But then I look at Bianca. At the woman who controls this entire dinner with a word. Who arranged this marriage. Who runs the Nero family despite being a woman in a world of men.
Bianca was forced into this family too. She told me as much during our tea.
She started as a pawn.
And now she's the queen.
The dinner ends shortly after. The Marinis leave with promises to finalize details. Gemma excuses herself immediately, disappearing upstairs.
And I stand in the foyer, watching it all, my mind racing.
"That went well," Luc says dryly.
"Saint's a problem," Adrian responds. "He's going to make this difficult."
"He always does." Bianca adjusts her pearls. "But he'll fall in line. Antonio will make sure of it."
"And Gemma?" I hear myself ask. "Does anyone care that she's miserable?"
All three of them turn to look at me.
"She'll adjust," Bianca says. Not unkindly, but bluntly. "Like you did. Like I did. This is how our world works, Seraphina."
"It's wrong."
"Perhaps." Bianca's smile is sad. "But it's necessary. Alliances keep us safe. Keep our families strong. Personal happiness is a luxury we can't always afford."
"And if she refuses?"
"She won't." Adrian's voice is certain. "She knows what's at stake."
I look at him. At the man I married. The man who forced me into this life.
The man who's telling me that love of family means sacrificing yourself.
But as I watch him, something crystallizes in my mind.
We're all pieces on a board. Gemma. Me. Even Adrian, in his way.
But some pieces have more power than others.
"I need to lie down," I say quietly. "The baby—I'm tired."
"Of course." Adrian touches my elbow. "I'll walk you up."
"I can manage."
"Seraphina—"
"I said I can manage." I pull away. "Thank you for dinner, Bianca. It was enlightening."
I walk away before anyone can stop me.
Up the stairs. Down the hallway. Into our bedroom.
I close the door and lean against it, breathing hard.
My hand finds my stomach—still flat, still showing no sign of the life growing inside.
