Chapter 26: Please Don’t Leave Me!

Chapter 26: Please Don’t Leave Me! Lucien’s POV I went straight to my study after walking Seraphina back to her room. There were still loose ends I needed to tie up and unfinished business at the place where she’d been held. My men were already there, waiting to brief me on what had happened after I left. Apparently, Asher had handled everything thoroughly. I didn’t need to lift a finger. Normally, I would’ve been furious about that... About not getting the chance to break those bastards myself. But strangely, the rage had faded the moment I saw her safe. Rescuing Seraphina felt more than enough. It felt more satisfying than chasing revenge or any bloodshed. And that itself... unsettled me. "What the hell is going on all of a sudden?" I muttered as I stood up from my chair, ready to head back to my room. But before I could take a step, a loud scream shattered the silence of the mansion. "No!!!" The sound hit me like a jolt. My heart dropped. I rushed out of the study without thinking twice. My feet moved on their own in urgency as panic filled my entire body. What was happening? Did someone break in? Did someone try to hurt her again? I had no idea what had happened, but something about that scream told me it wasn’t just fear—it was pain... Deep and desperate pain. And I couldn’t ignore it. All I knew was that Seraphina was in trouble, and I had to go to her no matter what! I didn’t even knock. I slammed the door open with a force that rattled the hinges. "Seraphina!" I shouted, my voice sharp and laced with panic. She was on the bed, curled up, shaking. Her hands were pressed tightly over her ears, her knees pulled to her chest like she was trying to disappear into herself. Her eyes were wide open, but they weren’t looking at me. I didn’t know what she was looking at. She looked trapped in a horrible nightmare. "Seraphina..." I said again, softer this time, as I stepped closer. "It’s me. You’re safe." She didn’t move and didn’t even speak. Her lips were trembling, and her breathing was all over the place... She was gasping hard as if she wasn’t even able to breathe properly. I crouched near the bed slowly, keeping my voice low and steady. "Look at me. It’s okay. No one’s going to hurt you." But her body was frozen. Like whatever she was seeing... wasn’t here. Something had dragged her back into a place I couldn’t see and a time I wasn’t aware of. And all I could do was stay close and be there for her. "Seraphina," I said one more time, my hand hovering inches from her arm. "Come back." "Please, please don’t kill my child! Please don’t!" Sera’s voice broke as she clutched my hand tightly in both of hers. She gripped me so tightly that it hurt, but I didn’t pull away. "Please don’t kill my child! I beg you!" she cried again, tears streaming down her face, her whole body trembling like she was reliving something no one should ever have to. I froze. She kept begging—over and over—as if I had done something. As if I were the one trying to hurt her... or her baby. But wait... What child? What the hell was she talking about? Sera herself was barely an adult. She had just turned eighteen. How could there be a child? Where did this come from? My mind wasn’t working anymore. I sat there, frozen, trying to make sense of what was happening. Why was she acting like this? What kind of pain had she gone through to break down like that? Without saying a word, I quietly moved onto the bed and sat beside her. Sera didn’t let go of me. Her arms wrapped tightly around my waist as if I were the only thing holding her together. She kept trembling, her face buried in my side, and I could only rub her back slowly and softly in circles with my palm—because I had no idea what else to do. Should I call a doctor? I’d asked her earlier if she wanted medical help for her injuries, but she had refused. She told me that she hated hospitals. I hadn’t asked why. Now I was starting to understand... her fear wasn’t just to a place but the memories that held behind it. Memories that were eating her alive. She had gone through something so brutal that no one had seen. And then I noticed it. The sound. The dripping sound from the washroom. Drip. Drip. Drip. She flinched every single time. Her body tensed with each drop. Her grip on me tightened like she was holding on for dear life. "What is this...? Why is the tap still running?" I muttered under my breath and moved slightly, about to stand up and turn it off. But the moment I shifted, Sera clutched at my shirt like it was her lifeline. "Don’t... Don’t leave me," she whispered, her voice shaking, broken. "They’ll kill me... if you go." She finally looked up at me. And in that moment, her eyes held a fear that felt so real... this made something twist in my chest. "I... I don’t want to be alone," she whispered, her voice barely audible as fresh tears slid down her cheeks. My chest tightened at the sight of her. "Don’t worry," I said softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I won’t leave you." Without another word, I gently lifted her into my arms. She didn’t resist. Her head rested against my chest, her breathing shallow and uneven, like she was still trying to convince herself that she was safe. I carried her out of the room, holding her close like something fragile that might shatter if I let go. Honestly... I had no idea where else to take her. So I took her to the only place that felt reasonable to me, my bedroom. Because right now, that’s all I could offe