SERAPHINA

PRESENT TIME

AT GRAYSON MANOR

"Let me see him for once. I really need to talk to him, "

"Sir is not here ,so please leave, Ms. ."

"No, I know he's here. Let me meet him. "

The argument at the door continued which gained the attention of a certain pair of emerald green eyes.

"What's happening there? " Those eyes remained glued at the door where the woman and the guards were still quarreling .

"She's Lia Campbell and wants to meet Mr Grayson, "

Those green eyes filled with curiosity at the answer and then they trailed towards the owner of that voice where they fell on the lowered head of that person.

"And why does she want to meet him? "

That person didn't dare to take his eyes upward and looked into those green eyes.

"She had met Mr. Grayson last month at one of his business events and now she's claiming that she's pregnant with his child , " That man answered , still looking down.

The amusement left from those emerald eyes and got replaced with venom after hearing his reply.

"Does he know about her pregnancy? "

"No. Mr Grayson knows nothing about this and I think he doesn't even remember her name because he had met her only once that night and this woman might be lying about being pregnant with his child , "

His words made a wave of satisfaction emerge into those green eyes which turned towards the door again and started gazing at that woman who was still arguing with the guards at the door.

"So she was his one night stand but now she wants to get attached with his name permanently, "

That man wordlessly heard those words escaping from that mouth which stretched into a vicious grin while staring at that woman at the door.

"Kill her, "

That man finally snapped his head upward and looked at those emerald eyes shocked after hearing those words.

"But she can be pregnant with his child. We're not sure… "

"That's why it's necessary for her to die, Albert, " Albert's words got halted

"Because we don't know whether she's lying or not and if she is telling the truth , she has to die because… " Those emerald eyes again travelled towards that woman

"He will never abandon his own child , no matter what, "

Albert silently heard those words and just witnessed that venomous cruelty playing in that emerald gaze.

Those eyes trailed at Albert again

"And child means family. Family means love and there should be no place for love in his life, "

Albert became startled processing the brutal intention behind those words but it didn't surprise him because he wasn't witnessing it for the first time.

"So she has to die and you will kill her before she reaches him, Albert. " Those emerald eyes filled with amusement when Albert hung his head low and just nodded his head in approval.

A nefarious smirk crept on the face of the owner of those emerald orbs which again fell on that woman at the door and peered at her with a deadly amount of viciousness

"Because Arzal is not made to love anything or anyone, "

**************************************

“You know, I got full marks today in my math's test,” 8 year old Seraphina told her 18 year old brother, Nathan. She was returning back home from school, and like always, her brother had come to pick her up.

“And my teacher said, I am a very hardworking and good student. She praises me a lot today, Nate,” the little girl uttered, happily. Her brother smiled and patted her head.

“I am proud of my little angel,” he said. It was him, who always helped his little sister in her studies.

Seraphina giggled.

“I will show my marks to momma and papa. Let's go fast. Papa must be home now for lunch,” she gripped her brother's hand and started dragging him with her, extremely excited to show her marks to their parents. Chuckling, Nathan followed his sister.

“MAMMA…PAPA……” Seraphina ran inside her home. Nathan followed her, smiling. But both the siblings went numb in horror by seeing both of their parents laying on the floor in their hall. They both were bleeding and their blood had scattered all over the floor.

Nathan stormed towards his parents, whereas for that 8 years old girl, Seraphina, her body froze in dread and shock by seeing her momma and papa in that state. Her mind could not process anything, shoving her in that brutal haze of extreme shock and trauma. What had happened to her parents? Her feet refused to move.

That little girl saw her crying brother trying to wake their parents up, but they were not waking up. They were not moving. Her momma, papa were not answering. Her hands started shivering. Black dots started appearing in front of her vision. The world around her started trembling.

Why were her parents not waking up? Why were they not looking at them? Why? Why? Why?

That little girl fell on the floor with a loud thud, unable to endure that shock anymore, and at that moment, her everything got apart from her, along with her parents.

“MAMMA…..” Seraphina screamed out of her lungs, waking up from her nightmare, which was the essence of her most cruel past. And she had still not succeeded in getting out of its darkness.

Tears stung her eyes.

“Seraphina….” Nathan dashed inside the room, hearing his 18 years old sister's scream. He dashed towards her, and seeing those tears in her eyes, he immediately understood, once again she had that nightmare which had been haunting her from the past ten years. His eyes watered too.

Their parents were murdered by some cruel debt collectors, who had come that day to their home to get their money from their father, but when he could not return it, they killed their parents ruthlessly inside their own house, with no humanity, and then ran away.

Nathan pulled his sister into a soft and comforting hug, and Seraphina broke down into tears. It had been ten years, but that trauma of losing their parents had harmed her, both mentally and physically.

That little girl had watched her parents’ dead bleeding bodies before her, and that had ruined her existence.

“Please stop crying, Seph, my angel. Please,” Nathan uttered, holding back his own tears. He was doing his best to help her in healing from their past and its pain, but it still existed in her mind, in her heart and even in her soul.

That trauma had broken his little sister, both mentally and emotionally, and she was still trying to heal from it.

………….

"Fine next week. We will go to that mall for shopping,”

Those beautiful azure blue eyes gleamed up hearing those words and started shining ,like the rays of sun had fallen on the waves of the ocean .

An alluring smile crept on those tiny plumpy soft petals like lips which made her slightly chubby cheeks turn more fluffy . Her dimples added more to her endearing innocuousness .

But her beautiful smile got replaced by a tiny glare when she saw him extending the spoon of soup to her mouth. Her tiny button nose, which looked more enchanting because of her little silver nose pin, crunched up in distaste.

"No, I am full, Nate, "

Nathan heard his sister saying, who was going to be nineteen in a couple of months, while seeing her shaking her head in denial and she lightly pushed the spoon away.

"Sephi, finish this. Your doctor has strictly instructed you to drink this soup. You still have a fever, so finish it and then I'll give you your medicines, " her brother uttered, extremely concerned about her health.

"No, Nate. Please, my stomach is full. I'll really puke after eating even a single drop anymore, " Her soft voice denied him which made him give her an angry glare which she knew was fake.

"Seraphina, "

"Pleaseeee, " She gave her brother a pleading look, making him sigh.

He dropped the spoon on the bowl of soup and then placed the tray on the cabinet beside the bed. He gently patted her cheek, which had a natural blush, and then he pecked the crown of her head amiably.

His little sister was his everything. His only family.

"Now how can I say no to my angel, "

She smiled at him.

"Okay, now here. Take your medicine, " He uttered, extending the medicine and glass of water to her.

She took them from him and then took her medicine.

"Thank you, "

He smiled hearing her and then took the glass back from her.

"Nate, now go and prepare for your interview. I am completely fine, " She said, earning a heavy sigh from him.

"You don't have to worry about it all. My job is good and my promotion can wait, but I can't compromise with your health, Seraphina, "

Hearing him, she held her brother's hand.

"I am fine, Nate. Completely fine. So please go and give your interview , " She spoke in a tender voice while looking into his light hazel eyes pleadingly, because she knew how excited he was for his promotion. He had gotten this opportunity after working hard, day and night, for more than 5 years.

But after she fell ill, he completely dropped his attention from his interview and gave his full attention to her and her health because she knew she was his priority. Her safety, her happiness, every single thing related to her was more relevant to him than his own life because they both were each other's only loved ones, each other's best friend and each other's only family, after they lost their parents.

"Nate, please. Please, go for your interview, please, please, please, " She requested and he breathed out again a heavy sigh.

"But Seraphina…. "

"No, you're going for your interview today and that's it, " She finalised it and crossed her arms against her chest.

He sighed, accepting his defeat.

"Seraphina , you know you're my everything, my angel and I love you more than anything and anyone, so this job's promotion is my least concern. I can't leave you alone like this when you're ill , "

Her heart warmed up at his beautiful words and by watching the enormous amount of love and care in her brother's eyes for her. Her overly sensitive nature made her blue eyes fill with shimmering tears.

She hugged him and buried her face in his chest, and felt that ethereal calmness a child needs from her parents because he was her mother, he was her father, he was her guardian.

He caged her back and started sliding his palm over her head in a comforting manner because he was completely familiar with how emotional his sister could become after the childhood trauma she had received when they both lost their parents.

Their painful past left a deep scar on her emotional health, which she was still trying to recover from. And her brother was helping her in overcoming it with his love, affection and care.

Her heart was too innocuous.

"And now what makes my beautiful sister cry now?”

She didn't reply but just continued to hug him which made him take out her face from his chest. He saw those tears shimmering in her eyes, so he wiped her tears.

“Don't cry or else your head will start to ache and I will make another big bowl of that soup and you have to eat it, "

Hearing him, she chuckled and again embraced him.

"Nathan, go for your interview, please. Like my happiness means everything to you, your happiness also means everything to me. I know how happy you were for this promotion, so please don't neglect it like this, " She spoke and then withdrew her head from his chest.

She again held both of his palms in between her hands, and tenderly cupped them.

"You have always ignored your wishes and happiness for me and my happiness from the day when ma..mamma and p…papa… " Her voice started breaking because it was painful for her to even speak.

His eyes also glistened by watching the extreme amount of pain in her gaze because he was at least aged enough to understand things when they both lost their parents but she was just a mere kid and that thing had terribly affected her, both her heart and mind .

He himself was 28 but his care, responsibility and love towards his little sister had made him mature at the mere age of 18 when she was just 8 years old.

"Nate, please give this interview. If not for you then for me, please because if you get promoted which I know you will because your hard work deserves it, then it will be a good thing for both of us. So if not for you then for me, please go to your interview. Besides, we will do a celebration party after your promotion, so for the sake of my party, go for this interview,” she tried to lighten up his mood.

He chuckled with tears in his eyes hearing her and that how she was, who was capable of making a crying person smile with her innocuous and virtuous talks, smile and behaviour, and he was grateful and blessed to call that beautiful little human who had an even beautiful heart as his sister and his entire support system, and his only reason to live his life happily.

He caressed her head and ruffled her hair gently.

"Fine, I am going, "

Her eyes lightened up in happiness

"But I have a condition for that, Seraphina. You will take care of yourself till I don't come back from my interview and you will immediately call me even if you feel a slight headache, okay? "

She immediately nodded her head in agreement with a smile, making him beamed too.

"So first I'll make your lunch and then … "

"No, no, " She immediately got up from the bed and stood on the ground.

"Let's go, I'll help you in selecting your clothes for your interview. You need to look extremely handsome today, Nate. "

He laughed at her words and before he could say anything, she held his hand and started dragging him out of her room.

******************

Hope you are enjoying the book. This book is fictional. It is a dark romance book, so viewers discretion is advised. The FML, Seraphina, is shown to be emotionally sensitive and fragile because of her past trauma and her brother's overprotective nature. Her actions are sometimes going to be portrayed as naively innocent, and she cries a lot too, but she is also mature enough like any other normal character of her age inside this book. The main characters in this book have their own pasts, which has made them the way they are in their present, and this book will focus on their character development, redemption, salvation and also towards the overall growth of the book.

English is not the author's first language.

Thank you so much for choosing to read.

Take care.