Hand-linked with her crying aunt's arm, Seraphina let her eyes wander around the cemetery as the dwarf-like priest began reciting, inaudible to her ears.

The sky is quite gloomy once again, mirroring her feelings. Zachary only invited a few to his brother's funeral which Seraphina's completely fine with.

She knew Dorian pretty well. He, like her, was not a fan of the sea of crowds.

Seraphina closed her eyes for a moment, forcing herself not to bawl for she cried buckets and buckets of tears back in the boarding school in Bath when she received the letter informing her of Dorian's death.

Seraphina must've been spacing out far too long since she felt the release of her aunt's arm snaked around her hand.

She stared at her aunt who stepped forward, a white rose in her white gloved-hand and with that, she threw the rose right into Dorian's closed coffin.

Seraphina let her mourning leafy eyes travel to Zachary when she felt him hand her a white rose, his face emotionless and oblivious of the creeps he kept giving her.

She grabbed hold of the rose, wincing when she felt its thorn cut her fingertips. She doesn't need to look at her fingers to confirm that it's bleeding because Seraphina doesn't care one bit.

Laggardly, Seraphina took a step forward, staring at her friend's wooden coffin one last time before tossing the rose unto it.

The second the rose touched the coffin, Seraphina's tears began rolling down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Not caring about people giving her such strange looks, she felt herself sitting in the muddy ground, sobbing, her black gown wrinkled.

Aunt Veronica touched her arm, smoothening her but the comfort only made her sobbing worse.

Seraphina wants to just wake up from this nightmare, be back in Bath and leave the boarding school immediately to head straight here and embrace Dorian.

Dorian, he who knows her too well. He who grew up with her, accepted her quirks and flaws. He always sneaks a visit to her in the boarding school every night when he is still not ill despite the fact that the Headmistress would be triggered about it.

Just to release her frustration, Seraphina began punching the mud and clutching her gown, all this while her tears continued to stream down.

"Isn't it enough that you took both of my parents? Why would you even take Dorian away from me, God?" questioned Seraphina, whispering.

"Every week, I've been going to the Church, barely wishing for something and now, I only prayed that You'll heal my friend. But what did You do?" added Seraphina to her soliloquy.

With such a bold statement, her aunt's nervous hazel eyes traveled down to the short balding priest whose attention like everybody else is glued to her hysterical niece.

Aunt Veronica was about to approach her niece and plead her to settle down for a bit when Zachary, her godson, all of a sudden, scooped Seraphina from the ground with his stoic arms.

Aunt Veronica was about to protest regarding what Zachary Canning just did for a few of the attendees began murmuring with one another, their judging eyes glued upon the inappropriate scene but it was too late for her godson and her niece are already far away.

Seraphina struggled in his arms, her cheeks wet, her hands and gown covered in mud.

"Put me down this instant, Mr. Canning," exclaimed Seraphina but Zachary acted as if he did not hear one word slip from the maiden's lips.

And so, Seraphina punched him in his chest, staining his black shirt but Zachary remained persistent, seeming to not feel anything when she smacked him.

"This is highly inappropriate, Mr. Canning," hollered Seraphina and this time, it was she who gave him such daggering stares.

"And so is the way you just acted, Seraphina," replied Zachary, still walking away from the crowd, his arms still around the petite body of Seraphina.

Seraphina gasps as soon as she hears the man's response. First, he questioned her way of mourning. Second, he just addressed her by her Christian name. How improper of him.

Zachary just raised his eyebrow at her reaction, grimacing when he felt a pinch in the arm so hard to the point he almost dropped the mesmerizing woman to the ground.

However, not a word came from his words. Great, so he chose not to comment how unladylike she just has been.

"You don't get to call me by my Christian name, Mr. Canning. We are in no way intimate to one another," stated Seraphina, giving such mean and offended looks to the man.

Now closer than ever, she could see every feature of her friend's cunning older brother. He is paler than she thought, heavy bags under his eyes much more evident and his blue eyes truly spooked her.

At last, Zachary set her down under the gigantic tree, certainly far from the view of the crowd.

This is the first time they had been alone together for God knows how long. Well, this is the first time Seraphina is aware of this.

Seraphina quickly rose from the grass, messaging her temple for a second, "If I ever hear my Christian name from your lips ever again, God help me, Mr. Canning,"

Zachary gave her such an amused stare like the ones he kept on giving her every time she was around the manor with Dorian.

"Now you're a firm believer of God?"

Seraphina closed her eyes for a second due to frustration. If only this man in front of him is not her late friend's older brother, she must've already slapped him ruthlessly across his face and pulled his blond hair multiple times.

And how dare he confront her about God? She should be the one asking him that. She's aware of his demonic illustrations and the kinds of books he got himself engulfed too.

Everyone knew the Canning brothers as nothing but golden brothers. Charming, talented, gentlemen, and wealthy. Though everyone agrees Dorian is way, way much more handsome than his brother.

In the eyes of Seraphina, she knew her friend Dorian was deserving of such a title but his older brother? What a joke.

If only they know what lies behind that sleep-deprived face of his.

"Could you just leave me alone, Mr. Canning and yes, if it makes you sleep at night, I am a devotee of God," exclaimed Seraphina, clutching her gown hard in irritation.

And with that, she stormed into the crowd, leaving Zachary all alone under the tree, the breeze meeting her, making the tie of her bun loosen.

Not once did she look back at Zachary for she knew she wouldn't like one bit of what she'll be seeing. For she dreads his frightening stares.

That night, in the very same bedroom she slept last night, Seraphina all of a sudden, woke up, sweating.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she knew something's wrong. Aware of the warmth of the man sitting on her bed, caressing her untamed raven hair.

Her eyes immediately went wide when she ascertained who the man was.

"What on earth exactly do you think you're doing here, Mr. Canning?" exclaimed Seraphina, her upper body rising on the bed using only elbows, gazing at Zachary whose rough fingertips remained in her mussed hair.

She gave the unwanted visitor a confused yet revolted stare, "How did you get into my room? I vividly remember locking it,"

Zachary did not answer, just rewarding her with such amused gawk.

"Get out of here, Mr. Canning. I swear,"

However, Zachary lingered in his place, sitting on the bed, only inches away from her.

Seraphina knew this was a scandal. An unmarried man and woman who are not related inside a single room, all alone, unchaperoned. What's worse, there's a bed and she's only wearing her nightgown that doesn't really cover her body despite her petiteness.

She pulled her blanket right into her chest, not only is this man came here at such an inappropriate time of the night. She has her hair down for she is aware it's a must not to let any man see your hair untied.

It was Dorian who first saw her hair like this but at that time, she didn't know much about the do's and don'ts.

Zachary just stared at her, flashing such a demonic smirk. Seraphina forced herself not to be frightened for she grew up being used to such looks like this from this menacing man.

She can vividly remember catching his spine-chilling looks ever since she was young. It was when she and Dorian would play around the house or even read to one another such a gruesome story did she notice a pair of blue eyes boring right behind her.

When she bravely decided to look behind her, there she saw Dorian's older brother looking at her with such fascinating blue eyes. Studying her as if she was some sort of rare species.

God knows how much Seraphina wanted to talk about this issue to Dorian but she doesn't have the guts to and so, she decided to shake this feeling of hers.

Besides, all this unwanted attention from him subsided when she went to boarding school at the age of seventeen.

And now, at the age of nineteen, here he is, still gazing at her like she's a prey ready to be devoured.

"Yet you have no problem with Dorian doing it," questioned Zachary, her fingertips remaining on her cheek, stroking it, making her squirm.

She held his hand, tossed it, let out such a disgusting wail. "What are you talking about, Mr. Canning?"

Zachary released such a sarcastic chuckle, twirling his calloused finger around Seraphina's thin strand of hair.

"Don't play innocent here, Seraphina. We all know what you and my brother had was not friendship," whispered Zachary right into her ear. Seraphina felt Zachary's breath on her ears and neck, tingling her.

She gave the man such a disbelief look. "For the love of God, Mr. Canning, enough with the Christian names and have some respect for your brother. What we had is none of your business,"

Seraphina could perfectly see how her predator's eyes turned dark when she mentioned the last sentence.

Suddenly, she felt Zachary's fingers around her chin, forcing her to look at him just as when she avoided his daggering stares once again.

"I've had enough with that attitude, Seraphina," stated Zachary. Seraphina winced on how gently this man is gripping her chin, so careful yet so brutal at the same time. She knew it'll soon leave a mark in her mind, not in her chin.

Seraphina almost spat at him but refrained from doing so. Instead, she remained calm, saying, "a person we both love was buried, Mr. Canning. Let's just settle this first thing in the morning,"

With that, Zachary loosened up. Something changed in his very expression. As if a rock hit him, realizations coming down his veins.

Slowly, he let go of the frightened woman's chin and before rising up from the bed and leaving the room, he let his eyes and fingertips travel around the woman's face one last time for the night.

As soon as Seraphina heard the door closed, she let out such a relieved sigh.

She knew she needed to get out here first thing in the morning and so, she quickly opened the beaten up drawer and snatched a paper and pen.

There, she wrote a letter addressing her aunt, apologizing for leaving too soon than intended. Reasoning out that she cannot digest the idea of being in the manor without her dear friend, Dorian. With that, she signed the letter and placed it on her nightstand.

After changing into one of her black traveling clothes, quietly, Seraphina began walking tip-toed towards the wooden door and as soon as she was about to twist the doorknob, she heard a door opening up followed by loud footsteps.

Certainly sure that sounds were coming right in front of her, Seraphina's blood began to boil for she couldn't believe this man had the nerve to occupy the room across hers. How inappropriate.

Seraphina would rather stay in the stable, sleep in hay than be with the same floor as him.

When she was certain that the footfalls were no longer audible, Seraphina snatched the opportunity to sprint downstairs, all while still being quiet.

The whole time, her heart was racing fast, she could feel the adrenaline rush gushing over her.

The second floor is where Seraphina heard Zachary's footfalls once again, coming behind her and so, she quickly hid behind the gigantic vase Dorian purchased when they were strolling around the town market.

Peeking out to view Zachary, she saw him walking towards the stairs when suddenly, he stopped on his tracks and looked behind him, his eyes searching, paranoid.

Seraphina knew better than to keep staring and so, she quickly ducked behind the vase, her heart felt like it's going to jump from her chest any minute now.

Despite him being barefoot, Seraphina could hear the gentle steps he took. Perhaps he knew something's amiss.

She could hear him getting closer to her, her eyes then surveyed the room. It's all dark thus cannot see much and so, she could only trust her memory on where to step and such.

"Seraphina?" Seraphina heard him whisper all while still walking so gently in the dark.

Seraphina covered her mouth with her hand, her hands trembling due to anxiousness.

No sound of footfalls came more, she knew his darn blue eyes were still wandering around the room.

She almost cried in relief when she heard him continue his tracks upstairs and with that, Seraphine made her way out of the manse.

As swiftly as that, Seraphina, our mourning yet beautiful frightened nineteen-year-old protagonist, left the manor in the middle of the night.