Seraphina at arm's length, her eyes scanni

hausted, dea

silently with a tray of steaming herbal tea. The room was

ficial questions. She was perfor

he familiar resentment.

she said, the word awkward on

"Of course, darling. A

na laid it all out-her father's heart attack

my goodness. Arthur... is he going to be alright? Of course, you sho

t was that easy. For her mother, this life-or-dea

or her phone, the maid

uietly. "Mr. Blackwood a

's blood

uldn'

posing in a dark grey suit, and Bianca,

ighted smile she had not shown her own

herished daughter. Damien's cold grey eyes swept over Seraphina w

handing her a gift-wrapped box from Tiffany'

? Gr

nanny uniforms standing behind them. Eac

twin boys, with tufts of dark hair and chubby

delight. "Oh, my perfect gr

a

ammer blow to Se

e strollers. He lifted one of the babies out with a practiced, gentle ease. His entire demeanor

and to touch his father's face. The

he had lost. The child that woul

ous, soul-crushing horror, a

en's children.

e hadn't just cheated. He had built another l

r had held th

ed her lips. She press

ldn't b

portrait, the gurgling babies, the sight of her

locked it. She fell to her knees before the toilet, her body convuls

r. She dug her nails into her palms, the sharp sting a groundin

as a terrible sound, high and brittle, laced with so much pain it sounded like s

hed with concern. "Sera, what's wrong?

her. Her eyes were fixed on Dami

terical edge. "Oh, I know him. Mom, allow me to introduc