Chapter 10: The Ghost of Valemont

Chapter 10: The Ghost of Valemont

Seraphina's breath hitched, the air catching in her throat as Adrian's words echoed through the silent room. Murdered. The revelation hung heavy between them, a chilling reminder of the darkness that lurked beneath the surface of this grand estate.

She turned back to the portrait, her gaze tracing the delicate features of the woman who had been Adrian's mother, the woman who bore such a striking resemblance to herself. Evelyne Valemont had been beautiful, poised, a vision of elegance and grace. But beneath the surface, Seraphina saw a flicker of sadness in her eyes, a hint of a secret buried deep within the brushstrokes.

"Who killed her?" Seraphina whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and determination.

Adrian's jaw tightened, his expression hardening as he stepped closer, his presence a formidable force that filled the space between them. "That is a question I have spent my life trying to answer," he admitted, his voice low and laced with a grief that had never faded.

Seraphina's heart ached for him, for the pain he carried, for the secrets that haunted him. "And yet, you never told me," she murmured, her voice laced with a gentle reproach.

Adrian's gaze softened, a flicker of vulnerability crossing his features before disappearing behind his usual mask of control. "What would you have done with that knowledge, Seraphina?" he asked, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine. "Would you have walked into the shadows of this house, asking questions of those who would sooner silence you than reveal the truth?"

Seraphina's chin lifted, her eyes sparkling with a defiance that had become a familiar dance between them. "Perhaps," she admitted, her voice laced with a hint of challenge. "But I would not have cowered in fear either."

Adrian's lips curved into a wry smile. "No," he agreed, his voice a low caress. "You would not." He hesitated, then added, "You are not like the others."

Seraphina's curiosity was piqued. "The others?" she echoed, her mind racing. "What others?"

Adrian's expression darkened. "There have been others," he admitted, his voice heavy with a burden she could not yet comprehend. "Women who vanished under mysterious circumstances. Women who married into this family."

A chill ran down Seraphina's spine. Was she in danger? Was there a curse on this house, a dark secret that threatened to consume her as it had consumed those who came before?

Adrian's gaze softened, his hand reaching out to caress her cheek in a gesture that was both tender and possessive. "You look like her," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. "Too much."

Seraphina's breath hitched. Was that why he had married her? Because she resembled his mother? Because he saw a ghost in her eyes, a reflection of the woman he had lost?

"Is that why you married me?" she asked, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and longing.

Adrian's fingers tightened against her skin, his gaze intense. "I married you because it was necessary," he stated, his voice firm and resolute.

Seraphina's heart ached. She had hoped for more, for a flicker of affection, a hint of genuine desire. But Adrian, with his cryptic pronouncements and carefully guarded emotions, offered no such comfort.

"And what makes me so necessary?" she pressed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Adrian's expression hardened, his walls rising once more. "That," he said, his voice laced with a warning, "is not a question you need to be concerned with."

Seraphina's frustration bubbled over. "But I am concerned, Adrian," she retorted, her voice rising. "I will not be kept in the dark any longer. If you will not tell me the truth, I will find it myself."

Adrian's eyes darkened, a storm brewing within their depths. "You do not know what you are playing with, Seraphina," he warned, his voice low and dangerous.

Seraphina's chin lifted, her gaze unwavering. "Then enlighten me," she challenged.

A tense silence stretched between them, the air thick with unspoken threats and a dangerous undercurrent of desire. Adrian's gaze locked onto hers, a battle of wills raging between them.

Finally, he spoke, his voice a low rumble that echoed through the silent room. "There is more at stake than you realize, Seraphina," he revealed, his words laced with a chilling warning. "This marriage, this house – everything is built on a foundation of blood and secrets. You think you are seeking justice, but you may only find ruin."

Seraphina's heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to back down. "Then let ruin come," she declared, her voice filled with a newfound resolve. "I will not be a pawn in your game any longer. I will uncover the truth, no matter the cost."

Adrian's expression softened, a flicker of admiration crossing his face before disappearing behind his usual mask of control. "Very well, Seraphina," he conceded, his voice a low sigh. "But do not say I did not warn you."

With a final, lingering glance, he turned and strode from the room, leaving Seraphina standing alone in the shadowed silence.