Not even an hour after sunrise, Zachary was completely roused, his eyes traveling from the sleeping and snoring girl in his arms to the ticking clock over the wooden wall.

Lightly touching her shoulder to wake her up since they have a long day ahead of them, Seraphina merely responds with a grunt.

Due to the undeniably cold weather, Seraphina tightened her embrace around Zachary, burying her head on his chest, her nose scraping against his white shirt, her mouth opened ajar, causing Zachary to lightly smile.

This time, Zachary hardened his pokes- not too hard, of course. However, Seraphina remained hardheaded, even had the courage to pull the covers up to her head.

With that, Zachary was left with no choice but to surrender, returning the warm hugs of the sleeping girl before him, his thumb grazing over her bare arm, his blazing blue eyes glued on her face in which he found so endearing.

Later that mourn, it was Seraphina who insisted on preparing today's breakfast which Zachary has no problem with.

The both of them sat side-by-side in the foot of the bed, plates on their lap, glass of water in the bedside table, Seraphina deeply focused on Zachary's next move as he gently made his way on the food.

As soon as his tongue touched the omelet she cooked, more like she burned, he fought back the urge to make such a face and throw up any minute now.

Instead, Zachary forced himself to chew the food, if you count it as one, and swallowed it, nearly knocking the glass of water as his hand grabbed for it.

Seraphina beamed beside him, an excited smile plastered in her face, waiting for Zachary's comment on her cooking skills.

However, at the sight of Zachary's change of expressions, as if he ate a salty rock or whatever, Seraphina was forced to face her worst nightmare of the day.

Fingers clenching the lining of the plate, eyes glued on her bare feet, Seraphina, frankly speaking, is embarrassed.

Surprised enveloped her when she felt his slender fingers held the tip of her chin, forcing her to shift her eyes in him, "Don't worry, I'll buy a bunch of cooking books by the time we got married,"

That statement alone made Seraphina's cheeks turn crimson, her eyes then quickly avoiding his gapes. The certainty of his mascot voice when he uttered those words kept replaying on and on inside her head.

Seraphina shook her head, breaking the contact of her chin to Zachary's fingers, she then rose from the bed, solely to get away from his magnetic body, "I'll rather die than exchange vows with you,"

She replied with nothing but a mere chuckle, not believing entirely what came out of her mouth to the point she, too, found herself doubting what she just uttered.

After a few, okay, many banters once again, Zachary surrendered, insisting that they should take a bath since the journey to his client is somehow lengthy.

Zachary teased her about how the two of them should shower together in order to conserve water. However, it seems like Seraphina is not in the mood to be an eco-warrior as of the moment for she slammed the pillow at him before running towards the bathroom, scowling.

By the time they reached a house, scratch that, a villa. Seraphina's jaw dropped for the villa before her is just so magnificent.

It's bigger than any manor she had been to. Bigger than the ball in the Bath, and definitely bigger than Canning's and Hearts' manor.

"You've never told me your client would be this rich," uttered Seraphina, her hand intertwined with Zachary as they made their way towards the front door.

It was Zachary who knocked, of course, and after a few moments, the door flew open along with Seraphina's jaw dropping.

The girl in black frock was shook to her very core, indeed for standing before her was no other than the man with a burned face who chased her down with an ax back in the boarding school in Bath.

Despite the absence of his axe and sinister look, despite wearing such fine clothes, Seraphina is a hundred sure this is the crazy man from before.

Oh, how could she forget that burned face of his that frightened her.

Seraphina grip around Zachary's sleeves hardened, unable to speak as Zachary and the man converse, the man partially looking at her with such easiness as if nothing just occurred.

Squinting her emerald eyes, she gaped back to the man who introduced himself as Mr. Erickson.

The three of them, Seraphina's trembling yet wary hands still clasped around Zachary's arm, continued to stroll around Mr. Erickson's sitting-room.

As much as she loathes to admit it, his house looks splendid. Even his aura seems to change as well to the point Seraphina began to think this man and the man back in Bath were not the same person.

The man, Mr. Erickson, his hands behind him, excused himself, saying, "I'll just fetch something upstairs and the painting should commence right away,"

Zachary just tipped his chin in agreement, barely saying a word, still letting Seraphina's hand encircled around his arm, not throwing such a question.

As soon as Seraphina is positive Mr. Erickson finally departs, realizing that the two of them are now truly alone, Seraphina grips Zachary's shoulder, panic arising within her as she fears Me. Erickson would be back any minute now.

It's now or never. "I need to tell you this, Zachary. I've never told you this but some psycho chased me down back in the boarding school with an ax and I am positive that man is Mr. Erickson,"

Seraphina anticipated Zachary to respond, to say something, instead, he remained calm. As if everything is okay.

"Can't you see, that man is dangerous. We need to get out," emphasized Seraphina, shaking his shoulder, her pupil dilating.

However, Zachary just rubbed her shoulder, was on the verge of opening his lips to utter something when Mr. Erickson entered the room, a golden cane in his hand, an attractive smile plastered in that sick face of his.

The painting session began, Zachary was way too invested in his work. All Seraphina could ever do is sit next to him, her legs crossed, eyes shifting between Zachary who seems more serious than usual and his work which she found both captivating.

Sure, Seraphina clothes Zachary's subject but it is what it is. Of course, it did not escape her attention how she could feel the daggering stares of Mr. Erickson who kept looking at her sideways, smirking.

Frankly speaking, Seraphina is pissed at how Zachary seems to not believe what she just told him. How he chose to side with this man rather than with her.

That alone made her blood boil. After another hour of sitting and endless staring contest with Mr. Erickson, Seraphina couldn't take more of this, so she rose from her seat, causing Zacahry to stop midway, looking up at her, his brow lifting.

"I'll just get some fresh air,"she exclaimed and before Zachary could utter a response, she was already near the exit.

Seraphina slumped down at the gazebo, letting out such frustrated sighs as she forced herself not to bury her fingers in her hair just to release her anger.

Her emerald eyes then wander around the garden, admitting to herself how every corner of this manor is a work of art. Too bad the owner isn't.

At her peripheral view, she failed to not notice a tall hooded figure, an ax in its hand.

That jolted Seraphina awake, urging her to sit straight in the gazebo, she quickly rose from her seat, eyes surveying the surroundings, trying to catch the odd figure but failed.

Perhaps, it was all her imagination.

Seraohina was about to let it all slip away when she saw it once more, the hooded figure, this time, running out from the front door of the manor.

The whole time, Seraphina's eyes followed the hooded figure, was about to barge right back inside the manor, spill what she just saw to Zachary when her ears picked up sounds of such footfalls coming behind her.

The distress woman in black dared not to look behind her for she knew it was Zachary, "I told you, that man tried to kill me,"

However, Seraphina's blood turned cold, feet glued on her spot when she heard such unfamiliar yet horrifying laughter.

In an instant, she faced Mr. Erickson or whatever his genuine name for there stood, both hands inside his pocket, grinning, "and I still am,"

As Mr. Erickson continued strolling towards her with such a cat-like move, Seraphina surveyed the surroundings, searching for Zachary but he was nowhere in sight.

It was when Mr. Erickson stood only a foot from her did she confirm she is, indeed, in trouble.

Seraphina, panic arising within her, hollered, "Zachary!" but no voice of his replied nor even a figure of him rescuing her.

The man stood close to her, then, in just a blink of an eye, he fished a thin yet sharp knife from his pocket, pointing it at her heart.

One wrong move and that knife of his will plunge deep into her heart.

"Wh-what do you want?" her lips quivering, her eyes shifting from the door of the manor, hoping Zachary would show up and Mr. Erickson's face, from his frightening eyes to his burned scars.

"The sight of Zachary Canning crying over a pretty dead girl," he simply replied, his voice amused, filled with such anger.

Seraphina was speechless, confirming that all these are connected with Zachary but why? What has he gotten himself into to the point her life would be in danger.

"Imagine how that stone-hard face of his transformed when he found out that girl he kept obsessing about is dead," he then encircled his knife across her heart, a grin planted in that face of his.

"We've had enough of his rebellion, it's time for him to straighten up," added Mr. Erickson, his grip around his knife tightening, all Sersphina could ever do is close her eyes, waiting for the sensation of the knife plunging deep in her heart.

The man was about to say more when in just one snapped, a bullet hitting him straight in the back of his head, his body fell to the ground, the sound of the knife hitting the cold ground audible, his eyes wide open, stunned.

Seraphina opened her eyes, her body still trembling from fear and there Zachary is, running towards her, his face enveloped with worriedness.

All Seraphina could ever do is kneel in the ground, in just a second, Zachary's slender legs surround her, trapping her, his arms tightly wrapped around her back and her head, catching his breath, his heart racing, whispering something to Seraphina she can't quite make out.

Seraphina solely stared at the lifeless body before her, swimming in his own pool of blood.

Zachary must've realized how Seraphina's eyes were glued to the man he just murdered since he quickly traveled his calloused hands over her eyes, his thumb rubbing her eyelids.

"I-i told you he was dangerous, Zachary," stuttered Seraphins, her voice almost inaudible. Her voice is not more than a whisper.

All Zachary could ever do is nod, his hand still enveloped around her, comforting her, "I know, love, I know. I am sorry for not acting sooner,"

He then nuzzled his head on her neck, his heart still racing, "The portrait I made would surely go well with his funeral," added Zachary.

However, Seraphina dared not to reply, instead, she just gaped down at him, she could tell Zachary was about to say more when Sersphina raced him off, saying, "what have you gotten yourself into?"

There was a long silence after that. Not one dared to speak. Seraphina waited and waited for his reply but did not come.

At last, Zachary uttered the words, "Why?", bringing such ache to Seraphina's heart which she cannot comprehend.

Seraphina just stared at her in disbelief and she could tell Zachary was about to finish the conversion with a mere hug when she bravely replied, "What do you mean why?"

Seraphina blinked back the burning behind her eyes, "Why do you care?" Zachary emphasized, staring at her, as if challenging her.

At that question alone, suddenly, our beautiful heroine is lost for words, she is, indeed, speechless, and so, her plump lips remained shut.

At the back of her mind, despite how much her mind quarrels with her, she knew the answer to that question.

And so, she just punched him over and over again in his chest and all Zachary could do was let her until he could feel her exhaustion and so, he wrapped his arms around her.

"Don't worry, I'll fix everything," was Zachary's statement that turned the insides of Seraphina for she did not find any comforting at all.

She began to worry about how he'll fix everything. She began to worry for his life. For them...

Letting out a soft cry in surprise when she felt Zachary's arms slide under her knees and around her back as they began walking towards the carriage outside, leaving the manor, leaving the corpse of Mr. Erickson sprayed across the garden, his blood staining the grass.

The gun Zachary used to kill Mr. Erickson was tossed deep in the river they passed by. Seraphina swallows back the urge to ask him where he got the gun.

The whole journey, Zachary just kept on stroking her jaw, cheek, and temple, Seraphina seated on top of his lap, her lips shut, her head nuzzling his chest, her mind kept flashing the image of the lifeless body of Mr. Erickson.

By the time they get back to the inn, in their chamber on the sixth floor, they automatically know something is amiss.

As soon as their feet stepped inside the compartment, that only confirmed their suspicion for someone barged inside. That explains how everything is chaotic, as if a dozen bulls ran around the tiny room of them.

All the cabinets were opened, even their carper bags which they slumped to the side.

Racing towards her carpet bag, she rummaged around it, after a thorough search, not a single item was stolen.

Her eyes shifting back to Zachary, she instantly knew something's wrong with him despite his usual serious face he tries so hard to mask everything over with.

Lightly touching his arm, "something stolen from you?"

However, before he could muster a reply, there across the wall was the word, "Gotcha!" painted in blood, sucking the air out of Seraphina.

She was one the verge of throwing such a question when Zachary encircled his arm around her shoulder, Seraphina knew they needed to get out of here, and Zachary thought that as well.

With that, Zachary snatched their carpet bags, their fingers intertwined, they stormed out of the inn, leaving the innkeeper confused and well, a bit annoyed.

Walking to the nearest inn which took them at least an hour of tiresome walking, Seraphina had this strong urge to open her mouth and interrogate the man beside her, the man whose fingers are intertwined with him, the man carrying her carpet bag.

Nevertheless, no question left her mouth for she knew he would not reply. She'll just waste her effort and her saliva and so, she just walks alongside him.

As soon as they reached the nearest inn, the both of them had no energy to eat, and so, they decided to call it a day, or Seraphina only for Zachary to insist on keeping watch.

Letting out a soft sigh, Seraphina, now wearing her nightgown told him, "Nothing's gonna happen, Zach. Come on, let's just sleep," patting the space beside her.

Yet Zachary shook his head, showed no sign of rising from the chair beside the bed, beside her.

"I'll sleep when we get back home," replied Zachary, he then slightly rose from his seat, planted a quick peck on her forehead and slumped back to his seat.

Surrendering, Seraphina lay down on the bed, closed her eyes in hopes of drifting to sleep but it didn't seem to welcome her much.

For the remainder of the night, Seraphina just lies down, despite her closed eyes, she is still wide awake, her mind reliving what transpired today.

What has Zachary gotten himself to? Why can't he just tell her the truth about all this? Doesn't he trust her? Doesn't he lo-

Seraphina quickly shook such an idea, it was not until Seraphina felt Zachary's body fall beside her, his arms enveloping her did she find herself sleepy tonight.

Their legs intertwined, Zachary's arm as her pillow, Seraphina could feel his blazing blue eyes boring right down at her.

It seems like he has no intention of sleeping for the rest of the night, still keeping watch.

The last thing she remembers before sleep engulfed her was his warm arms soaking through her thin nightgown and him saying, "I am sorry, love," over and over and over to her ears.

She found herself thinking the words, "It's okay," over and over and over.