Seraphina spent most of the next day convincing herself that nothing had changed; the problem was that everything had. Lucien's offer remained in her mind no matter how many reports she reviewed, meetings she attended, or contracts she signed.
You are free to leave.
The words followed her everywhere, not because he had threatened her, not because he had pressured her but because he had done the exact opposite. For months, she had told herself that their marriage existed because of an agreement. It had rules. It had limits. It had an expiration date.
That belief had protected her; now Lucien had removed the protection. If she stayed, it would no longer be because of the contract; it would be because she chose him, and that realisation frightened her more than she wanted to admit.
