PREFACE
He told me only part of him was human. And I believed him.
Not because it was true, but because deep down, I felt different too.
Did he know my secret?
Since the moment I set foot on this island, everything has felt written long before I arrived. Even him.
Men like him don't seem to belong to this world.
The real question is why he chose me.
Someone like him would never choose someone like me... without a reason.
And yet, somewhere deep inside, I could feel he wasn't the only thing I should fear on this island.
CHAPTER I
Where am I?
I woke up in a strange bed, looking around a house I didn't recognize. A letter rested on my chest, in my hand. The sender: my father. Damn it, how did I get here?
The smell of salt filled my senses. I ran to the window to make sure it wasn't my imagination. There was no doubt—I was at the beach.
I had the strange feeling that someone was watching me, but there was no one around. I sat for a second—still in shock—to sort out my memories. For some reason, I was still a little dizzy. My last memory was being on a ship with my father and several sailors; we had sailed for three days. He was very quiet the entire journey, as if he were ashamed to look me in the eye.
I would have thought he was proud that I had finally agreed to marry a stranger to save us from ruin. After all, it had been my fault that we had become the laughingstock of the city after I ran away from my wedding ceremony—twice. Sometimes I wonder if I was running from men... or from myself.
When I finally believed my father had given up—because he had left me alone for a few years—one night he told me the debts were three times greater than what we owned. And suddenly, a nobleman appeared, willing to marry a woman almost thirty, a woman who had run away from marriage twice, and whom he had never even met.
We had to take a ship to his lands. I told my father that I would not marry him without meeting him first, that I needed to at least see him before making a final decision. My father was upset, but he agreed.
The three most uncomfortable days of my life were spent on that ship full of men giving me looks of contempt. According to them, a woman on a ship was bad luck. And my father's silence—his wordless glances—made more noise than the drunken sailors themselves.
On the third day, he only offered me tea. We both drank, and immediately afterward, I lay down for a while. I don't remember anything else.
Where am I? I asked myself again. I opened the doors with the letter still in my hand. White sand, rocks, and the sea were in front of me. I was in a house on the edge of the beach. There was no sound other than the waves; nothing could be distinguished but nature on both sides of the house. Where was everyone?
I was afraid to read, but I gathered my courage, opened the seal, went back into the small living room, and began to read:
"My dear daughter, this has not been an easy decision, but I hope that in time you can forgive me..."
"Forgive him?" what?.
"...You are on Lord Declan's island, your future husband. You are going to marry him as agreed. I already signed the contract giving my consent. The wedding is in a couple of weeks. I know you have not been the same since your mother passed away, but perhaps this new chapter will help you mature and see life differently."
I couldn't believe what I was reading. I felt like my father didn't care what I felt or needed. I started feeling angry and sad—but above all, doubtful.
"Whether you like it or not, Sereniah, you will marry Lord Declan; it is his island, and there is no escape. Please fulfill your duty as the daughter of House D'Arell and honor our name. The Lord is a powerful man, and in my opinion, kind and sensible. He agreed to marry you knowing your story. So, you owe him a bit of respect. There is one condition: he needs a child, an heir to carry his name. You must give him what he needs and become a family, Sereniah. The rest, you will discover for yourself. After everything you've done, this is your last chance to be happy; I hope you see this as a favor and thank me one day. I will pray to hear good news soon about your adaptation to your new life.
Love,
Dad."
Tears blurred my vision. He had left me here, in the middle of nowhere. I took a deep breath to keep from breaking. The paper crinkled in my fingers. Then I saw something I hadn't noticed before: on the back, in the lower corner, a different, paler ink—strange symbols. I swallowed hard. A cruel joke? What was that?
In short: I was trapped on an island by my "future husband," who wanted a child and had conspired with my father to leave me lock me here, a watery prison. But submission wasn't in my nature; there had to be a way out. The worst part wasn't the betrayal itself, but the certainty that, deep down, my father had stopped seeing me as his daughter a long time ago. I guess I was partially guilty of that. Ugh— a sudden pang
As I read the letter a second time, someone entered through the door. A tall, lean man in his thirties. The first thing that caught my attention was his long red hair, a sea of fire between copper and intense crimson. But it was his cold, intimidating—yet strangely majestic—gaze that settled on me.
—You're awake —he said softly.
His voice was deep, almost like the echo of the island itself. And even though I tried to convince myself it was just fear, something in me responded as if I had known him before.
A surge of electricity rushed through me; hot threads ran down my body. His voice gave me chills. What is this? It must still be whatever they used to drug me, I thought.
He took a couple of steps toward me. He moved with such grace. It must be him.
—Don't come any closer —I said firmly, tears still in my eyes.
He noticed. A shadow of tenderness appeared on his face, so quickly it seemed like a mistake. His gaze softened for an instant, then he shook it off, as if fighting it.
—My name is...
—I already know who you are.
—Oh, really? —he replied, mocking.
—Yes. My kidnapper.
He froze. He didn't expected that.
—It's not like that, you can—...
I didn't let him finish and ran out toward the beach. He didn't stop me.
The sound of the waves grew louder with every step.Maybe he didn't stop me… because he wanted me to run.
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