Seraphina couldn't believe herself as she stared down at the woman in front of the mirror whose raven black hair is flirtatiously tied-up, letting out a few strands fall from the bun and wore a daring red velvet gown, hugging every curve of her.

Letting out a frustrated groan, Seraphina hugged herself hoping the Headmistress won't see her coming down the stairs with such looks as this.

Thankfully, the Headmistress is out of sight that evening. However, few girls peeked from their doors, studying their breathtaking classmates who they cannot believe had the nerve to wear such a piece of audacious clothing.

From mourning gowns to flirting gown real quick,' was exactly what kept running around their judging minds.

Clutching her crimson gown, Seraphina mentally cursed herself for letting her aunt persuade her to wear this for the night.

If only Aunt Veronica did not threaten her to write a letter to Zachary Canning, endorsing her unmarried niece to him.

As soon as Seraphina stepped foot outside the boarding school, where she saw a balding man probably in his late fifties outside, his hand caressing the horses' furs.

Seraphina gave the chauffeur a warm smile as the man escorted her to the black carriage, helping her mount.

"Why, thank you, good Sir," acknowledged Seraphine, her hands glued on the navy blue cushion of the carriage.

And with that, they began their short journey to the ball, a few blocks away from the boarding school which is why the Headmistress allows Seraphina to attend the said ball.

Seraphina cannot help herself from gawking at the sight before her for she never had seen such hefty manor.

What stunned her more was the lack of a number of guests. Just by looking, it seems like the hosts, who are a retired couple in Bath, only invited about fifty or so guests.

Suddenly, Seraphina was honored to be here though that still doesn't change the fact that she badly wants to go home now.

And since the lack of guests is quite evident, Seraphina's entrance was pretty much evident as well. Imagine the look of others when they saw a nineteen-year-old woman strolling inside the drawing-room wearing such an e-like gown.

Numerous guests, especially the older female ones, had their judging eyes glued on her, shaking their heads in disbelief. Thinking that teenagers nowadays are nothing but disgraces. However, Seraphina failed to not notice the discomforting stares of the men at the side, each one holding their own glass of wine.

Seraphina's not certain for she had never tasted such liquid as that ever in her life though Dorian had forced her so many times in the past.

Forcing herself not to think of the guests for she knows none of them, Seraphina diverted her attention to her magnificent interior of the manse.

Her eyes admiring the beauty of the white marble floor, the high-ceiling that are all painted with cherubs, the massive fetching French ball portraits hung over the white wall. A fancy black grand piano on one side, a lyre on top of it and a few long white couches in corners.

Seraphina straightened her posture when she heard a masculine yet friendly voice beside her saying, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Looking beside her is a man in his mid-twenties, taking in his handsome features. Hazel eyes, clean-shaved, a jet-black hair that fell below his ears, a few inches taller than her.

Seraphine didn't realize she was staring at the gentleman when he uttered, "Not I, Miss, I meant the estate," with such an amused look.

With her cheeks turning into the color of tomatoes, Seraphina blinked hard thrice before composting herself, "That am aware, Sir,"

The gentleman just rewarded her with such a smile that made Seraphina's stomach churn.

"I've never seen you here before. I am Edward Finnegan and you must be new here in Bath, Miss...?" the man blurted out, his right brow raising as hwawaitsfor her response.

"Seraphina Hearts and no, I am not new here in Bath. I've been studying in the boarding school just across this manor for years now," Seraphina answered and she almost failed to hide her surprise when the man held her gloved hand and kissed it.

"Well, it's a pleasure to be acquainted with a woman of beauty and brains," added Edward, which made Seraphina Hearts' cheeks flushed.

For the rest of the night, Edward and Seraphina sat in a corner of the drawing-room, exchanging stories about life in Bath. How the city is being bombarded with such tourists from London and other parts of Britain nowadays to the point you'll never know who is who unlike then.

The two went on like this for almost half an hour, all while everyone was busy dancing and minding their own business or so they thought.

For standing in the corner with his fists clenched is no other than the well-known painter in the country, sending daggering stares at Edward Finnegan, the assistant manager of the Bath Bank.

Gripping the glass of wine in his hand harder than intended, the man let out a frustrated groan, his deadly blue eyes blasting at them, from two-faced Edward Finnegan and lingering to the enticing Seraphina Hearts.

"Mr. Canning, my condolences about your brother," with that, Zachary gawked behind him and there stood the host of tonight's affair, Mr. Lazarus, holding a golden dragon cane with a jade stone in its head.

"Thank you, Mr. Lazarus," replied Zachary with a hushed voice, sipping the wine for one bit before disposing of the glass on top of the black counter behind him, his calloused slender hands inside his ebony pockets.

Mr. Lazarus followed every movement of the man before him, his face apathetic.

"I know why you invited me here for Mr. Lazarus and do me a favor, tell him I don't want to be part of any of it," Zachary exclaimed, his voice full of warnings.

However, Mr. Lazarus slowly shook his head and pointed his cane with such force to Zachary's chest, "Once you're in, there would be no backing out. You of all people should be aware of that,"

Zachary seemed to not be unhindered with the old man's statement. Clasping his hand on the end of Mr. Lazarus' cane, Zachary Canning tossed it on the marbled ground before saying the words, "Then watch me crush him into pieces,"

Zachary then traveled his blazing blue eyes around the room, realized that Seraphina Hearts and that godforsaken manager were out of his sight.

There he found them on the dance floor, he stared at them dancing not-so-gracefully in the middle, laughing at one another. Such a horrible sight as this makes Zachary's blood boil, eagerness to punch the wall arising in his veins, and smashing all his fine works that hang over the room's walls.

As soon as Zachary began to march into the middle and grabbed hold of his woman, he heard the old man's warnings yet again, "Keep your eyes on that pretty one, Mr. Canning. You and I both know what he is capable of,"

Zachary did not look behind him, as if he did not hear any single mutter from Mr. Lazarus as he stormed into Seraphina, grabbing her thin wrist.

When she looked up to see who would dare commit such inappropriateness, there stood Zachary Canning, intimidating her, gazing at her like she is some sort of prey, his eyes full of fury.

In the corner of her eye, she could see the confusion of Edward Finnegan and was about to explain everything when Zachary Canning dragged her out of the drawing-room, away from the crowd.

Seraphina slammed her fists onto Zachary's biceps but the man remained persistent, walking regardless of the maiden's objections. Seraphina mentally prayed to the heavens above that not even a single soul aside from Mr. Finnegan witnessed what just occurred.

"Let go of me, you ogre," blurted Seraphina out as she winced at his hard grip around her wrist. She knew it'll soon leave a red mark.

When they reached the 3rd floor of the estate where not a single soul resides for everyone downstairs, that's when Zachary stopped in his tracks and faced the pissed off woman behind him whose arms were crossed.

"What do you want this time, Mr. Canning?" Seraphina confronted, her brow rising as she waited for his answer.

"Stay away from Edward Finnegan," warned Zachary all of a sudden, staring at her with his iconic intimidating eyes once again, their faces only inches apart, the tip of their noses almost touching.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do, Mr. Canning. We are in no way close so leave me alone before I'll go make a scene," roared the woman in red.

Zachary Canning rewarded her with an amused look, the corner of his dry lip twitching upwards.

"Oh? What for? If you do that, they'll barge right into my estate and perhaps, come to think of it, get hold of my sketches. We wouldn't want that, do we?"

With his slender forefinger on her chin, caressing her, Seraphina cannot help herself from blushing just by thinking of other people ascertaining such ludicrous illustrations that all looked so legit as if she actually posed for him.

Why would God give this man such breathtaking talent?

Seraphina closed her eyes for a moment due to frustration, "Don't you dare show those to anybody," her voice full of anger.

However, the man before her just gave another of his demonic smirk. "Don't worry, Seraphina. Of course, your luscious body is for my eyes only

Before she could stop herself, she pulled his well-combed blond hair, shocking the both of them for a minute before Zachary's face transformed from full rage to amusement.

Seraphina knew Zachary was about to do something yet again horrible to her, with that, she gathered her heavy skirt and sprinted downstairs, her heart racing fast.

She was only a floor away from Zachary when she decided to look back at him and there he stood tall, his hands inside his pocket, his back against the wall, smirking at her which only made Seraphina squirm.

As soon as Seraphina stepped foot in the drawing-room, she was greeted by Edward Finnegan whose worried eyes were traveling around her features.

"Are you okay, Ms. Hearts?" asked the assistant bank manager and was on the verge of touching Seraphina when she hurriedly hid her arms behind her back and shook her head.

Seraphina was about to respond to the worried bachelor she just stumbled upon moments ago but for some reason, Zachary's frightening voice warning her not to engage with Edward Finnegan echoed in her mind.

That is why Seraphina was shocked to her core when she found herself leaving the bachelor with a disbelief look. Seraphina cannot understand herself following her dead friend's creepy older brother command.

Nevertheless, Seraphina decided the night was over and so, she went back to the boarding school before Zachary could find her and climbed into the carriage with her.

In the morning during breakfast, Seraphina received the news from the headmistress regarding the assistant manager of Bath Bank being found with three severe cuts on his stomach, his left eyeball missing right along the riverside, not particularly far from the boarding school.

However, thank goodness someone found him in the area before the assistant manager lost his life.

Seraphina closed her eyes for a second, digesting what she just heard. Suddenly, she lost her appetite due to the gruesome details of what happened to the bachelor she just engaged with last night.

Climbing into her quarters, her heart began racing hard, her mind wandering around the man she felt was responsible for it.

Gow knows how much Seraphina wanted to tell the authorities about Zachary Canning in the past but she just can't for some reason.

Not only because he is the last living relative of Dorian Canning, her dear best friend. She just can't digest the idea of him rotting in jail. Besides, she has no valid evidence.

And so, Seraphina forced herself to focus on her studies.

However, her mind began to drift away to an old memory of hers five years ago. It was already sunset, exactly one hour before Seraphina and her aunt were to go back to the Hearts manor.

Dorian implied that he is far too tired to play and would rather rest for the remainder of the day. Leaving Seraphina all alone with her aunt and Dorian's mother named Jane who seems to not run out of topics to converse about.

Seraphine grew bored waiting at the two women to finish and so, quietly, she sneaked outside the drawing-room and began exploring the garden all alone, without Dorian, her customary companion.

Her eyes scanned the surroundings but she soon grew tired of it since the scene before her was nothing but endless trees.

However, on the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a slender figure walking in a hurried manner.

Seraphina was glued on her spot. She was torn between running back inside the drawing-room and being brave and exploring the mysterious garden that lies before her.

As stupid as it sounded, Seraphina decided to choose to step her foot forward unto the garden, following the man who he just saw.

Chuckling just by thinking of narrating all her dauntlessness to Dorian. Seraphina cannot imagine the look of Dorian when he realized his friend is far more valorous than him.

Right as soon as Seraphina caught sight of the tall hooded figure again who no longer is walking so quickly, Seraphina began walking towards the man as quiet as she had mastered.

Her eyes shifted to the ground to make sure there won't be any twigs to signal her unwanted presence, running her fingers through her raven black hair in anxiety.

And when she was a few paces away from the man, still behind him, she decided to suck it up and run towards the side of the hooded figure who was squatting in the grass.

Seraphina almost puked at the sight in front of her. For there are three dead ravens swimming in their own blood right in the man's hand. Each of its eyes is pulled from its socket and on the ground where all their small eyes can be found. The grass-covered with blood as well.

When Seraphina's frightened emerald eyes landed on the face of the man, she almost let out a scream, ascertaining that Zachary Canning, her best friend's creepy older brother is the one responsible for all these.

At a sound of a soft gasp, Zachary, the hooded man looked up to her and there he saw a frightened young girl, wearing a rosy dress, staring down at him. Instead of running, he stared back at the little girl, daring her, his blazing blue eyes widening, giving off such a sinister look.

Zachary Canning was about to grab her hand, his hand bloody from the pool of blood from the ravens when Seraphina ran as fast as she could back to the drawing-room.

As a child, it seems logical to Seraphina to tell all the adults the gruesome scene she just witnessed and so, that's what she did.

Aunt Veronica and Mrs. Jane Canning just chuckled at Seraphina, brushing her off. However, when they realized that the child before them was not joking, they decided to listen to Seraphina's side.

"I swear, I saw him in the garden with three dead ravens," Seraphina articulated, tears forming in her eyes.

"That can't be, a child for my son seldom leaves his quarters and even the library upstairs," reasoned out Mrs. Jane Canning whose fingers were brushing the raven black hair of Seraphina.

But still, Seraphina insisted that whom she truly saw was definitely him and so, Seraphina together with her aunt and Mrs. Jane Canning went straight to the library upstairs and there they saw Zachary Canning, fast asleep, his head on top of the mahogany table. Tons of books on the table beside his head and a blank canvas on the other side of the aisle. His art materials on the other end of the table.

Jane Canning strolled towards her son, running her fingers through his unruly blond hair before saying, "See, Seraphina? Zach wouldn't go on such gruesome adventures especially in this time of an hour,"

And that signaled their exit. And so, all with Seraphine's trembling hands snaking around her aunt's arm, they walk their way outside the library, Zachary Canning's lair.

While the two older women were busy yet again conversing, Seraphina's head turned back at the supposedly sleeping Zachary Canning. The supposedly golden boy Zachary Canning was, indeed, just faking it all.

And so, her eyes went wide in surprise when there sat Zachary Canning, his slender legs crossed. His blond hair messy, his blazing blue eyes challenging.

Zachary Canning stared at the horrified young girl in front of him and laggardly, he placed his bloody forefinger in the middle of his lips, staining them, the corner of his lip twitching upwards in such a demonic manner.

Seraphina loved it when people would spill their darkest deepest secrets on her but with her friend's mysterious older brother, she would prefer not to unravel much of him.