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Sold like a prized possession, Seraphina Alaric was handed over to the most feared man in the business world—Damien Thorne. She expected chains, cruelty, and a life of silent suffering. But Damien didn’t want a submissive wife. He wanted a weapon.
“You weren’t sold to be my toy,” he murmured, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. “You were sold because they feared what you could become. So let’s make them regret it.”
Betrayed by the family who should have protected her, Seraphina finds herself in an unlikely alliance with the man who "bought" her. Together, they scheme, manipulate, and tear down the empire built on her suffering. As secrets unravel and enemies close in, the lines between vengeance and desire blur.
He was never supposed to care. She was never supposed to fall.
But when the final move is played, Seraphina will stand—not as a victim, not as a pawn, but as the queen of her own destiny. And this time, the only man beside her will be the one who helped her burn her past to the ground.

The Keptwoman

Training began the next day—not with swords, but with words.

"You want power?" Silas asked. "Learn how to make people listen. Then, learn how to make them fear you."

He taught her how to read people by their silences, how to manipulate with charm, and how to turn gossip into a weapon. Elise soaked it all in like a sponge. Every hour spent with Silas added another layer to the armor she was building.

One afternoon, he handed her a sealed envelope. "Open it."

Inside were documents—proof of the debts her father owed. Letters of negotiation. Her sale contract.

"They didn't even haggle," she whispered, rage bubbling in her chest. "They just gave me away."

"I thought you deserved to know," he said. "So when you burn them, you know why."

Elise looked at him, truly looked at him. He wasn't kind. But he was honest. And in a world built on lies, that was dangerous.

Chapter 8: Lessons in Power