Seraphina's POV
My life slowly came back together. Slowly.
Roman's intervention in my life had done more than just him offering me shelter, it helped me start piecing myself back together.
At first, I thought it was all false hope. That, any moment now, he would realize I was a disgrace to his name and ask me to leave his house.
I thought I wouldn't fit into his world. A girl who had nothing, just trying to survive in the home of a man who had everything.
But slowly, gradually, Roman made me see that he wasn't doing this out of pity. He wasn't doing it to boast to his friends or anyone else or to gain anything in return.
He was simply helping out his friend's daughter.
Even if that same friend had sent her away.
And for that, I was grateful.
He took me shopping when he found out I didn't have anything to wear apart from some simple clothes I had managed to take with me. He helped me restock the large wardrobe in the even larger room he had given me to stay in.
He treated my wounds, made sure I was alright, and never, not once, did he ask me for anything in return.
There wasn't much I could even offer back. Nothing that could truly match what he was doing for me.
So instead, I went to the maid and asked her to let me assist her, to help her around the house.
Roman tried many times to stop me. Told me I didn't need to, that I should rest, take my time.
But I couldn't just sit in his house, doing nothing, letting him feed me every day like I was just some broken child.
I needed to move, I needed to be useful.
I needed to assist him…. Assist the house...while I figured out the way forward for my life.
The news….wherever it had come from…about my father disowning me had slowly died down on the Internet.
No one spoke about me anymore.
Maybe there was this occasional whisper or slight remembrance when my name came up, but nothing more than that.
The whole thing faded like news, buried in the Internet.
And not once did my father try to reach out to me.
Not a call. Not a message. Nothing.
And I didn't bother calling him either. There wasn't any need. Since he didn't want me, I finally resolved I didn't need him either.
I was slowly warming up to this new home. Roman's home.
It made me feel safe, at least for the most part.
There were still moments when I felt uneased, but they were getting fewer now, softer. Occasionally, I got bored with nothing to do around the house. But whenever that happened, I always looked and found something to do.
I would clean, or do the dishes if the maid hadn't gotten to them yet.
And that's exactly what I was doing now.
The maid hadn't arrived early today, and Roman had left for work early that morning. The house was quiet, still wrapped in that early morning feeling. And I caught it the most.
Too tired to watch TV, and still wary of the internet after it nearly ruined my life, I decided to pass time in the old-fashioned way.
Cleaning.
I had gotten almost done with the cleaning when I heard my phone ring violently against the glass table.
It hadn't done that in a while.
It was almost as if the whole world had disowned me, just like my father did. But strangely, it didn't hurt anymore.
Not anymore. I had received worse from whom I had called father all this while.
I quickly wiped my hands on the piece of clothing beside where I'd been cleaning and rushed to the phone that still kept ringing.
Morgan.
I picked the call, and I heard my name almost immediately.
"Seraphina!" Morgan screamed into the phone.
I shifted slightly, pulling the phone a little away from my ear, from the loudness in her tone.
"Morgan….." my voice, low and soft.
"Seraphina, how have you been?" she continued without any pause. "I'm really sorry I couldn't help. Where the hell are you? I tried looking for you that night but I couldn't find you. Your cellphone wouldn't go through….."
I slowed her down, gently cutting in.
"I'm fine, Morgan," I said with a small smile growing on my lips.
"Someone took me in and fed me and took good care of me all this while."
I heard her sigh on the other end, shaky and full of concern she had for me.
"I'm sorry, Seraphina. I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I tried. God knows I did."
"I know, I know," I said softly.
And I did.
She had gone through so much for me. Took me in when no one else would. Faced the wrath of her parents and still stood by me.
Morgan did try to help. And I'd never forget that.
We ended up talking for a while after all the formalities, funny conversations just like old times.
"I went to the movies last weekend," Morgan said suddenly, her voice becoming lighter now.
"Oh? What did you watch?" I asked, leaning against the wall with a soft smile which had already grown on my lips.
"Some action film you would have hated. Way too many explosions and not enough back story."
I laughed. "Sounds like the kind you would drag me to just to hear me complain the entire time."
"Exactly!" She laughed too, even harder. "It wasn't even fun going alone. I bought two sodas out of habit and I had no one to throw the popcorn at."
I shook my head, smiling wider. "You and that popcorn."
She sighed, "Yeah..… it wasn't the same without you."
As she continued listing places she had gone to…..our favorite café, the bookstore downtown, even the ice cream spot we used to sneak into when we weren't supposed to. I couldn't stop the different memories flooding my brain.
The Laughters. The late night walks. The deep Inside jokes no one else understood.
I truly missed my old life.
Just as she ended the call, I didn't even realize Roman had walked into the house and was standing behind me.
"Seems you're happy," he said casually.
I was startled at the sound of his voice, holding my chest as I turned around.
"Oh! Sorry," he added quickly, a small smile immediately formed on his face. "Didn't mean to startle you."
I smiled back, letting out a shaky breath. "It's okay."
"Well," he said, stepping closer to me, "not to spoil the mood, I also have good news."
I tilted my head, Curiosity in my expression, a slight furrow bringing my brows together.
"A space opened up in my office, for the role of a secretary," he continued. "And I'm giving it to no one else but you."
My eyes widened.
I smiled.
I yelled.
I didn't even realize when I jumped forward and wrapped my arms around him in a very tight hug.
It took a second before I finally caught myself, my cheeks burning visibly as I quickly stepped back.
"Thank you…..thank…" The words wouldn't come out structured. I felt too happy to speak or to express myself. Too overwhelmed.
Finally,
Free from boredom.
Finally, a purpose.
Finally, I would have a direction in life.
And it was all thanks to Roman.
My disowned father's friend.