☆Chapter 41: A De Luca’s Rejection is Priceless☆

"So… how exactly do we do this?" Seraphina tapped her fingers on the armrest of her chair, her eyes narrowed in thought.

Nonno sat across from her, sipping his espresso, his expression unreadable but with a hint of mischief.

"Simple." He placed his cup down and leaned back. "We make them fear rejection more than they crave the alliance."

Seraphina's lips curled into a wicked grin.

"You mean… make them chase me, only to crush them when they're at their most desperate?"

"Exactly." Nonno chuckled, his eyes twinkling.

"Nonno…" Seraphina pretended to gasp. "That's so cruel. I love it."

"But, bambina," Nonno warned, his tone dropping slightly. "We can't just reject them outright. That's too easy. We need them to want the rejection."

"How do we do that?"

Nonno's grin grew wider.

"By giving them a taste of paradise… and then snatching it away."

☆☆☆

Phase One: The Invitations

Within three days, personalized invitations were sent to all the suitors who had proposed marriage to Seraphina.

A lavish cocktail party, held at the De Luca estate, was set for the weekend.

The catch?

Only those who were personally invited by Seraphina herself could attend.

☆☆☆

"A cocktail party?" Lorenzo's eyebrow twitched as he read the invitation.

"For the suitors." Matteo smirked, standing by his side. "Apparently, it was the princess idea."

Lorenzo's grip on the paper tightened.

"Why wasn't I informed?"

"Because she knew you'd burn the invitations before they were sent out." Matteo barely held back a laugh.

Lorenzo's eye twitched harder.

☆☆☆

Phase Two: The Perfect Illusion

When the day of the party arrived, Seraphina stood at the top of the grand staircase, a vision of elegance and grace.

Her silk gown hugged her figure perfectly, her hair cascading down her back in soft waves.

But her eyes…

Cold. Calculating. De Luca eyes.

"Ready to play?" Nonno whispered beside her, his grin matching hers.

"Always."

☆☆☆

The Game Begins

As the suitors poured in, they were greeted with the sight of Seraphina—smiling, charming, effortlessly captivating.

She spoke to each one, offering a smile that made them believe they had a chance.

She was polite. Elegant.

But never too interested.

Just enough to keep them hooked.

And the worst part?

They didn't even realize they were falling into her trap.

☆☆☆

From a distance, Lucian watched.

His jaw clenched.

His heart pounded.

Seeing suitors practically drooling over Seraphina made his blood boil, but…

He trusted her.

She wasn't some helpless damsel.

She was a De Luca.

And De Lucas played the game better than anyone.

☆☆☆

Phase Three: The Crushing Blow

By the end of the night, the suitors were hooked.

They believed they had a chance.

They believed Seraphina was considering them.

And then…

"Thank you all for coming tonight," Seraphina smiled sweetly, her voice dripping with honey.

"But I'm afraid I've already made my decision."

Silence.

The suitors leaned in, anticipation thick in the air.

"None of you."

Boom.

The room fell into stunned silence.

Eyes widened. Jaws dropped.

"Excuse me?" One of the heirs gasped, unable to hide his shock.

"Oh?" Seraphina's innocent expression was pure venom. "Did I lead you on? I'm so sorry. It was never my intention."

Lie.

"But I'm not interested."

Cue the heartbreak.

☆☆☆

Watching from the sidelines, Lorenzo finally smirked.

"That's my girl."

Matteo chuckled beside him.

"You have to admit, Boss…" Matteo grinned. "She's scarier than you."

"Good." Lorenzo's smile was pure menace. "That means I trained her well."

☆☆☆

Phase Four: The Aftermath

By midnight, the suitors had all left—humiliated, rejected, and thoroughly defeated.

And the best part?

They would never dare approach Seraphina again.

A De Luca's rejection was a death sentence.

☆☆☆

"You enjoyed that way too much," Lucian murmured as Seraphina sat beside him, kicking off her heels.

"Maybe." Seraphina grinned, stretching out on the couch. "But they deserved it."

"True." Lucian sighs, shaking his head. "You're terrifying, Sera."

"I know."

And she loved every second of it.

"Bravo, bambina." Nonno clapped softly, walking into the room.

"Nonno, please." Seraphina flashed a smile. "They didn't even put up a fight."

"Still…" Nonno smirked. "You played them perfectly."

"Of course," she yawned, already feeling the exhaustion settling in.

"Now what?" Lucian asked, curious.

Seraphina grinned, her eyes glinting with mischief.

"Now? We wait."

☆☆☆

Later that night…

Lorenzo stood by Seraphina's door, watching her sleep peacefully.

His little girl.

A De Luca through and through.

"Let them come again," he murmured softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes darkened.

"And I'll bury them myself."