Chapter 8

Liam picked me up, intending to leave.

He'd barely taken two steps when we were surrounded by bodyguards.

The Thorne family's bodyguards were all ex-military, in black suits, all muscle, their faces stern and intimidating.

Mr. Finch, the butler, bowed respectfully.

"Miss Seraphina, the young master has instructed that if you wish to leave, you must repay the Thorne family for the expenses of your upbringing over the years.

"A total of one hundred and thirty million."

I poked my head out from under the blanket.

My body was so numb with cold, I could barely feel anything.

Even facing an absolutely astronomical sum like that, my heart couldn't stir a single ripple of emotion within me.

I looked back up at the second floor.

Damian's tall figure stood heavily by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down.

His silhouette was blurred, but I could still feel his suffocatingly oppressive presence.

"Truly ruthless."

I murmured to myself.

Mr. Finch looked pained.

"Miss Seraphina, if you just be a little yielding with the master, everything will be fine. You're different to him, after all."

"What's different? He's still just as ruthless as ever."

I gave a low laugh.

I nestled my head further into Liam's embrace, then extended my bare arm and wrapped it around his neck.

"Liam, what should we do? So much money. It's terrifying."

He tightened his arms around me, gently patting my back to comfort me.

"Don't worry, I'm here!"

He was actually a bit nervous.

The Miller family was just moderately well-off; a sum that large was something he couldn't even imagine.

But he didn't abandon me.

Instead, he held me closer, then, gathering his courage, looked up at Mr. Finch.

"We'll certainly pay back what we owe, but it can't just be whatever amount you say. You need to provide proof!"

Mr. Finch's smile remained unchanged.

"Of course, the proof will be provided shortly.

"To prevent Miss Seraphina from getting cold, perhaps you both would like to rest inside the mansion for a while."

He politely gestured them in.

Liam was a good kid, fresh out of college, and when someone was kind to him, he instinctively wanted to comply.

"Don't go in."

I patted Liam's hand, stopping him from walking towards the mansion.

I looked up, addressing the shadowy figure behind the floor-to-ceiling window, and smiled.

"Mr. Finch, please tell Damian that if he doesn't let me leave today, I'll end it all right here.

"I say it, I mean it."