Chapter 7: Shadows and Sunlight

Seraphina

The sky outside the penthouse was painted in hues of dusky purple and gold as the sun dipped below the horizon. Sera sat cross-legged on the living room couch, her laptop glowing faintly in front of her. Lines of code danced across the screen, her fingers gliding over the keys with a confidence she hadn't felt in weeks.

The world outside felt far away, distant—like it belonged to someone else. But here, in this quiet sanctuary Damon had carved out for her, there was an unfamiliar sense of peace creeping in, fragile and fleeting.

She was so lost in her work that she almost missed the sound of the elevator doors sliding open.

“Well, well, well. This must be the genius I've been hearing so much about.”

The voice was smooth, deep, and carried a teasing edge. Sera's head snapped up, her fingers freezing over the keyboard. A tall man stepped into the living room, his silhouette sharp against the faint golden light filtering through the windows.

His hair was dark, tousled in a way that seemed intentional, and his sharp brown eyes glinted with mischief. He wore a leather jacket over a fitted black shirt and boots that clicked softly against the marble floor.

“Zayn Rivera,” he introduced himself, flashing a crooked smile that seemed both charming and infuriating. “Resident troublemaker, professional bad influence, and Damon Hale’s most handsome friend.”

“Debatable,” Liam called from the hallway, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

Sera's lips twitched—just a little.

Zayn raised his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, I’m just stating facts here.”

Sera’s gaze darted to Damon, who had entered behind Zayn. His expression was unreadable, but his steel-gray eyes were locked on her, assessing every flicker of emotion across her face.

“Sera, this is Zayn,” Damon said, his voice low and steady. “He’s… a handful, but he means well.”

Zayn placed a hand over his heart. “You wound me, boss. Truly.”

There was an energy about Zayn—a chaotic charm that filled the room and seemed to push back the shadows. Sera found herself relaxing slightly, her fingers easing their death grip on the edge of her laptop.

Zayn dropped onto the armchair across from Sera, leaning back with the kind of confidence that only came from years of getting away with far too much.

“So, genius girl,” he said, tilting his head. “Tell me, how does it feel to be the smartest person in this room?”

Sera hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not…”

“Oh, don’t do that,” Zayn interrupted, waving a hand. “You’re at MIT, you’re fixing Damon’s cars with software so complicated that Liam starts sweating when he sees it. Own it, kid.”

Sera blinked, startled by his bluntness. Liam snorted from the doorway while Damon simply crossed his arms over his broad chest, watching the interaction unfold.

“She’s a little shy, Zayn,” Liam said, walking in and leaning casually against the kitchen island.

“Shy? Nah, she’s sharp. I can see it in her eyes,” Zayn said, pointing two fingers at his own eyes before pointing them at Sera. “You’ve got that fire, genius girl. Don’t let this grumpy guy—” he gestured to Damon, who arched an eyebrow “—intimidate you too much.”

Sera’s lips twitched again. She couldn’t help it. Zayn had a disarming way about him, an energy that made it hard to stay completely closed off.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” Zayn said, clapping his hands together. “I’m starving. Damon doesn’t eat unless someone forces him, and Liam will probably survive another day on protein bars and sarcasm. But you, genius girl—you seem like someone who knows how to make real food.”

Sera hesitated, glancing at Liam, who gave her an encouraging nod.

“Come on,” Zayn continued, his grin widening. “Make something. I’ll help. Damon will… supervise with his scary eyebrows. It’ll be great.”

For a moment, the air was thick with silence. Then, in a voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the hum of the city outside, Sera spoke.

“Okay.”

Zayn froze, blinking as if he wasn’t sure he’d actually heard her. Damon’s eyes sharpened slightly, and Liam grinned like it was Christmas morning.

“Alright then!” Zayn hopped up, clapping his hands together. “Chef Rivera reporting for duty.”

The kitchen was alive with movement and laughter—well, mostly from Zayn and Liam. Sera stood by the counter, a mixing bowl in her hands, carefully whisking together a sauce while Liam chopped vegetables and Zayn… well, Zayn was juggling tomatoes.

“Zayn, stop,” Sera said suddenly, her voice rising slightly as one tomato slipped and splattered across the marble countertop.

“Whoops,” Zayn said, holding up his hands in surrender. “My bad. Carry on, Chef Sera.”

Liam snorted. “Zayn, if you’re not going to help, at least stop making a mess.”

Damon entered the kitchen then, rolling up the sleeves of his crisp white shirt. “What’s going on here?”

“Chaos,” Liam replied immediately.

“Delicious chaos,” Zayn corrected.

Sera couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped her lips. Damon’s eyes flicked to her immediately, his expression softening just enough for her to notice.

“Need any help?” Damon asked, his voice low as he moved to stand beside Sera.

She hesitated but then gave a small nod. “You can… stir this.”

She handed him the spoon, her fingers brushing against his for the briefest moment. Damon didn’t flinch, didn’t pull away. Instead, he started stirring the sauce with surprising precision.

Zayn leaned against the counter, smirking. “Would you look at this domestic scene? Damon Hale, the kitchen assistant.”

“Shut up, Zayn,” Damon said without looking up.

The four of them sat at the dining table—something Damon rarely used. The food was simple but delicious: pasta with a creamy sauce, sautéed vegetables, and fresh bread Liam had picked up earlier.

Sera ate quietly, but for the first time, there was color in her cheeks.

“This is amazing,” Liam said, shoveling another bite of pasta into his mouth.

“Agreed,” Zayn said around a mouthful of bread.

Damon didn’t say anything, but he set his fork down and met Sera’s gaze across the table. He gave her a small, barely-there nod.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

And in that moment, with the sound of quiet laughter and the faint clink of silverware, Sera felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time:

Belonging.

As the night wound down, Sera excused herself and slipped back to her room. Damon watched her go, his steel-gray eyes lingering on the hallway long after she disappeared.

“She’s starting to heal,” Liam said quietly.

“Yeah,” Zayn added, his grin fading slightly. “But she’s still so fragile, D. Don’t push her.”

Damon said nothing, his jaw tightening as he looked down at his plate.

He would wait. He would give her space. But one thing was clear in his mind:

He wasn’t going to let her slip away.