Bought By Santa (Seasonal Obsessions #1)

Epilogue

Ruby

T he chapel is colder than I expected, the chill creeping into my bones as I stand in the shadows, hidden behind a marble column. The scent of old wood and faded incense lingers in the air, mixing with the soft murmur of guests gathered for the ceremony.

It’s December thirty-first, the last day of the year, and I’m here, unseen, watching Nick marry Carolina.

I wasn’t going to come. I didn’t even respond to the invitation, unsure if I could bear it. But something drew me here, an invisible force I couldn’t resist, even if it’s just to watch from the dark. I can’t stand beside them, smiling and pretending everything is fine. But I need to witness this moment in their lives, even if they don’t know I’m here.

Nick looks… different. More at peace than I’ve ever seen him. He stands tall at the front, his usual stern expression softened as he gazes at Carolina. The way he looks at her—it’s like she’s the only person in the world. I’ve never seen him like that before, so open, so vulnerable. It makes me ache, a sharp reminder of the kind of love I’ve never had. The kind of love I never will have.

At the front, near the aisle, there’s a picture of Willow, her bright smile frozen in time. It’s a large portrait, blown up so no one can miss it. The sight of her face knocks the breath out of me, a wave of grief crashing over me so suddenly it nearly doubles me over.

I miss her so much, more than I can put into words.

Willow, with her laughter, her endless curiosity, her way of making everything seem brighter. I didn’t get to know her for long—our time together was brief, stolen in the midst of all the chaos. But it was enough. Enough to love her. Enough to feel this void now that she’s gone.

The vows are soft, intimate, and they carry through the quiet chapel like a whispered secret. Carolina’s voice trembles just slightly, but there’s strength there too—a determination to see this through, to stand by Nick no matter what comes.

Nick’s voice is steady, the words rolling off his tongue with the kind of certainty I’ve always envied. They talk about forever, about promises that won’t break, about a love that will last. It’s beautiful, really, but all I can think about is how far away that kind of love feels for me.

I don’t have love, not even a shred of it.

What I have is a man who bought me like a piece of property, a man who wears cruelty like a second skin. My dad sold me to him, traded me away ten years ago for power and wealth, and left me in the hands of a monster.

Every time I think of him—his cold eyes, his twisted smile, the way his fingers dig into my skin—I feel a surge of hatred so fierce it almost scares me. But it’s not just hatred. It’s fear. Fear of what he’ll do next, of the darkness that lurks behind his every word, his every touch. I need to get out, but I don’t know how. And every day I stay, I feel myself shrinking, disappearing into nothing.

When Nick offered to free me, I almost said yes. But I can’t. My freedom won’t ever mean anything if it’s given to me just like it was taken away from me. And besides, I don’t need saving. I need to find a way to save myself.

But standing here, hidden in the shadows, I feel so far away from that. So far away from everything I want, everything I need. All I can do is watch, wondering if I’ll ever have what Nick and Carolina have. Or if I’m destined to stay in the shadows, watching as the people I love find happiness, while I wait for the curse to catch up with me.

Or maybe the presence haunting me will finally show itself, and end me before I can take my next breath. Hmm, no, still nothing.

I’ve felt the presence of someone following me for almost a week now. Though I’ve never seen this person, I know they’re there. I can feel it in the air, hear it in the too quiet footsteps. I haven’t been alone since Christmas morning.

There’s a small chance I’m getting paranoid and it’s just my mind playing tricks on me, but I don’t think it’s that. I’m used to being followed by people; first at my dad’s command, later at my husband’s. I know what it feels like to be shadowed.

I let out a small sigh, wondering, not for the first time, if it’s the curse catching up with me.

The Knight family curse—three heirs to secure the future, because fate always takes two. We’ve heard it our whole lives, how one of us is destined to survive while the others fall. Jack’s already died once—he jokes about it, but I see the truth in his eyes.

He knows the curse is real, knows it’s already marked us.

I feel it too, this creeping sense of inevitability. It’s coming for me, I’m sure of it. The curse, the fate that’s waiting in the wings, ready to claim its next victim. I feel it in my bones, this knowledge that I won’t survive for long. Maybe that’s why I’m here, hidden away, watching from the shadows. Maybe I’m just waiting for the end, for the curse to take what it’s owed.

Nick and Carolina kiss, sealing their vows, their fates intertwined in a way that feels almost sacred. The chapel is silent, the kind of quiet that feels heavy with meaning. And all I can do is watch, wondering if I’ll ever have that. Or if I’m destined to stay trapped in this marriage, suffocating under the weight of a life I never chose.

But I push those thoughts away, focusing instead on the warmth in Nick’s eyes as he looks at Carolina. There’s so much love there, so much devotion. I can’t help but feel a pang of envy, but also… hope. Maybe it’s not too late for me, either. Maybe there’s still a chance for something more, something real.

Or maybe it’s just a fool’s dream, and I’m the next one on the chopping block. But for now, I’ll stay here, hidden in the shadows, watching and waiting. It’s what I’ve always done best, after all. And if the curse comes for me, if my husband finally breaks me, I’ll be ready.

I have to be.