She spent the whole day crying alone in their room. Her heart felt like it was breaking into pieces. Nothing could compare to the pain she felt after seeing how concerned he was for Tessa earlier.
"Good! He deserves what I did to him. And honestly, it is not even enough compared to how badly he hurt me!" she screamed in her thoughts.
Suddenly, loud banging on the door snapped her back to reality.
"Open the door, Seraphina!" Cassian shouted. His voice was filled with anger.
When she did not respond, he barged in, grabbed her by the hair, and threw her toward the centre of the room.
"Please, Cassian! Stop this!" she pleaded, her voice shaking with fear.
"That is not even enough, Seraphina, after what you did to Tessa!"
Another slap landed on her face. This time, she could not hold back her sobs. It was the first time her husband had ever hit her.
As he continued to hurt her, memories of their happier days rushed through her mind; the times he courted her, their wedding day, the vows they made, and the promise he once whispered in her ear: that he would make her the happiest woman in the world.
"If you ever try to hurt Tessa again, this will be nothing compared to what I will do next time!" he threatened.
Seraphina bolted out of the room, her body trembling. She ran straight to her garden, hoping to find even a little bit of peace in the open air. The tears would not stop.
"What happened to us, Cassian?" she whispered to herself. "I do not know who you are anymore."
Where was the man who once loved her deeply? The Cassian who used to care for her, who once held her like she was his whole world? How could he throw everything away so easily? Was his love really that shallow? Did she mean so little that he could replace her without a second thought?
After a while, she went back inside the house. He was gone again.
She guessed he must be with Tessa.
Despite the pain all over her body, Seraphina went to the kitchen. She cooked rice and prepared dinner for both of them, even though she knew he might not come home at all. Her heart hurt even more knowing he did not care if she was hurting or not.
The next morning, she woke up to an empty bed. Cassian never came home.
Was this how their marriage would be for the next year? Living like strangers under one roof, counting down the days until she finally signs the divorce contract?
No. She would not let it go on like this.
After breakfast, she took a shower, got dressed, and decided to confront him.
She arrived at his office building, her heart racing. She had to face him. He could not just treat her like nothing.
"Is Cassian here?" she asked his secretary, a woman who looked like she belonged on a magazine cover, with heavy makeup, a skirt too short, and a blouse that barely covered her chest.
"Yes, Mrs. Valenciaga," the secretary replied.
Seraphina walked into his office without waiting. Cassian had his back turned, talking on the phone, clearly unaware she was there.
"Yes, baby. I just need to finish these papers. Yes... I will sleep at your house tonight. I love you."
Her chest tightened as heard those words. He was talking to someone else. And he said I love you. Not to her. To someone else.
She clenched her fists, struggling to hold back the anger boiling inside her.
"Who said you'll be sleeping at her house, Cassian?" she asked, her voice very low.
Cassian turned around, startled by her sudden presence.
"I want to, Seraphina. Do you need me to say it again? I do not love you anymore and.."
She refused to cry. Not this time. She had to stand strong.
"I have not told you my condition yet, Cassian. If you want me to sign those annulment papers, then listen."
He went silent and stared at her with a serious expression.
"One year, Cassian. That is all I asked for. Just one year. You are the one who keeps forgetting. I thought you were supposed to be smart!"
Cassian groaned. "Stop going in circles, Seraphina. Just say what you want!"
"Until we are legally annulled, you will stay in our house. You will sleep in the same room, on the same bed. No sneaking out, no staying over at anyone else's place."
Cassian laughed coldly. "You are pathetic."
"Do your duty as my husband, Cassian. Just one year. One year in exchange for your freedom."
"And what if I say no to your terms?"
"Then she will remain your mistress forever."
He stood up and slowly walked toward her, eyes narrowing. He traced her neck with his fingers and smirked. "Or maybe you are just saying all this because you miss me. If you do, just say it, honey."
Then he kissed her neck. Her eyes fluttered shut for a second. She hated that he was right. She did miss him. More than she wanted to admit.
Cassian laughed again, loud and cruel. "Desperate wife. Fine. Deal. Now go home and cook dinner."
He waved her off like a maid. Seraphina straightened up and glared at him. "Remember this, Cassian. From now on, I will call the shots. Unless you want to be stuck with me forever as your wife."
She turned to leave, but paused by the door. "Oh..and one more thing, Elias Cassian Grimaldi Valenciaga. Do not ever mention that woman's name to me again. And do not talk to me about your so-called relationship."
With that, she slammed the door behind her. Seraphina walked out of Cassian's company building with her head high. No tears this time. Just a small spark of pride. For once, she stood her ground.
"Do not let your tiara slip, princess," she whispered to herself with a small smile, remembering the quote she once read online.
There was no point begging Cassian anymore. She had done that before. She had cried, begged, nearly knelt just to keep their marriage from falling apart.
"Just give me time, Cassian. I will make you fall in love with me again."
But things had changed. The wind had shifted. She did not even know where she got this new fire inside her. Maybe from watching too many motivational videos on Dhar Mann's page.
When she got home, she jumped into a Zumba session. She had gained weight lately, turning into a typical "plain wife," and she was not going to let that be her story.
After the workout, she cooked dinner and took a long bath. The pain from yesterday still lingered in her body, but her heart had made a decision.
Starting now, she would stop caring about Cassian's affair. She would play the perfect wife again, just like when they were newlyweds. As if everything was fine.
"Well, Cassian," she said aloud, looking at herself in the mirror. "Say hello to the new Arielle Seraphina. Wild. Unpredictable. And strong enough to make you regret ever giving me those annulment papers."
She burst out laughing in the bathroom, sounding almost mad. Maybe she was going a little crazy… but after what Cassian did to her yesterday, who could blame her?