SERAPHINA

"Oh my god, Yuki! Get out of here-shoo! Go home!"

I sprinted toward the road where our long-haired mutt was tangled up with a stray, fur flying as they circled each other. I held my umbrella high, using it to nudge them apart before things went too far, my nose wrinkling at the earthy, musky smell of their excitement.

I pointed at Yuki-Dad had begged his boss for her years ago, and she'd been ours ever since. "You horny little troublemaker! We don't have money for puppies if you get knocked up!" I snapped.

Yuki whined, her tail drooping as she stared after the stray. When I made a show of swinging my hand at the male dog, he took off in a flash of brown fur.

"And you!" I glared at her. "Planning to camp out here all night?" She flinched and bolted toward our rickety wooden house, her claws clicking against the dirt.

I followed her inside to find Dad hunched over his phone, his shoulders hunched in the way I knew meant he was gambling again. I cleared my throat loud enough to make him jump-he whipped around, pale as fresh paper.

"S-Sera!" He stuffed the phone behind his back so fast it nearly slipped. "Been home long?"

I shook my head. "Just got here, Papa."

If only Mama knew about this. He looked hooked, and the thought twisted in my gut. But he just raised an eyebrow, acting like nothing was wrong.

"Hmm. Well, get inside then. What are you staring at? The dishes are piled up in the kitchen-wash them before you start dinner."

I forced a smile. "Yes, Papa. I'll take care of it."

He went right back to his screen. Not a word about my day, or if I was tired, or what I might want to eat. No surprise there.

I didn't linger. Even from the doorway, I could see the mountain of crusty plates and pots-they'd clearly waited for me to clean up after them. I was drained from back-to-back classes, but this was how it always was. I'd grown used to feeling like an outsider in my own home, but the sting never quite faded.

As I scrubbed grime from a pot, Mama walked past. Her face tightened the second she saw me.

"Really, Sera? What kind of girl comes home this late? Good grief-you're always causing problems!"

It's barely five o'clock. I bit back the words. Arguing only made her yell louder.

"I'm sorry, Mama. Classes ran long."

"Tsk! Hurry up! Hera will be home soon, and you haven't even started cooking." She stomped off, her footsteps heavy against the wooden floorboards.

I sighed and kept washing. Hera was two years younger than me, but we'd be graduating college together-I'd had to take two years off when Mama made me quit to work. I'd had no choice but to agree.

My stomach rumbled as I finished up-I'd skipped lunch to save my allowance. I got to work right away, boiling rice and frying canned corned beef from the town's relief supplies.

"Mama, dinner's ready. You should eat first," I called out before heading to my room-the walls were cracked, and a hole in the roof was big enough to stick my head through.

I changed clothes and stayed put, waiting for them to finish. I knew they'd never ask me to sit at the table with them-it was always this way.

I still didn't understand why they hated me so much. Even as a kid, they'd kept their distance. I'd asked if I was adopted, but they swore we were blood-said a DNA test would prove it.

I let out a long breath and looked up at the sky through the hole above me. "Really, Lord? You love testing me, don't you?"

When I heard dishes clattering in the kitchen, I finally stepped out. I was starving.

"Mama, did you save me any food?" I asked quietly.

"There was some left, but we kept it for Hera. We forgot about you." She laughed, but it was sharp as glass.

I dropped my gaze. Of course. For Hera.

"Okay, Mama. I'll just go to sleep then."

She raised an eyebrow. "Fine, sleep. Why the long face? Are you mad you didn't get any?"

I jumped at her shout and shook my head. "No, Mama!"

"Don't give me that look, Sera. Get a job if you want to eat! Dammit, you're always bothering me."

I turned away, my jaw tight, just as Hera walked in. "Hey, everyone!"

Mama and Dad rushed to her side. "Our beautiful girl! Even tired from class, you're still so pretty!" They kissed her cheeks, cooing over her bag and her hair.

"Go eat, Hera-we saved your favorite for you," Mama said, her voice soft as silk.

I bit my lip and headed back to my room, staring at the cracked wall as my mind spun.

That's all I'd ever wanted-for them to look at me like that. We were both their daughters, so why was I so different? Why did they hold every bit of care back from me?

The pain was sharp, but I didn't cry-I was used to it by now. Even so, a part of me still ached for the love they showered on Hera.

I slapped my cheeks hard, then pinched them to pull myself together. "Come on, Sera. You're tough-this won't break you. The Lord must have something big planned!" I forced a laugh, whispering the words to the empty room.

Sleep was better than dwelling on it. I had an event at school early tomorrow, and I needed to be up before dawn.

"Mama, I'm heading to school!" I called out, raising my voice to cut through the quiet house. She could be anywhere-her room, the yard-so shouting was the only way to be sure.

I waited a few seconds, but no answer came. I scratched my head, my heart racing-I was already running late. I needed to ask her for a hundred pesos to cover something my savings couldn't stretch to.

"Mama?" I called again.

I was about to give up and leave when I heard footsteps. Mama rounded the corner, phone in hand, wearing a smile I'd never seen before-tight and strange.

She looked me up and down, her eyes narrowing when they landed on my backpack.

"Mama, I have to go-"

"You're not going anywhere," she said, her voice flat and firm. Confusion knotted in my chest.

"What do you mean-"

"Quit school, Sera." She stared at me with a cold glint in her eye, then let out a small smirk. "There's a better life waiting for you."

My chest tightened with unease. I forced a laugh. "Mama, come on-it's too early for jokes-"

She cut me off, grabbing my arm so hard I winced. I'd never seen her like this-her grip was like iron.

"I said you're not going. Do you understand me?!"

I gasped and pulled my arm away with all my strength.

"I'm going to school," I repeated, and ran for the door.

"Sera! Get back here, you little brat! I'm talking to you!" I blocked out her shouts, sprinting down the dirt path away from the house.

What is wrong with her? She'd seemed almost happy a minute ago-why was she turning on me again?

I shook my head as I walked, knowing I'd never make the event on time now. I'd had to walk since I couldn't afford fare, and the school was just ahead.

Great, Seraphina. Real smart. I messed up my hair in frustration. "Why do you always land yourself in this mess?!"

I muttered to myself as I trudged onward, just steps from the school's back gate. I could already picture my teacher scolding me, my friends teasing me-but none of that mattered when I saw the black van pull up beside an old woman standing by the road.

Then I saw the glint of a knife.

My eyes went wide as two men shoved her toward the van's open door. Kidnapping? Oh my god!

I acted without thinking, charging toward them as I screamed. "Stop! You can't do this-let her go!"

They turned to look at me-masked faces, dark eyes hard with anger. I hurled my heavy backpack full of books at one of them, then rushed to the old woman, who'd slumped against the van, blood seeping from her side.

"Oh my god! Are you okay? Breathe slowly!" I pulled out my handkerchief and pressed it to her wound, holding tight to stem the flow.

"Who the hell are you?!" one of the men snarled.

"Help! Someone help us! They're trying to hurt her!" I yelled at passing cars, my voice cracking with fear.

The men panicked-they didn't want attention. They started climbing into the van, but my eyes were locked on the man in the passenger seat-he wasn't masked, and he was staring right at me. We held each other's gaze for a second too long, then something cold and sharp sprayed into my face.

"AHHH! My eyes!" I screamed as searing pain shot through them. I couldn't open them, couldn't see a thing-whatever they'd used burned like acid, making tears stream down my cheeks.

"Argh..." I groaned, but forced myself to keep holding the old woman close, my hands shaking.

"Hold on, ma'am," I whispered.

But the pain was too much. The world went black before I could feel if she was still breathing.

SERAPHINA

Noise first-running feet, shouts that blurred into one another. I fought to pry my eyes open, but the dark met me like a wall. I waved a hand before my face, fingers slicing through air I could feel but not see. Nothing. Just black, thick as water.

"W-What happened?" The words fell flat in the quiet.

My head throbbed, every muscle singing with ache. I tried to sit up, limbs heavy as stone. Dead? Hit by a car? I clawed at memory, but it slipped like soap. Car? What was I doing before...

I touched my forehead, then my eyelids-they were open, I could feel the stretch of skin. So why was the world gone?

Fragments clicked into place, sharp and sudden: the old woman hunched on the sidewalk, the glint of a knife, the van's rust-colored door slamming shut.

Right. I'd fought with Mama at dawn-she'd screamed about dropping out, said school was a waste of money I didn't have. I'd stormed out, walking to campus when I saw them drag her in, saw the blade tear through her cotton shirt. I'd run without thinking, feet slamming against asphalt.

What came after? I squeezed my lids shut, chasing the ghost of it.

Then I remembered.

"He sprayed something in my eyes!" I jolted upright, sheets twisting around my legs.

My heart hammered against my ribs, so hard I felt it in my throat. I spun my head side to side, hands scrabbling over cool linen. The dark didn't shift.

The truth landed slow and heavy, pressing the air from my lungs.

"Am I... blind? Did I lose my sight?" My voice cracked, thin as spider silk. Hot tears tracked down my cheeks, and I didn't bother to wipe them away. Blind.

How will I finish school? My work? How can I make something of myself when I can't even find my own hands? Fear coiled in my gut, tight as a spring. They'll hate me more now.

If they'd resented me when I could see-when I'd scraped for every peso to pay tuition-what would they do now?

I drew a shaky breath, forcing my hands to unclench. That's when I heard it: a door opening, soft as a whisper, then closing. No footsteps, no words.

"H-Hello? Is anyone there?"

A pause, then a quiet clearing of throat. "I take it you've realized your condition, Miss Mortez." The voice was calm, even-like pouring water into a glass. A doctor, maybe.

"Am I really blind?" My hands trembled in my lap, knuckles white.

"For now. But it isn't permanent. We expect full sight back within a year-maybe sooner."

A year. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, but the knot in my chest didn't loosen. A year in darkness... who would take me in?

"W-What about the woman I tried to help? Is she okay?"

Another pause-long enough I could almost feel her looking at me. "You're worried about her, even now?" A hint of warmth in her laugh. "She's stable. Healing well."

Something lightened in my chest. The doctor spoke of swelling, of treatment, of drops I'd need to take-but the words slid off me, leaving only one thought: Mama.

"Would you like us to contact your family? We can have someone call them."

I froze. "I... I don't know their numbers by heart." My voice sounded small, lost.

"I see. We'll find a way to-" The door slammed open so hard the frame rattled, wood groaning in protest.

"Seraphina!"

My breath caught. Mama.

"Ma'am, please-you can't just enter without-"

"M-Mama?" I cut through the doctor's protest, relief warring with dread so sharp it made my teeth ache. "How did you find me? I was so scared-"

A slap cracked through the air, landing hard on my cheek. I cried out, clutching my face as numbness spread over my skin. I didn't know where to turn-there was nowhere to look.

"Damn you! Useless enough before-now you're blind and good for nothing!" Her voice bounced off the walls, harsh and sharp.

"Mama, I didn't mean-"

Another slap, harder this time. My head spun, and I tasted copper on my tongue.

"You've never brought anything but curse to this house! Why did I even have you?"

Her words cut deeper than any blow. I heard her shouting at the doctor, voice rising and falling like broken glass. It was nothing new-Mama's anger had always been a storm I couldn't outrun. I mumbled for the doctor to let her stay, my voice flat and heavy as stone.

The air in the room thickened, warm and sour with anger. Without sight, every sense felt amplified: the shift of the mattress as she sat beside me, the rasp of her breath, the faint smell of sweat and cooking oil clinging to her clothes. I hunched against the headboard, waiting.

"Your Aunt Aning showed up at the house to tell me where you were, you fool!" She snapped. "What are we supposed to do with you now?"

"I don't know, Mama. I don't know." My shoulders slumped, and the cane beside the bed felt like a weight I'd already been carrying.

So close to graduating. I'd counted every day, every exam, every paper I'd written by hand because we couldn't afford a computer. Now it all felt like smoke. Even if my sight came back-if-would anything be the same?

Silence stretched between us, long and tight. Then she spoke, and the words shredded what little hope I had left.

"I've decided. I'm selling you to Don Tiago. You're no use to us like this."

"Mama! I'm not a thing to be sold!" I cried out, hands fisting in the sheets until my knuckles burned.

She smacked my thigh, hard enough to make me flinch. "What else? You can't study, can't work-you'll just drain us dry. We need to take care of Hera, not clean up your messes!"

My chest tightened until I could barely breathe. How could she let me go so easy? What had I done to make her look at me like I was nothing more than a burden to be traded?

"At least with the governor, we'll get paid. You'll finally be worth something-and you'll live in a real house!"

Fear pricked at my skin, cold and sharp. Governor Tiago... the stories drifted through my head-whispers of young women taken to his estate, never seen again. Before I could speak, the world tilted, and darkness swallowed me whole.

"Sera! Are you done yet? Hurry-Hera's gonna fix your face so you don't look like you've been crying all week."

I dropped my head, fingers wrapped around the smooth wood of my cane. Two days had passed since I'd woken up blind. Papa had yelled until his voice gave out-exactly what I'd expected.

"I'm ready," I said, voice flat as I sat on the edge of the bed. Footsteps approached, quick and light, then Hera's voice cut through the air.

"Ugh. Why did you have to go and get yourself blinded? Now you're gonna be that creep's toy." Her fingers were cold as she grabbed my chin, dabbing something sweet-smelling on my cheeks.

I said nothing. My heart was already in pieces-what more could she do to hurt me?

"Ah well. Thanks for the money, though! Finally getting out of this hole. Guess you are the breadwinner after all."

I let her pull me to my feet, let Mama adjust my dress-too tight, too fancy, nothing I'd ever wear on my own. When they said the governor was here, they guided me toward the door, their hands heavy on my arms.

"What's wrong with you? Stop crying!" Mama hissed, pinching my side hard enough to make me gasp.

Who wouldn't cry when their own family is selling them? But I bit my tongue, letting her drag me forward.

"Stop it! You're making us look bad!" Hera complained beside me.

I was almost grateful for the dark-grateful I wouldn't have to see his face, or the greed shining in my family's eyes.

"Gov!" Mama called out, her voice bright as polished glass.

"Oh, Mrs. Mortez! Is this the girl?" The voice was slick, oily-like warm grease sliding over stone. I could almost picture his smile, too wide, too sharp.

How do I get away?

"Yes, sir! Isn't she beautiful?" Mama trilled.

"Beautiful indeed. Perfect, just perfect."

"Are you happy now, Mama?" The words slipped out before I could stop them, quiet as dust.

She pinched me again, and I let out a laugh that sounded like broken glass.

What else could I expect from people who never saw me as their own?

I listened as they haggled, voices rising and falling over numbers I tried not to hear. Then a hand wrapped around my arm-warm, but firm enough to make my skin crawl.

"You're a lovely thing, sweetheart," he murmured in my ear, his breath hot against my neck.

I didn't move, didn't speak, letting him lead me toward what I assumed was his car. But before I could take another step, a voice cut through the noise-deep, cold, and sharp as a blade.

"Negotiating human trafficking... is that how you conduct business, Gov Tiago?"

Even I froze, every muscle going tight. The hand on my arm squeezed hard with panic.

"V-Vitale! What are you doing here?" The governor's voice shook.

Vitale?

"I'm here for Seraphina Mortez. And it seems you're holding her against her will."

The governor shoved me away so fast I stumbled, my cane clattering to the ground. Strong arms caught me before I hit the dirt, pulling me close against a chest solid as stone. His scent filled my lungs-clean pine, something sharp and warm like wood smoke.

"W-What do you want with me?" I asked, my hands finding his shoulders, fingers curling into the fabric of his jacket.

"Not now. We'll talk later. Just hold on." His voice was low, steady-impossible to resist.

"W-Wait! She's our daughter-" Papa stammered.

"How much did he offer you?" The man cut him off, his tone leaving no room for lies.

"H-Huh?"

"I won't ask again."

"Five hundred thousand dollars."

Five hundred thousand. I'd worked three jobs for a year to save a tenth of that. I wasn't surprised-nothing about this should have surprised me.

"I'll pay triple. In exchange, you forget Seraphina Mortez was ever your daughter. No claims, no contact. And if you ever try to find her..." He paused, and the silence that followed was more terrifying than any threat.

"You'll regret it."

I heard my family scrambling, voices rising in panic and greed all at once. Then strong arms lifted me off my feet, and I wrapped my legs around his waist instinctively, clinging to his neck. I said nothing as he carried me to a car, setting me gently on seats soft as buttered leather.

"Stay here. I'll handle the rest." He closed the door, leaving me alone in the quiet dark-wondering who this man was, and why he'd pulled me from a fate I'd already begun to accept.

THIRD PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW

"What do you even want with her?! She's got nothing to give-why throw money away on-" Sera's mother's words choked off as the stranger turned his eyes to her. The look in them was sharp as a blade, cutting through her bluster.

"Be quiet." His voice was flat, cold as wet concrete. He tossed a briefcase to the dirt at their feet.

It popped open. Cash spilled over the edges-thick stacks of bills that caught the sun and made their pupils widen. Confusion faded first, then worry, then anything that looked like care for Sera. Money was all they'd ever hungered for, and this man was offering more than they'd dared to ask for their daughter.

The stranger glanced at the governor, who stared at his own shoes. His jaw worked, hands trembling at his sides. He knew the name-whispered in boardrooms and back alleys, tied to power and things best left unspoken. Dangerous. Way out of his depth. Better to step aside and let the girl go.

Inside the car, Sera sat in dark so deep it felt like a blanket pressed over her face. She mapped the world with what she had left: the hum of the engine under her palms, the clean smell of leather, the faint scent of something woodsy from the front seat. Yesterday, she could have picked out the purple of bougainvillea or the burnt orange of a street lamp. Now there was only this-endless, heavy night.

The door swung open. Someone slid in beside her, and she flinched, pressing back against the doorframe, arms wrapped tight around her knees. She couldn't see his face, couldn't read his hands-if he meant to hurt her, she'd have nowhere to run.

"You're safe now. I won't hurt you."

His voice was low, cool as river water-and it sent shivers up her spine. She held her breath, too scared to make a sound.

"From what I hear, you're blind. Not mute, though."

"I'm not mute." The words burst out before she could stop them. She wanted to clamp her hand over her mouth-why had she answered so fast?

A soft laugh rumbled in his chest, a sound that made warmth prickle at her neck and shoulders.

"Good. No fun in a toy that can't speak up."

Her jaw tightened. She turned toward him, even though all she saw was black.

She couldn't believe it. The urge to throw herself from the moving car was so strong she had to grip the door handle until her knuckles ached.

"W-What-do you want my body too?!" She trembled, fingers fumbling to make the sign of the cross as the car pulled onto the highway. "It's wrong to force someone-that's rape! I won't-I won't sleep with anyone! Blind doesn't mean helpless-I can fight you! What's so funny?!"

He laughed again, even as tears stung her eyes, hot and thick.

"Hmm... really? But what if you're my wife?"

The words hit her like a punch to the gut. Anger flared up, hot enough to burn through fear.

"Non-consent is rape, no matter who you are-husband, stranger, anyone! Wait-wife? What are you talking about?!" Terror seized her all over again. Had she traded one nightmare for something worse?

He only hummed in reply, and said nothing more for the rest of the ride. He didn't touch her, didn't lean close. Eventually, exhaustion pulled her under, and she fell into a sleep so deep she didn't feel the car slow down.

Night had settled over the city by the time they arrived: a sprawling estate tucked into Chateau de Taltal, one of the capital's most exclusive villages. The man stepped out of the car, his shoulders set, his gaze as cold as the air. Even in dim light, his eyes stood out-emerald green, sharp as chips of glass.

"Sir Lucian! The madam's inside-she's been waiting."

A guard jogged over, breathless.

"Tell her to hold on. I need a minute."

The guard nodded and vanished into the mansion as Lucian leaned against the car's hood, arms crossed, eyes closed.

This wasn't why he'd come to the Philippines. How had he ended up playing hero, chasing after a girl he'd never met?

[FLASHBACK]

"Sir! The hospital's on the phone!"

Lucian's brow furrowed as his man approached, phone held out with a tight, worried look. He didn't ignore panic-not from his people.

He peeled off blood-stained gloves, tossed his baseball bat to the floor, and stepped over a bleeding hand without a glance. He pulled out his vape, took a slow hit of mint, then answered.

"Is this Mr. Vitale?" A woman's voice, careful and strained.

Lucian exhaled a thin cloud of smoke. "Yeah. What does Ferrer want?" He spoke flatly, gesturing for his men to clear the room.

"Sir... your grandmother-"

He hung up. Striding to his car, he slammed his palm against the steering wheel as the engine roared to life.

"Damn it, old woman!" He pressed his foot to the gas, worry coiling hot in his chest. She was all the family he had left.

"Ma'am, please-you'll pull your stitches!"

Lucian heard the nurses' shouts before he even reached the room. Of course she was causing a scene-stubbornness was as much a part of her as her fortune.

Relief washed over him when he saw her. Alive. Bruised, with a bandage wrapped tight around her side, but her eyes were bright as ever.

"What's all the noise for?" he called out as he walked in, and every head turned. People always noticed him-his sharp features, the way he filled a room without trying. But no one felt the weight of him the way she did.

She threw a pillow at his head. He caught it easily, tucking it aside.

"What now?" He pulled a chair beside her bed, nodded for the nurses to leave. She quieted once the door clicked shut.

He leaned back, studying her pale face.

"This is about that again, isn't it?"

She didn't answer, staring at the ceiling, her expression soft with sadness.

"I was taken again, L," she said quietly. "But a girl saved me."

He raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"She was... kind. Not just to me-she saw trouble and ran straight into it, even though she didn't know me. And in the end... she lost her sight because of it."

Lucian's jaw tightened. He heard the catch in her voice, saw tears tracking down her cheeks.

"Stop crying. You're not a kid." He stood, pulling her into a gentle embrace, rubbing her back until she calmed.

She sobbed harder. "W-What'll happen to her? The nurses said her own mother was here yesterday-treated her like she was trash..."

He clicked his tongue. "This isn't a story. Maybe it's not as bad as you think-"

She looked up at him, and he knew she'd seen through his gruffness. She was the only one who ever could.

After a few minutes, she settled. He was peeling an apple with a small silver knife when she spoke again.

"Find her, L." Her voice was firm, no room for argument.

He huffed a laugh. "Back to your old self?"

She shot him a glare. "I haven't cried like that in decades. But I mean it-find her for me."

"Why should I? I've got work." He kept his voice cold, but she only stared him down.

"Fine. Then you can stay out of the Philippines for good-"

"What's the point?" he cut in.

She smiled, slow and knowing. "I want to pay her back. If I have all this and can't even thank the person who saved my life... what good is any of it?"

"You're wasting your time. You should go back to Italy for the show."

She cackled, wincing as she pressed a hand to her side. "Idiot-look at me. I'm not going anywhere."

He couldn't argue with that. She was infuriating.

"Did you handle the ones who took you?"

"Of course I did." She raised an eyebrow. "I own a hundred brands, built this with my own hands-reporters are already lining up for a statement."

Lucian said nothing, but her next words made him pause, knife stilling over the apple.

"Find her... and marry her, L. Make it my last wish."

So he had. At first, he'd only planned to find the girl to quiet his grandmother-marriage was never part of the deal. But seeing Sera standing there, her shoulders tight with fear, even her closed eyes couldn't hide how clear her spirit was. Something shifted in him then-sharp, sudden, and impossible to ignore. He'd give his grandmother exactly what she wanted.

Lucian had always been drawn to beautiful women-his reputation as a playboy was well-earned. But this girl... a blind woman from the provinces, who'd risked everything for a stranger. Who would have guessed she'd make his chest feel tight, like he'd swallowed something warm and sharp?

A man known across the globe... pulled in by someone he'd just met?

A slow smile touched his lips as he looked through the car window at Sera, still sleeping, her mouth slightly parted.

"Hmm. What's with that look?"

He turned to see his associate walking over. "Get me a lawyer. And a marriage contract-ready to sign."

His eyes drifted back to her lips, pink and soft in the glow of the estate lights.

"I'm getting married. Damn it."