After the Wedding

Chapter 2: After The Wedding

Seraphina POV

The room was too quiet, giving a bad feeling. My eyes slowly opened, facing the white ceiling. It felt like a dream.

Where was this place? How did I get here?

I looked around, my hands touching the white unfamiliar sheets. I tried to sit up and a sharp pain struck my head. 

"Ugh," I groaned. 

I slowly sat up again, ignoring the pain and blinking fast. This wasn't how I hoped my morning would be. I was supposed to be getting ready for my wedding. 

Oh my God! The wedding!

Still feeling sleepy, I glanced about taking notes of the expensive artwork that exuded wealth and importance covered the walls. There was a faint sound of the city outside, barely discernible, and there was a whiff of vanilla in the air. I slowly moved my legs off the bed and got to my feet. My knees were weak and wobbly. In search of clarification, I grabbed my phone.

But when I touched the screen, I gasped. It was a picture of me, smiling in Luca's arms. My wedding picture. The one I took at the altar. Why was I in a wedding dress if I didn't remember being at my own wedding?

What the hell was going on? 

I was in a white gown, dressed in fancy diamonds and lace hovering just above the collarbone. He had me by the waist, eyes boring into me, so much so that my heart palpitated. He was happy. But I didn't feel the same.

Something was wrong. 

I fought hard to remember and flashes of me walking down the aisle came to my mind. I remembered the soft strains of the wedding march echoing through the church. I saw my relatives smiling happily. 

But nothing more. Had I really gotten married and forgotten about it? 

Dear God, what was going on? 

I staggered over to the window and drew the curtains back. With the lights glimmering like stars, the cityscape below appeared far away. I wanted to escape and get away from all of this, but I was unable to do so. Not after all that has brought us to this point.

I looked around the lavish room for a hint. That's when I saw the untouched, half-full glass of champagne on the nightstand. My heartbeat accelerated. I hadn't had a lot of alcohol, and definitely not enough to make me forget everything. However, my recollections were empty, fragments of visions that didn't make sense.

I took another look at my phone and looked through the wedding pictures, but none of them made me feel better. The joy, the laughing, and the opulence of the occasion. Everything seemed to be a deception.

"Seraphina?"

I was startled by his voice. Luca. He stood at the doorway, wearing a fitted black suit. A few loose strands of hair fell on his face and I was stunned watching him. 

He always had cold dead eyes staring back into your soul. 

"I...I don't remember anything," I whispered. "What happened last night?"

"Nothing?" Luca asked. 

Was he dumb? Or trying to annoy me? I had just said I didn't remember anything. 

"No," I answered finally. 

He shook his head, and stepped inside the room. His eyes scanned me as if studying me. His lips pressed together into a thin line and he answered calmly. "It was your wedding night, Seraphina. We got married."

"What?" I asked in shock. "It wasn't a dream."

My chest tightened. "No, you're lying. It's not true."

"Are you sure? Or are you telling yourself that to make it much better?" He asked. I hated his guts. And why was he smiling?

"But I…I don't remember," I continued. 

"Do you remember the vows?" he asked, his voice smooth.

"N…no," I answered blinking. 

I noticed his eyes get darker and I moved backward. 

"I'm serious. Everything is dark on my end. I can't understand," I complained. 

Luca's expression didn't change. "You were tired," he said quietly. "We both were. It was a long night."

His words felt rehearsed. I didn't believe anything. I wanted more answers, but I wasn't sure how to start. 

I slowly shifted, feeling uncomfortable. I had married Luca Vitale, heir to the Vitale mafia family, the man who would help secure my family's place in this dangerous world. My father had arranged this union, and I had agreed, knowing the cost of defying him. But I had no idea it would feel like this, so empty. Like I was a pawn in a game I didn't fully understand.

Luca stepped closer, his hand brushing my arm. The touch sent a wave of heat through me, but I quickly pulled away.

"Are you all right?" Luca asked, his tone softer than I expected. But I wasn't fooled. There was always something hidden with him.

"I... I honestly don't know," I muttered, meeting his gaze. "I don't even know who I can trust anymore."

"You can trust me," he said.

I wanted to believe him. I truly did. But every instinct inside me screamed there was more he wasn't saying.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed. I picked it, glancing at the screen. I had a message. 

Finally, some distraction. 

I scrolled open to my inbox and my stomach turned as I read the message silently. 

Your father's death was no accident. It was murder

I froze, a cold chill running through me. Who could have sent this? How did they know about my father's death?

I looked up at Luca, still standing close, watching me. His eyes turned to the phone in my hand. 

"What is it?" Luca asked casually, and returned his gaze to my face. 

I had to act fast. If the message was right. I couldn't let Luca know anything. 

"You look pale," he said, walking slowly to me. 

"Um…I'm fine," I said, avoiding his gaze. My fingers twitched on the phone screen as he got closer. 

"What is it?" He asked again. 

"It's nothing," I answered. 

"Hmm," he replied, his eyes following my movements. I noticed his eyes resting on my phone for a second and moved it behind me. 

In a flash, he walked closer to me and pinned me to the bed, reaching for the phone behind me. 

"Luca, stop!" I yelled. "Don't you dare!"

He pulled the phone from my hand, still pinning to the bed despite my struggles and raised my phone to his face. 

"Let's see what you're hiding," he said and opened the phone. He scrolled, his face dropping as he couldn't find anything. 

"Are you done?" I asked, calmly. "Now, give me back my phone!"

He looked at me, and released his grip. 

"My phone," I called and he dropped it on my hands.

My eyes locked on his, until he looked away and left the room. I sighed, realizing I had almost given it away. It was a good thing I archived the message. 

I scrolled to the archived message and there it was.