Seraphina POV
I didn't expect the crazy scene that awaited me outside the building that afternoon.
Many cameras. Media people. Bright lights flashing endlessly on my face.
Security personnel tried but failed to keep them back.
And who was standing right in the middle of this chaos?
Ranon Vescari.
He was tall. Calm. The crazy scene didn't seem to bother him.
He looked like a man who was there to get flowers, not looking like a famous heir claiming a reluctant wife. His cold, blue eyes scanned the crowd before stopping right on me. The way he carried himself, it seemed the world wouldn't exist if he wasn't in it.
"Seraphina," he said, his voice even and in charge.
Everyone turned to look at me.
The crowd began to whisper.
My coworkers stood at the door, staring in total shock.
Great.
Just great.
Ranon held out his hand like it was a loving thing to do, not a deliberate power move. "Let's leave."
I didn't take his hand, but he didn't seem to care. He gently placed his hand on my lower back, guiding me through the group of media personnel. The cameras kept flashing and questions kept coming like crazy.
"Miss Quinn, how long have you been seeing each other?"
"Is the wedding date set yet?"
"Did you know about what the Vescari family does?"
"Mr. Vescari, will she take over after you?"
I just wanted to go away.
By the time we got to his car, which I could get was armored all round, of course my face felt frozen from forcing myself to look normal. He opened the car door for me, acting all nice but within me it was making me angry.
As soon as the door was closed, I got very angry.
"What is wrong with you?!" I yelled, taking loud breaths I was sure he could hear.
"Why would you come to my job? Why would you make a scene like that? I can't even breathe without the media looking at it!"
Ranon sat in the driver's seat, surprisingly and annoyingly calm. "You seemed upset. So, I came to get you."
"I am even more upset now!"
He looked at me, his eyes feeling a little warm. "I figured you would be."
I blinked. "Are you not even going to argue?"
"No."
My anger went over itself.
"No? That's all you have to say?"
"You feel overwhelmed," he said simply. "I thought this would happen."
I yelled in frustration. "Stop understanding everything! Stop showing up everywhere! Stop trying to control my whole life!"
He stretched out and gently touched my fingertips not grabbing or pushing just a single, careful touch that made my heart skip a beat.
"I'm not trying to control you, Seraphina," he whispered. "I'm trying to protect what's mine."
"That's the same thing," I said quickly.
"Not to me." He moved his thumb that was resting on the back of my hand in a way that was slowly driving me crazy.
"You're mad because everything feels out of control. But I'm not your enemy."
"You sure act like it."
He turned to face me fully, his blue eyes were staring at me deep and had a look of sureness. "If you wanted someone to fight with you, you picked the wrong person. I will always choose to calm you down, not fight you."
His words hit me hard.
Damn him.
I looked away, trying to hide the mixed feelings that were rising within me.
"I need space, Ranon. I need quiet. I need... something."
"Then you'll have it," he said.
I didn't believe him. Not even a little bit.
The drive to my place was full of a wanted quiet, only interrupted by my loud shaky breathing and the car's loud sound. As we turned the corner to my street, my hope disappeared.
Reporters. Again.
They were positioned all around my building like assassins looking for their next target.
Some brought makeshift tents like they were planning to spend the rest of their lives here.
Some brought ladders, so they could get anywhere around the house.
All of them had their cameras up and ready to take pictures.
I covered my face with my hands. "I can't live like this."
Ranon parked the car but stayed inside. He looked at the scene carefully, as if he was remembering every person near my place.
"They won't leave you alone now," he said softly. "Not while everyone knows where you live. Not while you're living by yourself."
"I can't even walk up the stairs…" My voice sounded a bit off, thick with embarrassment. "I can't go inside without tomorrow's news saying 'Vescari's Girlfriend Falls Apart in Public.'"
Ranon put his hand lightly on my knee as if he was trying not to annoy me more than he had done.
"Come with me," he said.
My anger immediately spiked up again. "What?"
"Come live with me."
My heart beat hard and fast. "That's not. That's not a good way to fix this! That just pulls me deeper into your life!"
"You're already in it," he said calmly. "The media won't leave you alone. Adam will ruin your job. People will try to use you against me. You have no safety here, Seraphina."
"And I'll be safe with you?" I whispered to myself but loudly enough for him to hear.
His voice became gentle again, that warm tone he played with. "Always."
I looked out the window again, watching the reporters gather, shouting my name like I was an animal trapped by hunters.
I couldn't go inside.
I couldn't even stay here.
The air around me didn't even feel breathable.
Ranon didn't push me. He didn't hurry me.
He just waited still, steady, clearly waiting for me to make my decision and from his look, it felt no matter what I would say I would still end up in his home.
My chest went up and down quickly as everything inside me fought against itself.
Was it fear? Or maybe anger? Probably Tiredness.
And a bit of something I didn't want to admit within me.
Finally, in a very silent way that explained myself, I told him the truth,
"I can't stay here tonight."
He nodded once slowly, surely.
"Then come home w
ith me," he said gently. "Where the world can't bother you."
And for the first time since this bad dream started, I didn't fight back.