Seraphina’s POV

I stepped out of Alfred's opulent villa, the weight of his proposal pressing heavily on my mind. The card with Alfred's number felt like a burning brand in my pocket. He had given me time to think, promising me the money to fulfill my dream if I agreed to pretend to be his cousin. Despite the promise of seeing my dream come true, doubt gnawed at me. I couldn't possibly go through with it, could I?

The evening air was cool and brisk as ...