Everyone in Avebury or at least the elites who are acquainted with the Canning family were stunned when the news broke out regarding Zachary, the last surviving Canning fired all the household staff in his manor.

Even those who were laboring in the said manse for more than a decade or so were unfortunately not spared. This invoked everyone to raise their suspicious brows.

Perhaps, though many, Zachary Canning cannot afford more of it for all the pounds spent on his deceased brother, Dorian's medical bills.

However, that seems impossible, indeed. The Cannings, even generations back, were commonly known as people who were simply born with silver spoons. Plus, Zachary Canning's artworks are quite desired by other aristocrats, the bidding perpetually surpasses a million pounds.

The folks in Avebury were compelled to not go any further into the fascinating news, thinking instead that Zachary Canning indeed found beauty in the simplicity of life.

However, when the destitute son of a mere gardener who used to work on the Canning manor found his dead father in the manse's barn, lying in his pool of blood mixed with hays, everything began to turn sideways.

Everything about the scene is gruesome, there's no doubt. Beginning from how the gardener's eyes were all plucked out, nowhere in sight, his fingernails removed, and what made it more sickening was how the gardener's pale head was chopped off from the rest of his body.

The Latin words cut in the man's chest saying, "Catch me before I kill some more," did not escape the attention of the authorities who investigated the scene.

It was horrid, indeed. It sparked a vast of attention around Avebury, obviously, one may automatically think of the name 'Zachary Canning' as the main suspect, the mastermind, the man behind the lurid murder. His immaculate reputation began to fade away from their minds.

However, how could one put Zachary Canning into blame for he is known as the golden boy in Avebury along with his late younger brother? Besides, he was outside the city when all this occurred.

Zachary Canning went home to Colchester when the authorities informed him regarding the brutal murder in his manse, all dressed in a fancy black suit, well-polished shoes, his blond hair waxed, looking regal yet intimidating as ever. As if he doesn't care a bit about the blames and threats he had been receiving.

Even from the busy streets of Avebury, as Zachary Canning was walking, a carpet bag in his hand failed to not notice the judging and curious looks of other folks, their heads following him.

Knowing Zachary Canning, the corner of his lips just switched upwards as he made his way onwards the Canning manor in the foot since not a single chauffeur would not accept him.

Aunt Veronica, of course, was stunned to her core regarding the news considering that the incident occurred a few blocks away from the Hearts manor.

Despite how many aristocrats are pointing their fingers to Zachary Canning, his godmother remained faithful to him, brushing off the news.

"My dear Zachary would not do such a thing," defended Aunt Veronica that day in the balcony, her hands behind her back, gloomy yet determined.

Seraphina remained glued to her spot, her back resting against the marbled wall, her eyes wandering around the small portraits and landscapes painted by, of course, Zachary Canning himself.

To be frank, Seraphina doesn't know what to think anymore. She knew Zachary is creepy and all, has a thirst for torturing mere animals but this? Murdering a human being is beyond all Seraphina can handle.

"My poor boy, he probably hasn't eaten yet," added Aunt Veronica, her hand resting on her chest with such an aching tone.

Seraphina let out a soft sigh when she caught such words from her aunt, "Do me a favor, dear. Go to that house of his and give him a proper meal, that's the least we could do,"

She was about to object, questioning her aunt on why they even had the need to provide Zachary who still hasn't left his home a meal. Seraphina quickly shook her head, knowing that Zachary Canning did fire all his household staff and probably, scratch that, certainly does not possess any knowledge on how to cook.

The chauffeur gave Seraphina strange looks when she told him her destination.

"Are you sane, Miss? That household is haunted," exclaimed the balding chauffeur, his round hazel eyes confused and persuading.

Seraphina gave the man a mere smile before muttering, "All is fine, kind Sir. I appreciate your concern,"

In the end, Seraphina had to increase her payment just so the man could deliver her to the Canning manor since he is far too drowned to the idea of getting himself murdered in the place.

All dressed in her customary black frock, the meal which she and her aunt prepared was gingerly covered in a red cloth. Seraphina began strolling towards Zachary Canning's chamber in the peak of the manor, nervous for some reason.

When her emerald eyes are now gawking on the familiar mahogany door before her, Seraphina nervously, her palms sweaty, knocked thrice.

Moments passed by. The door failed to fly open. It was as if Zachary was not here.

Seraphina for the second time knocked again. Harder this time, her knuckles are reddening.

However, Zachary did not answer once again and so, Seraphina, compelled to be dauntless in this very moment, held the rusty golden doorknob, opening it up.

Seraphina was greeted by the darkness of Zachary Canning's quarters despite how the clock only stricked one in the afternoon.

Squinting her emerald eyes, in search of the man she went here for, there she saw Zachary Canning, sitting on the cold floor, his back resting on the side of the bed, his knees touching his chest, his arms around his slender legs, and his head hidden on top of his kneecaps.

Seraphina strolled towards him, gripping the meal which she brought harder than intended. She cleared her throat, alerting Zachary of her presence.

In an instant, his head shot up, his unruly blond hair following the direction.

Zachary stared at the woman in black before her, stunned, the bags under his eyes evident than ever.

"Goodness heavens, Mr. Canning. You look as if you haven't slept for a while-" Seraphina's scolding was cut short when Zachary rose from the nippy floor, wrapping his cold arms around Seraphina, almost suffocating the woman in black.

It took moments for Seraphina to digest what just transpired. It stunned Seraphina to her very core when she found herself returning the embrace.

Upon realizing it, she quickly broke the contact, quarreling him and even herself in the back of her mind, "How inappropriate of you, Mr. Canning,"

And so, with a smug look on his rugged face, Zachary let Seraphina go whose cheeks are rosy despite how pitch-dark it is, compelling Zachary to light up a kerosene lamp.

Seraphina, her eyes traveling around everywhere but him, her cheeks still red, slammed the meal to his chest, their fingertips touching along the awkward process.

"Aunt Veronica fears you haven't eaten yet. So, here I am, playing the role of messenger," Seraphina uttered.

In the corner of her green curious eye, Seraphina watched how Zachary held the meal in his calloused hands gingerly, almost making Seraphina snort for he looked as if he was holding the Crown's Jewel.

Her eyes follow every movement he makes, from mere sitting down on his bed to diving into the meal in such an intimidating manner.

Mentally cursing herself when Zachary caught her staring, a smug look forming in his features, forcing Seraphina to divert her eyes elsewhere.

"I was just making sure you're eating well, Mr. Canning, you see, Aunt would surely scold me if she happens to ascertain you're-" Seraphina stopped her blabbering before it got worse. Why on earth is she even explaining to him?

Seraphina senses an amused stare boring behind her.

Eyes wandering around the room, she noticed how similar the interior is to the room across, wherein she last abides.

The pitch-black wallpapers are also peeling off, the furniture only includes a master bed, a dresser, a chair, and a desk, all are in such poor state.

Seraphina cannot help herself, she felt herself drawn to his desk, not having the intention of touching anything, just looking is fine. However, that changed when she gazed upon an incredibly thick journal of his.

Aware that the man behind him might get furious, Seraphina still let her delicate fingertips still run across the journal, opening it, her eyes widened.

Flipping through the countess and countless pages, her heart began to race in an uncontrollable manner, anger rising within her.

All the pages are filled with a wide variety of illustrations. All the subjects are only her.

One includes her on the balcony in the Canning manor, sitting on an elongated couch, a cushion in her lap, dressed in a turquoise flock, her raven black hair neatly tied up, her nose stuck between a book.

Riffling through the pages more, there she saw an illustration of her laughing in the drawing-room, all teeth showing, her eyes squinting, dressed in a yellow gown with a ribbon encircling her waist, her hair tied-up once again.

However, as she came nearer to the middle of the journal, that's when the illustrations came out of hand.

There she saw herself naked in her bed back in the Canning manor, she could perfectly remember this bed, this is the one downstairs, where she usually resides. This time, like the illustration Zachary gave her last time, Seraphina's hair is also unruly, spread around her head and shoulders, few strands touching her nipple and down to her stomach. Her arms were spread also as if they were some sort of butterfly. Her legs closed. Her plump lips hanging, her green eyes lazily closed.

Seraphina let out a soft gasp, her fingers cannot stop from flipping the pages some more for there is another impudence naked illustration of hers.

What's worse was how she recognized all the chambers. One was back in the boarding school while the other was in the Hearts manor.

This is all too much for Seraphina to digest. Her fingers shaking uncontrollable yet her grip in the journal remained hard.

When she looked behind her to confront the demonic artist behind all this, there she saw Zachary Canning staring at her with his typical blazing blue eyes.

With rage within the woman in black, she slammed the thick disrespectful journal unto the artist.

"You pervert!" was what Seraphina hollered on and on and on, each one hitting Zachary.

However, not once did Zachary flinch instead, an unreadable emotion is plastered in his very face.

"You are one sick psycho!" roared Seraphina, her emerald eyes blazing right into the man, her hair falling out of place due to excessive motion.

Zachary Canning remained motionless, his eyes darting to the furious woman before him whose exhaustion is getting evident.

With that, Zachary Canning held the nippy hands of Seraphina, stopping her, the sound of the journal hitting the floor entered their ears, Seraphina's rugged breath increasing.

Due to exhaustion, with just one tug, Seraphina fell onto the bed, her hands captured by Zachary whose slender legs now enveloped her, trapping her. Her head tucked between his arms, her eyes droopy.

In just one click, his arms encircled the pissed off the maiden, his warmth seeping through her delicate skin.

The two of them stayed exactly like this, exchanging heated stares. Zachary with his ocean eyes, electrifying her and Seraphina with his emerald eyes, electrifying him in a bad way. If looks could kill then Zachary is already dead.

One moment, their faces inches apart, their nose mildly touching, Zachary's stares alternating from her captivating eyes to her plump lips when Seraphina had enough.

With such force and annoyance to him and to herself, she stormed out of Lucifer's lair, leaving him all alone as she could feel his stares boring behind her.

"Go fix yourself, Mr. Canning," was the last thing she said before she left the chamber, her blood boiling.

On Seraphina's journey back to Hearts manor, the images of the vulgar illustrations flash in her mind.

"What a stupid pervert," murmured Seraphina while furiously walking back to the Hearts manor.

Erasing such thought from her head, her mind began drifting to a distant memory which made her anger towards the artist deeper.

It was the day after Mrs. Jane Canning was buried, the same place where Dorian currently resides.

The Canning brothers, at that period, prefer to lock themselves up in their chambers.

It was Aunt Veronica who insisted that she and her niece should stay for the week, to look after the golden brothers.

Seraphina's quarters were across Aunt Veronica's, a floor away from the Canning brothers.

Seraphina vividly remembers how in the midst of a gloomy night, she woke up, feeling something amiss.

Squinting her confused eyes around the chamber, there she saw a tall silhouette of man right behind the window, the moonlight hindering her in identifying the identity of the man.

Thinking it was an unearthly entity, Seraphina swiftly shut her eyes, hiding under the white covers as she began reciting the prayer Aunt Veronica taught her.

Her prayer was cut short when she heard the footfalls of the man, hurriedly exiting the chamber.

The frightened girl can take it no more, peeking right from the white covers, there she saw the back of a familiar man, a sketchbook tucked under his arm.

Eyes wide, mouth hanging, Seraphina was indeed stunned. She is certain that man was no other than her friend's creepy older brother.

The poor girl dared not to blink even an eye in fear he'll come barging right back to her, unwelcome.

The next morning during breakfast, Aunt Veronica noted how Seraphina had garnered a massive amount of bags under her eyes, saying she'll bring cucumbers for her later that afternoon.

With the mention of Seraphina's eyebags, the two brothers' eyes are glued to her.

It was Dorian who chose to verbally comment about it, "What kept you all night, Sep?" his blue eyes full of confusion.

Seraphina just gave her friend a squinted look which in their friendship dictionary means 'Shut up'.

Dorian released a mocking snicker at his dear sleep-deprived friend.

However, in Seraphina's peripheral view, she could certainly tell Zachary Canning is once again staring at her with such amusement, his eyebags mirroring hers, his blond hair waxed, and his brow rising in mockery.

Seraphina chose not to verbally comment about him, pretending she could not feel his daggering stares throughout breakfast, making her conscious of her eating appearance, groaning in her head upon realizing she cared about his opinion towards her.

Days passed and thankfully, no intruder came inside Seraphina's chamber. It was the last day of their stay in the Canning manor when once again, the artist decided to sneak inside.

The whole time, Seraphina is aware of his presence. For some unknown reasons, Seraphina did not confront Zachary, hollering such harsh words towards her friend's creepy older brother.

Instead, she found herself going along the flow, pretending to sleep as he stood there, towering her, a sketchbook in his hand, his calloused fingertips traveling across her cheeks, following a circular motion.

Seraphina wanted to open her eyes when she felt his fingers brushing along her collarbone, tickling her. Seraphina let out a relieved sigh at the back of her head when his hands traveled no more. Alternating only from her face to her collarbone but never to the rest of her body.