After the workday ended, Fidelis went to his father's office. He was still irritated by Amy's behavior toward Sera. He also wanted to shake off his disgust at Amy's audacious actions. She had some nerve clinging to him. She knew he despised her.
He hadn't forgotten Serenah's hurt look when her sister had grabbed his arm and pressed her breasts against him. He shuddered at the thought of Amy touching him. He knew some of his revulsion stemmed from his fated mark reacting to anyone other than his destined one showing affection toward him.
He knocked on his father's door and went in at his father's "come in."
"Father, how was your day?"
"Judging by your expression, my son, just as eventful as yours."
Fidelis plopped down in a chair. "Oh? What happened?
"I got a call from Sera's father."
Fidelis frowned. "What did that bastard want?"
His father chuckled. "Language, son, language."
"Sorry," mumbled Fidelis, though he wasn't feeling repentant at all.
"To answer your question, he wanted to confirm the dinner date in two weeks and make some changes."
"Changes?"
"Yes, he wants the dinner to be formal as well as taking place at Ashtin's Heart."
Fidelis cursed under his breath. He had wanted an informal setting to help Sera be more relaxed. If it were formal and at a high-class restaurant, she would be uncomfortable. He was sure this idea was probably Amy's.
He said, "I bet her sister suggested it because she feels like it will give her some kind of advantage over Sera. I put nothing past Amy."
His father drummed his fingers on the desk. "Perhaps. Amy and Ben are determined to make Sera appear as undesirable as possible. Son, make sure you keep bolstering Sera's self-esteem and confidence. We want to help her prove that she is leagues above her sister and father. We want Sera to see that the qualities that make her who she is are important to us."
"I understand, Father. I feel that we should also plan for Amy and her father to try to sabotage the dinner in some way. They seek any way to punish and hurt Sera. I wish she would let us help her."
"I, too, want to help my future daughter-in-law. However, we can't force her. She has to make that decision herself."
"I hope she doesn't wait until it's too late. I don't want them to kill her. That's my greatest fear," admitted Fidelis. He opened his mouth to say more when a sharp pain hit his right side. He doubled over from the pain.
He felt his ribs break and his vision spun. For a moment, he saw an unknown floor and a puddle of vomit. He blinked, his vision returning to his father's office. His eyes focused on his father's concerned face.
"Fidelis?"
"Sera's hurt," he wheezed, clutching at his side. Her emotions, anger, frustration, and fear surged through his mark. What the hell was happening to her?
His father nodded, grabbed his phone, and made a call. A few minutes later, Lady Fallo arrived. With a hasty bow, she hurried to Fidelis's side.
She ran her hands over Fidelis and tsked when she found the broken ribs. Within seconds, her healing energy flowed into him. He felt the ribs repairing themselves, and then the pain was gone. He took a deep breath.
"Thanks, Lady Fallo." He turned to his father. "I'm calling Sera right now. I'm going to put her on speaker." He held up a hand, stopping Lady Fallo from leaving. "Please stay."
She nodded, and Fidelis called Sera.
~***~
Serenah was only a quarter of the way into Amanah's homework when her Romeo's ringtone pulled her attention to her phone. She grabbed her phone, smiling at the thought that she got to hear his voice.
"Hello, Romeo!"
"Hiya, Sera. Just thought I'd call and check in on you. You got home alright?"
"Yes, the drive home was uneventful."
"Sera, did your dad tell you he called mine about our dinner date?"
He heard her fearful gasp and tensed. "Sera?"
"No," she answered, her trembling voice raising his protective instincts.
Fidelis gentled his tone. "Sera, did something else happen?"
The silence was deafening. He knew without her confirmation that her father had hurt her again. His earlier injury had proven that. He prayed to Autem that Sera would open up to him. He wanted her to ask for help so they could get her out of that hellish house.
"Romeo, I have to go do my homework. I won't be able to pass you if I don't."
He bit back a sigh. She was changing the subject and hiding the truth from him again. It hurt him a little to think that she didn't trust him enough to let him fully into her life.
"Can't have my nearest rival giving up, now can I?" he countered, allowing her to change the subject.
She laughed. A soft, genuinely happy sound that lightened his heart and made his fated mark warm with a gentle pulse of her emotions. He was glad he took her mind away from her situation, if only for a moment.
"I'll see you tomorrow, my prince," she added before hanging up.
Fidelis sat in silence before raising his head to look first at his father, then Lady Fallo. He saw the same expression on their faces. Their resolve to help his human mate was in sync with his. He had to make the upcoming dinner date a turning point for Sera and for their relationship.
The wheel of destiny was turning, he could feel. He had to embrace it and not miss any chance to change Sera's fate for the better.