Reborn to be Pampered by My Paranoid Nemesis

The burning sensation of impending death still lingered deep in her soul. Seraphina Vance snapped her eyes open, gasping for fresh air.

What met her eyes wasn't the deadly sea of fire from her past life, but a luxuriously decorated bedroom in cool tones.

This scent...

Cold, deep, with a faint hint of ebony.

It was Silas Sterling's scent.

"Seraphina, have you had enough?"

A voice, deep and magnetic yet chillingly cold, sounded from the bedside.

Seraphina turned her head stiffly and saw the man. Silas Sterling was dressed in a pure black handmade shirt, buttoned all the way to the top, exuding a sense of abstinence that kept people thousands of miles away. He was looking down at her, his eyes as deep as a pool, swirling with the suppression and mania she had never understood in her past life.

On this night in her past life, to help a scumbag steal Silas's business secrets, she hadn't hesitated to use herself as bait. In the end, after getting what she wanted, she bit back, claiming he had forced her, making them irreconcilable nemeses.

"Silas..." Seraphina called his name tremulously.

Thinking of how he had broken his spine under a falling beam just to carry out her corpse in her past life, and how he had still kissed her forehead in that sea of fire, saying "Seraphina, don't be afraid," her heart ached as if pierced by ten thousand arrows.

"What new trick are you trying to play?" Silas sneered, his large hand suddenly pinching her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Do you want to beg me to let the Vance family go, or are you begging for that 'ideal husband' of yours?"

His grip was heavy and painful, yet it gave her an unprecedented sense of reality.

He was still here. He wasn't dead yet.

Seraphina's eyes reddened, and tears fell without warning, hitting the back of the man's hand.

Silas seemed as if he had been scalded; his pupils constricted. He instinctively wanted to let go, but he forced himself to stay, his voice turning even colder: "Why are you crying? It's too late to play the victim now."

But in the next second, Seraphina did something that completely petrified him.

She propped up her body, her soft arms circling his neck. Ignoring the cold aura surrounding him, she pressed herself entirely into his embrace.

"Silas, I'm not begging, and I don't want to run anymore."

Her soft voice pressed against the hollow of his neck, making the man's entire body shudder.

"What did you say?"

"I said..." Seraphina stood on her tiptoes, emboldened, and kissed those cold, thin lips hard. Then, with misty eyes, she looked at him. "Silas, let's have a child. Let's not be nemeses anymore. How about being husband and wife?"

Silas's body went as rigid as a stone.

He stared fixedly at the girl before him. Those eyes, which had always been filled with hatred and disgust for him, were now filled with a heartbreaking dependence.

That was the tenderness he had dreamed of, yet thought was absolutely impossible.

Silas Sterling felt that Seraphina Vance had gone mad.

Either she was mad, or he was dreaming.

He pushed the girl in his arms away, his force somewhat strong, causing Seraphina to stumble back onto the bed.

"Seraphina, I won't fall for the same trick twice." He looked down at her, his eyes swirling with self-loathing and mania. "To save Dominic, you can actually say such things? We should have a child? Heh, didn't you hate me touching you the most?"

Dominic, the scumbag who had pushed her into the fire in her past life.

Hearing this name, a trace of bone-deep hatred flashed in Seraphina's eyes, but when she turned to look at Silas, that hatred turned into water-like tenderness.

"I was blind before, Silas. I see clearly now."

She walked off the bed barefoot and stood before him. Today, she wore only a thin-as-a-cicada's-wing camisole, her graceful curves appearing and disappearing as she moved.

Silas's breath deepened instantly, his eyes fixed on her shoulder where there was a thin red mark he had just pinched.

He was heart-aching, yet the words from his mouth were as hard as iron: "See clearly? See clearly that the Sterling family's capital chain is broken, and only I, Silas, can save them, so you've decided to 'beg' me in a different way?"

He deliberately emphasized the word "beg," filled with heavy mockery.

In his eyes, Seraphina would do anything for Dominic.

"If I were begging you, I'd have a more direct way." Seraphina suddenly stepped forward, her small hand sliding under the hem of his shirt, pressing against his burning, firm abdominal muscles.

That startling heat made her fingertips tremble.

"Silas, don't you want me? Don't you love me so much you're going mad, yet you only dare to keep me by your side in this antagonistic way?"

Silas's pupils constricted violently.

That was the darkness hidden deepest in his heart, the humblest secret of his life. He thought he had disguised it well, but it was seen through by this little fox.

"Seraphina Vance!" He growled, suddenly grabbing her mischievous small hand and pinning her against the wall, his voice so hoarse it was almost unrecognizable. "Don't test my bottom line. I really will destroy you."

"Then destroy me." Seraphina lifted her chin, her gaze misty and bold. "As long as it's you, Silas, whether it's hell or a sea of fire, I'll take it."

She proactively leaned in and kissed those trembling lips.

It was an explosion of world-destroying desire.

Silas could no longer control the beast screaming in his heart. He suddenly turned the tables, picking her up and throwing her heavily onto the deep grey bed.

"Since you want to play, I'll play with you to the end."

He leaned down, carrying a heavy sense of aggression and an unknown self-torturing mentality, and possessed her completely.

That night, he was a mad demon. And she was his only medicine.

Morning. Light filtered through the gaps in the heavy curtains into the room.

Silas Sterling opened his eyes, his first reaction being to look at his side.

According to past experience, Seraphina Vance should have already fled in panic while he was still asleep, carrying a body full of hatred and humiliation, or the stolen secrets.

But this time, there was a heavy, warm sensation in his arms.

Seraphina was like a curled-up kitten, her two soft arms tightly hugging his waist, her small face pressed against his chest, her breathing even and calm. The corners of her eyes were still a bit red, obviously having been put through a lot last night, but a faint, satisfied smile hung on her lips.

Silas froze in place, even his breathing slowing down.

He wondered if this was reality, or the last web of illusion he had woven in this nightmare named "unrequited desire."

"...Seraphina?" He tested, his voice incredibly hoarse.

"Mmm... Silas..."

Seraphina responded muzzily. Not only did she not wake up, but she also burrowed further into his arms, her nose rubbing against his firm chest muscles, letting out a satisfied whimper.

This total trust and dependence made Silas's heart tremble violently.

Just then, the phone on the nightstand vibrated.

It was Seraphina's phone.

Silas's eyes turned cold as he glanced at the screen. Two words were jumping on it: Dominic.

The air pressure around him instantly dropped to freezing point. As expected, was it still for that man? Was everything last night just another more advanced "honey trap"?

He sat up abruptly, his movement somewhat large.

Seraphina was startled awake. She opened her eyes and saw Silas's frost-covered, even murderous face. Before she could realize what was happening, she heard that death-knell-like ringtone.

"Hello? Dominic."

Seraphina answered the phone in front of Silas, her voice sweet yet carrying a chill that made one's blood run cold.

"Seraphina! Did you get it? Is that old fox Silas asleep yet? Did you take that bidding document..."

"Dominic." Seraphina interrupted him, her peripheral vision catching Silas, who was tightly clenching his fists with a violent gaze, a wicked smile playing on her lips.

"I was too tired last night and haven't looked at the bidding document yet. And... I found that Silas is richer than you, handsomer than you, and a hundred times better in bed. Why should I help you steal things?"

There was dead silence on the other end of the phone.

Silas turned his head abruptly, his pupils constricting.

"Don't call me again. If you make my man unhappy, the little assets left in your family—I'll have him flatten them today."

Hanging up the phone, Seraphina casually tossed it aside and turned to look at the petrified Silas.

She crawled over and sat astride the man's firm thighs, her small hand gently stroking his grim face.

"Master Sterling, are you satisfied with this token of my loyalty?"

Silas grabbed her waist, his eyes swirling with unprecedented ecstasy and trembling: "Seraphina, what did you just say? What did you call me?"

"I called you, my man."

She leaned down and kissed him. This time, all suspicions vanished in this deep kiss. Nemesis? No, he was her life.

Sterling Corporation Building, President's Office.

In the past, when Seraphina Vance appeared here, she was either here to cause trouble or to act as a spy for Dominic. But today, she was dressed as a workplace elite, her pencil skirt outlining a breathtaking curve. Holding a cup of personally brewed coffee, she smilingly pushed open the heavy mahogany door.

"President Sterling, your coffee."

Silas Sterling sat behind the large desk, frowning as he reviewed documents. Hearing the voice, he looked up. The moment his gaze touched Seraphina, his originally hard lines softened involuntarily, but his words remained unforgiving:

"Who allowed you in? The President's office is not a place for you to mess around."

"I'm not messing around." Seraphina bypassed the desk and squeezed directly into his large silk swivel chair, sitting on the man's lap.

Silas's body stiffened, his breathing instantly becoming chaotic.

"Seraphina, get down." He warned in a low, hoarse voice, yet his large hand instinctively supported her waist, fearing she might fall.

"I won't." Seraphina circled his neck, her fingertips gently stroking his burning neck, her voice so soft it could drip water. "President Sterling, I'm here to apply for the position of private assistant. I heard President Sterling's private assistant has very high requirements, not only managing work, but also... private life?"

Silas stared at her red lips so close at hand, his Adam's apple rolling violently.

In these two days, Seraphina seemed to have become a different person. She no longer avoided him, no longer scolded him. Instead, she was like a clingy little fox, following him wherever he went, occasionally testing his bottom line.

"My private life—you can't afford to manage it."

"Whether I can afford it or not, won't we know after trying?"

Seraphina leaned down and lightly bit his Adam's apple.

Silas let out a sharp gasp, all his reason collapsing in this instant. His large hand pressed against the back of her head, and he kissed her back fiercely, with a kind of vent-like punishing force.

"Mmm..."

The aroma of coffee permeated the air, but more intoxicating than the coffee was the ambiguity in the room.

Just as the two were locked in a deep kiss, the special assistant outside knocked on the door: "President Sterling, Dominic from the rival firm wants to see you, saying there's an important cooperation..."

Seraphina's eyes turned cold, but her movements became even more tender. She pressed against Silas's ear, her breath like orchids:

"Silas, let him in. I want him to see with his own eyes how I personally give you the things he dreams of."

Silas looked at the crafty and ruthless little look in the little fox's eyes in his arms, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curling up.

This was his Seraphina Vance. Thorny, yet he loved her to his very bones.

When Dominic entered, this was the scene he saw:

The "goddess" in his heart, Seraphina Vance, was slumped unceremoniously in Silas Sterling's arms, her small face flushed, lips slightly swollen, and eyes misty. And that Silas, the business world's Asura who was always cold and heartless, was actually holding a tissue, carefully wiping away non-existent stains from the corner of her mouth.

"Seraphina? Why are you here!" Dominic's eyes were nearly splitting, his voice changing pitch from anger.

Seraphina lazily lifted her eyelids, glanced at him, then burrowed further into Silas's arms, her voice sweet and carrying a post-activity languor:

"Master Sterling, my waist hurts... you used too much force just now."

Silas's hand paused, a deep dark light flashing in his eyes. His large hand covered her slender waist, kneading it with moderate force, his voice hoarse: "Be good, I'll apply medicine for you when we get back."

This back-and-forth almost made Dominic vomit blood on the spot.

"Seraphina Vance! Do you know what you're doing! Silas Sterling is our nemesis, he will destroy you!" Dominic roared.

"Destroy me?" Seraphina sneered, standing up from Silas's arms. Although her waist was indeed a bit sore, her aura was instantly at full strength.

She walked up to Dominic and delivered a loud slap.

"Slap!"

Dominic was stunned.

"This slap is for myself." Seraphina's eyes were cold, like looking at a rat in a gutter. "Dominic, do you really think I'm a fool? You asked me to steal Silas's secrets—was it to save your family, or to bring back that illegitimate son you're raising abroad?"

Dominic's face turned deathly pale: "You... how did you know..."

That was his deepest hidden secret.

"If you don't want people to know, don't do it." Seraphina turned back, hooking Silas's tie again, her smile brilliant and dazzling. "I have Master Sterling protecting me now. Those messy affairs of your family—sooner or later, I'll settle them all one by one."

"Get out."

Silas Sterling coldly spat out a single word, not even giving Dominic a peripheral glance.

Dominic was carried out by the special assistant like a little chick.

The office returned to silence.

Seraphina stuck out her tongue. Before she could speak, she was pressed back onto the desk by Silas.

He leaned down, hands propped on either side of her, two fires burning in his eyes: "Waist hurts? Too much force?"

Seraphina's face turned slightly red, and she shrank her neck: "I... I was just saying that to anger him."

"But I took it seriously."

Silas lowered his head, biting her earlobe, his voice incredibly deep.

"Seraphina, since you said you'd manage my private life, now, let's continue."

The socialite charity banquet in London.

In the past, for such occasions, Seraphina Vance always appeared following Dominic—that was the humblest shackle of her past life. But today, she held Silas Sterling's arm, wearing a flame-red mermaid dress that made her look like a rose blooming in the dark night, stunning the entire venue.

"Heavens, is that Seraphina Vance? Hasn't she always been clinging to Dominic?" "What taste! Silas Sterling is the king of the city; what is Dominic compared to him?" Whispers and gossip rose everywhere.

Seraphina held her head high, looking straight ahead. In her past life, she had lowered her status for so-called "true love," becoming a joke in the circle. In this life, she wanted everyone to know who the true queen was.

"Seraphina, you actually dare to come!"

Walking toward her was Dominic's childhood friend and one of the accomplices who had killed her in her past life—Vanessa.

Vanessa looked at Seraphina's outfit and was maddened with jealousy. She deliberately approached, holding a glass of red wine, intending to splash it on Seraphina's dress.

But before her movement could even begin, her wrist was deathly gripped by a dark, strong hand.

"Ah! It hurts..." Vanessa screamed in pain.

Silas Sterling's eyes were cold, looking at her as if she were a dead person: "Miss, what do you want to do to my fiancée?"

"Fi... fiancée?" Everyone gasped.

Silas snatched the wine glass from her hand, his movement elegant yet ruthless, and poured it directly over Vanessa's head.

The red liquid slid down Vanessa's meticulously styled curls, making her look utterly pathetic.

"Master Sterling, you..." Vanessa was trembling all over.

"In this city, no one can touch Seraphina Vance." Silas took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped Seraphina's fingers, which hadn't even been touched by a wine stain, his voice not loud but enough for the entire venue to hear.

"To touch her is to touch me, Silas Sterling. I don't think there's any need for your family's stock to rise tomorrow."

A casually spoken sentence directly pronounced the death sentence of Vanessa's family business.

Seraphina looked at the man beside her who was shielding her from the wind and rain, her heart softening with warmth.

She proactively took his hand, their fingers interlocking.

"Silas, I'm hungry."

"Let's go, I'll take you to eat something good."

The coldness in Silas's eyes instantly turned into boundless pampering when he looked at her.

This night, Seraphina not only fired the first shot of her rebirth but also let all of London know that Silas Sterling had a "darling" he cherished to his very bones.

The top floor of the hotel after the banquet.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was the bustling neon of London, while inside, only the wall lamps emitted a faint light.

Seraphina Vance leaned on the sofa, clutching a document just delivered by the special assistant, a sneer curling at her lips.

That was evidence of Vanessa and Dominic joining forces to transfer the Vance family's assets. In her past life, she had been cheated out of everything by these so-called "close people," not even knowing the truth until her death.

"What are you looking at?"

Silas Sterling had finished his shower, wearing only a towel. Water droplets slid down his broad shoulders, disappearing into that faintly visible mermaid line.

This extreme visual impact made Seraphina's cheeks burn, and she hurriedly put away the document.

"Nothing, just some evidence of small flies."

Silas walked over, naturally pulling her into his embrace, his chin resting on her shoulder: "Leave these things to me. Seraphina, you only need to stay by my side and do what you want to do."

"What if what I want to do is turn this city upside down?" Seraphina turned her head, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Then turn it upside down."

Silas said it as a matter of course, "As long as you are happy, even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up."

Seraphina's heart trembled. Why hadn't she discovered in her past life that this man's indulgence of her had reached such a lawless level?

"Silas, why are you so good to me?" she couldn't help but ask.

Silas was silent for a moment, his large hand stroking the back of her neck, his eyes hiding emotions too deep to decipher.

"Because other than being good to you, I don't know how else to keep you."

His voice was very light, yet carried a persistence that was humble to the point of dust.

Seraphina suddenly turned around, sitting astride him, tightly hugging his neck: "You don't have to be so humble, Silas Sterling. In this life, I'm not leaving. You couldn't drive me away even if you tried."

She proactively kissed him as if in sacrifice.

This night, she used all her strength to tell him that her heart had truly returned.

And those lies from her past life—she would pull them out one by one, leaving no room for them.

"Silas, there's a question I've always wanted to ask you."

After the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, Seraphina Vance lay on Silas Sterling's chest, her fingers unconsciously drawing circles on his firm muscles.

Silas closed his eyes, enjoying this moment of tranquility, his Adam's apple moving slightly: "What?"

"Why did you... always go against me before? Everyone in London thought we were irreconcilable enemies."

Seraphina looked up, her eyes sparkling as she watched him.

Silas opened his eyes and let out a self-deprecating laugh, his large hand stroking the top of her head: "If I didn't go against you, you wouldn't even spare me a glance. Seraphina, your eyes used to only hold that Dominic. Only by becoming your 'nemesis' would you spare the energy to hate me, to study me, to... find trouble with me."

This near-self-torturing confession made Seraphina's heart ache so much she almost burst into tears.

"Fool."

She cursed softly and leaned in to kiss his eyes.

"What if... I never found out?"

"Then it would have stayed like that forever." Silas flipped over and pressed her beneath him, his eyes becoming deep and dangerous. "Seraphina, no matter what name is used, you can only be by my side. Even if you hate me, you must stay in the Sterling family."

This paranoid possessiveness, which had terrified her in her past life, gave her an incomparable sense of security in this life.

"And now? Now that I don't hate you anymore, are you still going to go against me?"

Seraphina hooked her arms around his neck, deliberately provocative.

"Now..."

Silas lowered his head, capturing that incessantly chattering small mouth, and murmured:

"Now, I only want to die on you."

That was the obsession he had guarded for two lifetimes, finally receiving the gentlest echo at this moment.

The curtain of revenge officially rose.

At Seraphina Vance's suggestion, Silas Sterling deliberately released a "loophole-filled" fake contract.

As expected, Dominic, like a cat that had caught the scent of fish, poured all his family's financial resources—even taking on huge high-interest loans—trying to swallow this "big cake" to completely crush Sterling Corporation.

"Seraphina, are you sure there's no problem?" Silas looked at the stock trend on the computer screen. Although he believed in Seraphina, he was still afraid these trivial matters would tire her.

"Don't worry, Master Sterling. I'm the 'nemesis' you personally trained."

Seraphina sat on the sofa in the President's office, eating grapes personally peeled by Silas while staring at the screen.

In less than three days, Dominic's family fell into a state of irredeemable ruin due to the legal traps behind that contract.

Banks called in loans, and loan sharks came knocking.

Dominic, desperate, actually tried to flee the country with Vanessa.

Airport VIP lounge.

Before Dominic and Vanessa could even board the plane, they were deathly surrounded by a group of black-clad bodyguards.

Seraphina, holding Silas's arm, walked over leisurely.

"Dominic, where are you going?"

Seraphina smiled brightly, her eyes as cold as sharp blades.

"Seraphina Vance! You bitch, you framed me!" Dominic struggled frantically, but was held down firmly by the bodyguards.

"Framed you?" Seraphina approached, looking down at him. "Dominic, when you pushed me into the fire in my past life, did you ever think of today?"

Although Dominic couldn't understand "past life," he could feel the overwhelming murderous intent emanating from Seraphina.

"Hand them over to the police," Silas spoke coldly. "They are suspected of illegal asset transfer and commercial fraud. Let them spend the rest of their lives inside."

After dealing with these "trash," Silas hugged Seraphina's waist and asked softly:

"Are you happy now?"

"I'm happy." Seraphina took a deep breath, feeling the last bit of depression deep in her soul completely dissipate.

She leaned on his shoulder and said softly, "Silas, let's have a child."

Silas's hand stiffened for a moment, followed by overwhelming ecstasy.

In this life, all regrets were fulfilled at this moment.

Ever since Seraphina Vance "turned over a new leaf" and joined the Sterling Corporation President's Office, Silas Sterling's office had become the most dangerous yet sweetest forbidden area in London.

These two months had been sweeter than honey.

Under the joint siege of Silas and Seraphina, Dominic's family had shrunk into a group of ants that could be stepped on at any time. The socialites who originally wanted to see Seraphina as a joke now had to respectfully call her "President Vance" when they saw her.

But these few days, Seraphina felt something was wrong.

She sat at her workstation in the President's office, looking at the exquisite French afternoon tea before her. The lemon tart she used to love most now carried a fishy scent that made her want to vomit.

"Retch—"

Seraphina covered her mouth and rushed into the nearby lounge restroom.

Silas, who was processing documents, had his pen slip, a multi-billion dollar contract instantly marred by a long ink streak. He stood up abruptly, his movement knocking over his chair.

"Seraphina!"

He rushed into the restroom and saw Seraphina leaning over the sink, her small face pale from vomiting, her eyes full of mist.

"Where are you uncomfortable? Is it a cold? Or was the coffee this afternoon wrong?" Silas's heart was in his throat, his large hand gently patting her back, his eyes full of anxiety.

Seraphina shook her head weakly, looking at her slightly pale face in the mirror. A thought she had never had in her past life suddenly flashed through her mind.

In her past life, she hadn't been able to conceive Silas's child until her death because she hated him then and had been secretly taking birth control pills.

But in this life, she had never touched those things, and Silas... was simply insatiable.

"Silas, my... it seems to be ten days late."

Seraphina murmured softly.

Silas froze in place.

Master Sterling, who was always decisive and could make opponents bankrupt with a laugh in the business world, now looked like a fool struck by lightning, staring blankly at Seraphina's belly.

"You... what did you say?"

"I said, I might have a baby."

Seraphina took his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen.

Silas's hand was trembling—it was a shudder of extreme joy and lingering fear. He suddenly picked her up, his force startlingly large, yet he set her down as gently as if he were handling a fragile treasure.

"To the hospital! No, I'll call the best obstetric specialists in the city to come here!"

"It's not that exaggerated, just buying a pregnancy test would be enough..."

"No!" Silas growled, his eyes actually turning red. He knelt before the sofa, looking into Seraphina's eyes, his voice hoarse. "Seraphina, if it's true... for this life, the next life, and every life to come, don't even think about leaving me."

"I never intended to leave."

Seraphina cupped his face and kissed his tightly furrowed brows.

An hour later.

The old Sterling mansion was in a mess as top private doctors arrived with equipment at top speed.

When the word "Positive" appeared on the test result before Silas's eyes, that tough man who hadn't shed a single tear even in a sea of fire actually had red eyes at that moment, tightly holding Seraphina like a child who had found his lost soul.

"Seraphina... thank you."

He murmured in her ear over and over. From then on, this invincible hegemon had another more fatal yet gentler weakness. Reborn for one life, she not only took his life and his heart, but now, she also took his entire world.

Since the pregnancy was confirmed, Silas Sterling's personality seemed to have undergone a "reconstruction."

The originally cold and decisive business tycoon had now become a "walking encyclopedia of pregnancy care."

In the Sterling Mansion, all the sharp-edged furniture had been wrapped in soft anti-collision strips, and the floors were covered with thick, plush Persian carpets to prevent Seraphina Vance from slipping.

"Silas, I'm just three months pregnant, not disabled," Seraphina said, half-amused and half-exasperated, as she watched Silas carefully checking the temperature of her milk for the third time.

"Prevention is better than cure," Silas said seriously, handing her the glass. "The doctor said the first trimester is the most critical. You need to be careful."

He sat beside her, his large hand naturally resting on her still-flat lower abdomen, his eyes full of a gentleness that could melt ice.

"Does it feel different today? Any nausea?"

"I'm fine, Silas. Really." Seraphina leaned her head on his shoulder. "You're the one who looks tired. You've been coming home early every day, is the company okay?"

"The company has a board of directors; they can handle things. My most important project right now is right here," he said, his voice deep and full of love.

But Silas's "extreme care" didn't stop at home.

When Seraphina insisted on going to the office for a few hours, Silas had a custom-made, ergonomic chair installed in her office, and he personally vetted every person who came within five feet of her.

One afternoon, a new assistant accidentally bumped into Seraphina's desk, causing a slight noise. Silas, who was in the middle of a meeting in the next room, was out the door in seconds, his face pale with worry.

"Are you okay? Did you get hit?"

"Silas, it was just a noise!" Seraphina laughed, pulling him down to sit next to her.

The "Paranoid Nemesis" had truly become the "Gentlest Guardian God." For Seraphina and the baby, he was willing to shed his armor and become the softest cushion for them to lean on.

The news of Seraphina Vance's pregnancy spread through the elite circles of London like wildfire.

Everyone was shocked. The man who was known for his ruthlessness and cold blood was now reportedly seen buying baby clothes in high-end boutiques.

But for Silas Sterling, the biggest change was internal.

"Silas, what are you reading?" Seraphina asked, walking into the study one evening.

Silas hurriedly tried to hide the book behind his back, but Seraphina was too quick. She snatched it and read the title: The Art of Patience and Emotional Control for New Fathers.

Seraphina burst into laughter. "Silas, are you serious?"

Silas's ears turned slightly red. "The doctor said that a mother's emotions affect the baby. I... I have a bit of a temper, and I don't want to scare the little one."

He was truly trying to "cultivate his character." He stopped smoking entirely, rarely drank even at business dinners, and even started practicing meditation to keep his "paranoid" tendencies in check.

"You're already doing great, Silas," Seraphina said, sitting on his lap and hugging his neck. "The baby will love you because you're a good man."

"I'm only a 'good man' for you and the baby, Seraphina," Silas murmured, his arms tightening around her.

However, his "cultivation" was put to the test when a business rival tried to use Seraphina's pregnancy as a weakness to blackmail him.

Silas didn't explode in anger. Instead, he handled the situation with a cold, surgical precision that was even more terrifying than his usual rage. Within twenty-four hours, the rival's company was dismantled, and the man was barred from ever entering London again.

When he returned home that night, he was the same gentle Silas, bringing Seraphina her favorite strawberries.

"Everything handled?" Seraphina asked, sensing the faint aura of power around him.

"Yes. No one will bother us again."

He had learned to be a saint at home and a devil outside, all to protect the little world they were building together.

The fourth month brought a challenge that no amount of Silas Sterling's power could solve: severe morning sickness.

Seraphina Vance, who had been relatively fine in the first trimester, suddenly found herself unable to keep anything down. The sight or smell of almost any food made her rush to the restroom.

Silas was frantic.

"Is there really nothing you can do?" Silas growled at the team of doctors gathered in the living room. "She's losing weight! She's pale! Do something!"

"Master Sterling, morning sickness is a natural part of pregnancy for many women. We can only provide supplements and try to find foods that she can tolerate," the lead doctor explained, trembling under Silas's gaze.

Silas spent his nights awake, holding Seraphina's hair back as she vomited, and his days researching every possible remedy from around the world.

He flew in a specialized chef from Japan who was an expert in light, nutrient-dense meals, and another from Italy who specialized in herbal teas for nausea.

"Silas, don't look so worried," Seraphina whispered one night, lying weakly in his arms after a particularly bad episode. "It's just the baby being energetic."

"I hate seeing you like this," Silas said, his voice cracking. He kissed her damp forehead, his eyes full of heartache. "If I could take this pain for you, I would. I'd take it a thousand times over."

His anxiety was so high that he actually lost weight along with her. He couldn't eat if she couldn't eat.

One morning, Seraphina suddenly woke up and said, "Silas, I want a very specific kind of apple pie. The one from that small bakery in the countryside where we got lost once."

Silas didn't hesitate. He personally drove three hours to the countryside, bought the entire stock of apple pies, and raced back.

When Seraphina managed to eat a whole slice and keep it down, Silas almost cried with relief.

"You're my hero, Silas," she smiled, her color finally returning a bit.

"I'm just your husband, Seraphina. And I'll do anything to keep you safe."

The morning sickness eventually passed, but the memory of Silas's unwavering, anxious devotion stayed with Seraphina, making her love for him grow even deeper.

As Seraphina Vance's belly began to show, the reality of the coming baby became more tangible for Silas Sterling.

One night, as they were lying in bed, the baby kicked for the first time.

Silas's hand was on Seraphina's stomach, and he suddenly froze. His eyes widened, and he looked at Seraphina with a look of pure wonder.

"Did you feel that?"

"I felt it, Silas. The baby is saying hello to his daddy."

Silas leaned down, pressing his ear against her belly. "Hey there, little one. This is your dad. You'd better be good to your mom, or we're going to have a talk when you get out."

Seraphina laughed, running her fingers through his hair. "Don't threaten the baby, Silas."

"I'm serious, Seraphina," Silas said, looking up at her with an intensity that was almost frightening. "You are my life. Everything I do, everything I am, is for you. And now, this baby... this baby is an extension of us. I will protect both of you with everything I have."

His possessiveness had evolved. It was no longer just about keeping her to himself; it was about ensuring the safety and happiness of the family they were creating.

However, a shadow from the past life briefly reappeared. A former associate of Dominic's, seeking revenge, tried to target Seraphina during a routine check-up at the hospital.

Silas's security team, which he had personally trained, intercepted the threat before the person even got close to the building.

When Silas found out, he didn't tell Seraphina immediately. He waited until she was safely tucked in bed, then he went out and handled the situation with a cold finality that ensured no one would ever dare to think of Seraphina as a target again.

When he returned, Seraphina was still awake. She saw the look in his eyes and knew what had happened.

"You protected us again, didn't you?"

Silas sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand. "Always, Seraphina. You and the baby are my world. And I won't let anything happen to my world."

"I know, Silas. I trust you."

In this life, she didn't have to run. She had the strongest, most devoted guardian by her side.

As the due date approached, Silas Sterling's focus shifted from business contracts to parenting manuals.

The Sterling Corporation's executive board was baffled. Their CEO, who used to demand 24/7 dedication, was now leaving the office at 4:00 PM every day and was often seen reading books like The First Year: A Guide for Dads during lunch breaks.

"Silas, you're overthinking it," Seraphina Vance said one afternoon, finding him in the nursery, meticulously organizing the baby's onesies by color and fabric type.

"I want everything to be perfect, Seraphina," Silas said, his brow furrowed in concentration. "What if I'm too rough? What if I don't know why the baby is crying?"

"You'll learn, Silas. We'll learn together."

Seraphina walked over and hugged him from behind. The nursery was a masterpiece of comfort and safety, a testament to Silas's love.

"I never thought I'd have this," Silas murmured, turning around to hold her. "A home, a wife who loves me, a child on the way. In my wildest dreams, I only hoped you wouldn't hate me."

"The past is gone, Silas. This is our reality now."

To prepare, Silas even insisted on attending "Parenting 101" classes with Seraphina. The sight of the most powerful man in London's business world sitting on a yoga mat, practicing how to swaddle a doll, was something Seraphina wished she could have recorded.

But beneath the humor was a deep, touching sincerity. Silas was a man who did nothing halfway. If he was going to be a father, he was going to be the best father possible.

He even started a trust fund for the baby that was already larger than the GDP of some small countries.

"He's going to be spoiled, Silas," Seraphina joked.

"He's going to be loved," Silas corrected her, kissing her nose. "And he's going to know that his mother is the most incredible woman in the world."

As the final weeks of the pregnancy ticked by, the anticipation in the Sterling Mansion reached a fever pitch. Silas was ready. Seraphina was ready. Their new life was about to begin.

The day of the final settlement for Dominic and Vanessa had arrived.

Dominic's family had officially declared bankruptcy, and the evidence of their fraud was overwhelming. The trial was the talk of London, but Seraphina Vance and Silas Sterling didn't even attend. They had better things to do.

However, Silas made sure that the "doomsday" for the scumbag was as painful as possible.

"He's been sentenced to twenty years," Silas said, closing his laptop as he sat next to Seraphina in the garden. "And Vanessa got fifteen. They won't be seeing the sun for a long, long time."

Seraphina let out a long, slow breath. The weight of her past life was finally, completely gone.

"Thank you, Silas. For everything."

"I told you, Seraphina. I'll always protect you."

But Silas's "protection" went a step further. He ensured that even in prison, Dominic and Vanessa would never have a moment of peace. They were stripped of their names and their dignity, becoming just numbers in a system that would never let them go.

It was a cold, calculated revenge, but for Silas, it was the only way to ensure that the woman he loved would never be threatened again.

"Let's not talk about them anymore," Seraphina said, taking his hand. "They are the past. We are the future."

Silas smiled, a rare, genuine smile that reached his eyes. "You're right. The future is much more interesting."

The scumbag's doomsday was the final chapter of their old lives. Now, they were free to write a new one, together.

As the eighth month of pregnancy arrived, Seraphina Vance was glowing with a radiant beauty that made Silas Sterling even more obsessed with her.

He couldn't take his eyes off her. He followed her from room to room, his hands always finding a way to touch her—a brush of her hair, a squeeze of her hand, a gentle caress of her belly.

"Silas, you're like a shadow," Seraphina teased as he followed her into the kitchen for a glass of water.

"I'm your shadow, Seraphina," Silas said, his voice deep and full of emotion. "In this life, and every life after, you are the only person I want."

He was no longer the "nemesis" she had feared. He was her soulmate, her protector, and the father of her child.

They spent their evenings talking about the future—the schools the baby would go to, the trips they would take, the life they would build.

"I want him to have your strength, Silas," Seraphina said one night.

"And I want him to have your heart, Seraphina," Silas replied.

The paranoid possessiveness that had once defined him had been transformed into a deep, unwavering commitment. He didn't want to control her anymore; he wanted to cherish her.

In this life, she had found the one person who truly loved her, and he had found the one person who could truly see him.

"I love you, Silas Sterling."

"I've always loved you, Seraphina Vance. Always."

Silas Sterling decided that before the baby arrived, they needed a wedding that would cement their union in the eyes of the world.

It wasn't just a ceremony; it was a coronation.

The wedding was held at a historic castle outside of London. Seraphina Vance wore a gown that was custom-made by the finest couturiers in Europe, her pregnancy only adding to her ethereal beauty.

As she walked down the aisle, Silas stood at the altar, his eyes red with emotion. He had waited two lifetimes for this moment.

"You are my queen, Seraphina," he whispered as they exchanged rings. "And I am your most loyal subject."

The reception was a lavish affair, attended by the most powerful people in Europe. But for Silas and Seraphina, they were the only two people in the room.

"To the Sterlings!" the crowd toasted.

Silas held Seraphina close, his hand resting protectively on her belly. He looked at her with a look of pure, unadulterated devotion.

"I'll never let you go, Seraphina."

"I'm not going anywhere, Silas."

The grand wedding was a symbol of their victory—over the villains, over the past, and over the fate that had once kept them apart.

In this life, Seraphina Vance was finally where she belonged: by the side of the man who would give his life for her.

The day finally arrived.

After hours of labor, during which Silas Sterling looked like he was the one in pain, the Sterling Mansion echoed with the sound of a healthy baby boy's cry.

Silas was the first to hold him. His large, powerful hands were incredibly gentle as he cradled the tiny infant.

"He looks like you, Silas," Seraphina whispered, exhausted but happy.

"He has your nose," Silas said, his voice trembling.

But as the days passed, a new and unexpected emotion surfaced in Master Sterling: jealousy.

He found himself jealous of the time and attention Seraphina gave to the baby. When she was breastfeeding or rocking the little one to sleep, Silas would stand in the doorway, his expression a mixture of love and a strange, childish longing.

"Silas, are you jealous of your own son?" Seraphina asked one afternoon, catching his look.

"He's taking up all your time, Seraphina," Silas grumbled, though he was already reaching out to take the baby so she could rest. "I haven't had a proper kiss in three days."

Seraphina laughed, pulling him down for a deep, lingering kiss. "You're such a baby, Silas."

"I'm your baby," Silas murmured against her lips.

Despite his jealousy, Silas was an incredible father. He was the one who changed the most diapers, who stayed up for the midnight feedings, and who sang low, deep lullabies that always seemed to calm the baby down.

The "Paranoid Nemesis" had become a "Doting Dad," but he was still the same Silas who would burn the world down for the woman he loved.

Years passed, and the Sterling family grew even stronger.

Seraphina Vance and Silas Sterling had three children in total—two boys and a girl. Their home was filled with laughter, love, and the occasional "paranoid" outburst from Silas whenever he thought someone was looking at Seraphina for too long.

Seraphina had become a successful businesswoman in her own right, but her greatest joy was the life she had built with Silas.

One evening, as they were sitting on the terrace of their estate, watching the sunset over the London skyline, Seraphina took Silas's hand.

"Silas, do you ever think about... what might have been?"

Silas looked at her, his eyes as deep and devoted as they had been on the day they met. "No. I only think about what is. And what is... is perfect."

"I'm glad I came back to you, Silas."

"I would have waited for you in every lifetime, Seraphina."

He pulled her into his arms, the same strong, protective embrace that had been her sanctuary for years.

In her past life, she had failed him. But in this life, Seraphina did not fail Silas. She gave him her heart, her soul, and a family that was the envy of the world.

And Silas Sterling, the man who had once been her nemesis, was now her everything.

The fire that had once destroyed them was now just a distant memory, replaced by the warmth of a love that would never fade.

Seraphina and Silas—a love story that defied death and conquered life.

(The End)