guilt and mistakes, but it was there. And in this moment, as much as I hated to admit it, I needed him.

I didn't know if I could fully trust him again, but for Iris, I had to try.

Slowly, I nodded. "Okay," I whispered, my voice cracking. "Okay. But if anything happens to her—if you hurt her—"

"I won't," he interrupted, his voice firm and full of resolve. "I swear to you, I won't let anything happen to her. Not while I'm around."

I closed my eyes for a moment, letting his words settle into my heart, hoping—just hoping—that he meant them.

"I'll stay here," I said softly, looking up at him. "I'll wait for you to bring her back."

Adrian's expression softened, and for the first time in a long while, I saw the man I once knew. The one who had cared for me, the one who had promised to protect me. Maybe I could trust him with Iris. Maybe, just maybe, we could put the past behind us—at least for now.

"I won't let you down, Seraphina," he said, his voice filled with conviction as he stood up, his hand lingering on mine for a moment longer. "I won't let either of you down."

And with that, he left, the door closing behind him, leaving me to wait, to hope that this time, Adrian wouldn't fail me.

I paced the length of the living room, my thoughts a chaotic mess. My hand, still sore from the sprain, barely bothered me as I wrung it nervously. My mind kept drifting to Iris—where was she? Was she safe? Was she okay? The fear gnawed at me, stronger than anything I'd ever felt before.

The house felt eerily quiet, and the more I tried to calm myself, the harder it became. The silence pressed in on me, making every second feel like an eternity. Adrian's words replayed in my mind, his calm assurance that he would keep Iris safe, that he would handle it. But could I really trust him? Could I trust anyone? After everything that had happened, how could I not question it all?

I didn't know what to do with myself. I wanted to go out there, to find Iris, to do something. But the thought of being in the way, of making things worse, kept me frozen in place.

It was maddening. I wanted to believe him, I wanted to trust Adrian. But the pain, the past, it all haunted me. Every time I tried to push it away, it came back with even more force. He was out there, in danger, fighting for Iris. And yet, here I was, helpless in this cold mansion, listening to the seconds tick by as if they were minutes.

I couldn't just sit here. I couldn't.

But then the phone buzzed in my pocket. I jumped, heart leaping into my throat, and quickly pulled it out. Adrian's name flashed on the screen.

My breath caught, my heart skipping a beat. I answered immediately, desperate to hear his voice, to know that they were okay.

"Seraphina," Adrian's voice came through, steady but strained, "Iris is fine. She's safe."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, my body finally relaxing, though just a little.

"Where is she?" I asked, my voice tight with concern.

"We're on our way back now," Adrian replied. "Stay where you are. I'll bring her home."

My mind raced. I had to be strong for Iris. She'd been through so much. I knew it wasn't over yet, but just hearing Adrian's voice gave me a sense of peace, even if it was temporary.

The weight of it all settled on me again, the emotional toll of everything that had happened.

But for now, I was going to trust Adrian—just for now—and wait for them to come home.

I stepped toward the window, looking out into the night, my heart heavy with anticipation.