Ella couldn't be happier at that moment, the moment when her tutor was praising her for her first artwork. It was a simple painting of a sunflower but still it was her first painting ever and she loved how the slim brush can create such blend of colors.

It always amazed Ella how nature had such fine hue of reflections. From a dirty looking brown sand to the emblazing yellow sun, everything amazed her.

It was unfortunate that she couldn't enjoy the beauty before due to many pits life had thrown her into. But now that chance came, she couldn't contain her excitement within herself. She liked Xander a little bit more for giving her the opportunity to experience something like that.

"Excellent, My Lady." The governess smiled making Ella smile brightly in return. "You have a great style in mixing colors, My Lady. Next time we will learn how to extract yellow coloring from dandelions." And Ella's joy knew no bounds. She would learn how to get a color from flowers and that was the best thing for her.

"Are you enjoying, darling?" She heard raspy whisper of her husband from behind which startled her. She raised her head up to find her tutor and Lucy nowhere to be seen. She slowly turned back to see Xander bent down to her level, giving her a heated gaze.

"How was it? Do you like it?" Xander wrapped his hands around Ella's waist pulling her close to him. He was smiling like a bamboozle looking at the content looking on his lovely wife's face. What could he not give to get such a smile from his wife.

"Yes. Miss Panford is a sweet woman and she taught me how to make a simple bouquet of three flowers and I also learnt how to paint a simple flower. I made a sunflower with yellow, green and orange colors." Xander chuckled when Ella hugged him in enthusiasm. He felt like he won the whole planet when he noticed the utter joy in Ella's eyes.

Yet, on the other side he was raging with the thirst to taste blood of every single person who snatched such innocent happiness from her. He felt like tearing everyone from limb to limb who were responsible for causing such pain to an innocent girl like his Ella.

If he should, then he would be going to the lengths of selling himself to the devil if in return he could bring such cheerful smile on her face.

"Brilliant. Are you happy, Ella?" He asked knowing too well what the answer was. He knew she was beyond happy but still he wanted to hear it with her musical voice.

"Yes I am. Thank you, Xander. I don't know why you are so nice to me. I don't know if you have any other hidden motives for being nice to me like town members, but I am very happy." Ella looked affectionately into Xander's eyes and cupped his face with her dainty hands. "I am happy to be with you. From the moment I met you the first time, you always made an effort to make me happy. I feel fortunate to be your wife."

Xander felt a pang in his heart when Ella said she was fortunate to have married him. His little Ella was so pleased for such a trivial thing as to learning flower engagement and it pained his heart to see how deeply wounded she was from heart.

He watched her suffer for years and always helped her from shadows but he knew that he cannot understand her agony whatsoever. His eyes hardened with a strong determination of making up for all the hurt and keep her so content that she could forget what pain was.

"And you are my sole reason of life. Now go rest, Later this evening, I will take you to your garden." Ella's eyes lightened up when she heard the word garden. Her garden?

"My Garden?" She queried, excitement pouring out her statements.

"Yes, you have your own garden with many flowers and scented plants. I'm certain you will definitely love it." Xander kissed her cheek affectionately.

Her own garden? The thought of beautiful serene garden made Ella's stomach tickle with butterflies. Xander had arranged a garden for her? She saw the affection and love Xander had for her. Although it takes time for her to completely trust him, she was starting to see how he was trying to keep her at ease.

What had she ever done to get such a husband?

Soon enough, Lucy approached the Lord and Lady to escort Lady to her chamber and replenish her with some snacks.

"Lucy, ask Miss Garrick to arrange hot tub of water and massage Lady Ella's feet. And yes, ask Lyndon to meet me here right away." The Lord ordered sternly to which Lucy nodded obediently and walked behind Ella.

Though she couldn't express, Lucy was extremely pleased to see the Lord taking care of Lady Ella so diligently. She noticed a spark of adoration in the Lord's eyes for the Lady and why not, Lady Ella was the sweetest thing she had ever seen. She felt privileged to be serving someone like Lady Ella.

"My Lord," Lyndon bowed to the Lord, folding his hands to his front politely.

"Lyndon, The storm has finally calmed in Shadowvalor, isn't it?" Lord Knight asked to which Lyndon nodded his head positively.

"Yes, My Lord. It has finally calmed down few days ago and the town is presently working in getting back their establishments." The Lord hummed, rubbing his jaw deep in thoughts.

So they are still coping up with the ruins. Hmm!

"How long would it take for the town to reinstate?" He asked, to which Lyndon narrowed his eyes slightly towards the Lord.

Lyndon couldn't understand why the Lord was so interested in welfare of a town which he loathed a lot. He had watched the Lord all those years planning different ways to inflict immense pain to the people of Shadowvalor but seeing that he was suddenly taking interest in the benefit of the same town made Lyndon narrow his eyes in thoughtfulness.

"A matter of four or five weeks, My Lord." Lyndon responded certainly as he was already keeping an eyes on the activities of the town for the Lord.

"Good. I want you to send few of our men in discrete and burn the establishments once they are built. But also make certain that it should cause the town people to mistake it as a natural calamity." The Lord ordered with a wide evil smirk adorning his face.

"Also, make a note of it that no one should be severely hurt." The Lord continued looking at the vast lush of grassland. Lyndon nodded his head but still couldn't follow what the Lord was up to.

"What is running in that mind of yours, My Lord?" Lyndon's confusion caused a chuckle from the Lord. The Lord lips, no doubt, have a smile on it but his eyes were raging red. The thirst for blood flooded back into his veins with a rush and Lyndon swayed back a few steps with the amount of power the Lord is emitting.

A wave of dark fog hit Lyndon which caused him to gasp and he knew where it came from. The Lord! The Lord was enraged and the powerful wave was just a hint that he was getting fired up to take a very dangerous step.

"To haunt Shadowvalor." Lord Knight laughed maliciously and turned back to Lyndon with such evil sneer that can even bring a devil to his knees. Lyndon know, only Lyndon knows this side of the Lord and he suddenly had an urge to pray for the town people. They were going to be in deep trouble the coming days. He knew it.

"Where is the pleasure in killing those people, Lyndon? It would be amusing if each one of them suffer double the pain they cause Ella. Soon, the whole town of Shadowvalor will be haunted by the curse of Ella, Lyndon and it would be so interesting to watch them suffer." Lord's red eyes glittered in dark amusement and the sneer on his lips turned into an anticipating smile.

He would make them all suffer but slowly... very slowly, taking his sweet time.