Her last whisper silenced the air, and his heart pounded with dread. His lips parted, but before his words could escape, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the moment.
One of the maids came rushing forward, and before them, she bowed her head respectfully. "Pardon me, Madam Seraphine, Sir Callum," she said, her voice almost apologetic. "The tailor has arrived."
Callum clenched his jaw, letting his supposed words dissolve, while Sera's expression shifted into composure.
"Tell her we'll be there shortly," she replied, in a smooth command.
The maid bowed again and withdrew, leaving the moment ajar before totally disappearing. Sera's lips curved faintly, not quite a smile. "Darling." She whispered, stepping past him. "Let's go."
And with that, she led the way to the tailor, Callum following a meter away with his steps sounding a drop.
---
The door opened, and the tailor greeted them, flanked by assistants carrying boxes of fine fabrics and measuring tools. Their faces were marked with amusement as they finally saw the famous heirs.
Sera straightened, her expression smoothing. "Auntie Jane, begin with him," she instructed with a voice full of respect.
The tailor approached him, tape measure in hand. Callum remained standing with confused thoughts. He can clearly feel Sera's gaze on him, those stares of spelled obedience.
However, before the tailor's hand can land on Callum, Sera spoke, "Auntie Jane, let me do it."
Hearing her words, Callum's brows met, and he immediately answered, "NO!"
Aunt Jane looked at Sera. Then, to him, before she answered and smiled, "Okay, dear, do it."
Callum tried to protect his right to disagree, but Jane pressed his shoulder firmly. She looked at him and said, "Dear, spare yourself from struggle."
Sera twirled the measuring tape in her hand and slowly approached him. Callum's jaw clenched. Then, he stepped back as he fought to keep his temper under control.
But faster she keep the distance with measured strides, never allowing him enough space to escape. Callum continued backward until the wall met his spine, ending his retreat.
"Stand still."
Callum's nostrils flared.
"I DON'T WANT YOU TOUCHING ME!"
"I didn't ask what you wanted."
Her words were quiet, but to him, they burns. Something dark moved behind his eyes. Ignoring his change of gaze, she wrapped the tape around his waist.
Callum immediately caught her wrist.
"DON'T," his voice was low.
Sera looked down at his hand. Then slowly raised her eyes to his face. Her eyes burned into his.
"Let go."
Callum's grip tightened. For several seconds, neither moved, while the people around them felt as if the room was shrinking around them.
Even Jane fell silent.
Callum added another force but her expression remained unreadable. She gently pulled her wrist from his grasp. Then, without breaking eye contact, she wrapped the tape around him again.
"You are doing this deliberately."
"Yes."
The answer was immediate and cruelly honest.
Then, she drew the tape tighter, making Callum inhale sharply. Her eyes flickered briefly across his face before returning to the measurement.
"Stop moving."
"I am not moving."
"You are."
Her fingers adjusted the tape as she closed the space between them. Then she reached for his arm but he recoiled.
"Enough."
Her face hardened.
"Stand still."
"No."
Callum kept shifting, avoiding her touch as though every inch she gained brought him closer to something he could not bear.
Finally, Sera's calmness reached its limit. In one swift movement, she caught his ass and gave it a firm squeeze.
"Nice size," she remarked, her voice utterly calm. "It's XL."
"STOP! STOP!"
Callum jerked away and tried to shove her off, but Sera caught his wrist before he could push her again.
Her fingers closed around it with strength.
"Let go of me."
She didn't. Instead, she stepped closer.
His eyes hardened.
"Se---r--a."
Her grip tightened. She stared at him. She released his wrist only to place her palm against his chest, keeping him firmly against the wall.
She just stared at him firmly.
Callum's breathing grew heavier.
"Fine, I will cooperate."
The tension is supposed to be suffocating, but Jane and her assistants smiled.
---
Finally, minutes later, it was already her turn.
"My measurements now," Sera instructed.
Callum's eyes lifted, but before he could say anything, Sera looked directly at him, passing the tape.
"You'll do it."
His brows drew together. "What?"
"You heard me."
Callum stared at the tape as though she hands him a weapon to kill himself.
"Auntie Jane," Sera continued, "teach him."
Jane sighed, but she took the tape from Sera and placed it in Callum's hand. "Start with the shoulders," she instructed. "Keep the tape straight and don't pull too tightly."
Callum reluctantly closed the distance between them, his jaw tightening with every step.
She stood perfectly still, her expression giving nothing away.
He measured her shoulders. Then her arms.
Each instruction brought him closer, until there was no distance left for him to hide behind. Each movement forced him to notice her every detail.
"Now her waist," Jane said.
Callum hesitated. His fingers clenched as he brought the tape around her waist, but before he could adjust it, Sera caught his hand. She guided it lower, then deliberately wrapped his arm around her waist instead.
Callum stiffened.
Sera looked up at him.
"This," she said quietly, "is how you do it, darling."
Callum's hand remained against her waist, rigid with restraint.
"Sera."
She moved closer.
His arm tightened around her almost involuntarily as she closed the remaining distance between them.
Then her hand slid to the back of his neck, and before he could react, she drew him near. Her lips met his in a sudden, firm press.
There was no hesitation in it.
She held the kiss for only a heartbeat before drawing back a fraction, her lips still close enough to brush his as she breathed.
Callum barely had time to process it.
Sera leaned in again.
This time, she did not pull away immediately, the kiss lasted a little longer. It was slow, deliberate, and entirely controlled. There was no passion in it nor lust. Her lips pressed against his with quiet insistence before she withdrew, leaving him frozen in place.
He looked flustered, his expression caught between disgust and shock. He tried to shove her away, but her hand remained at the back of his neck, holding him with humiliating ease. The helplessness of it burned through him. Callum found himself wondering what's lacking in his own strength.
The kiss lasted seconds, yet it left their lips stinging, the faint ache lingering long after she pulled away.
Then she released him.
"Now," she murmured, "you understand."
Callum stared at her, anger burning beneath his skin.
Across the room, Jane suddenly found the measuring table very interesting. Her assistants were silenced with awe, but Sera simply turned back toward the mirror, as though nothing had happened.
The measuring continued.
But Callum could no longer feel the measuring tape in his hand and felt as if the invisible chain she had just tightened around him.
"These clothes," she said softly, her words meant for him alone, "are not just garments. They are armor. When you wear them, you will belong to this family."
Callum's chest protest. He desires to tear all the fabric away, but the room's silence swallowed his defiance.
---
When Jane finally packed her things, Sera sent her aunt with cold gentleness.
The door closed, leaving them alone once more.
Her lips curved faintly, almost invisible. She stepped closer, her voice soft. "Shall we invite Dahlia? She can be one of my bridesmaids."
The words struck him cruelly. It sounds a dangerous softness that blurred the line between mockery and sincerity.
"Don't," he whispered, his voice breaking.