Beyond the Sinister (COMPLETE)

XXVIII. he changed

As soon as they reached the Hearts manor, Aunt Veronica immediately excused herself, saying she needs an hour or two rest since she'll need to do gardening later.

That left Zachary and Seraphina in the sitting room all alone, her emerald eyes traveling around the room as if it's her first time here.

That's when she saw a painting hung over the wall beside the portraits of her late parents.

She looks just like her parents, that's for sure.

She stared at the next painting, Mrs. Jane was still alive and kicking, and so was Dorian. Mrs. Jane and Aunt Veronica sitting in the cream-colored coach, 13-year-old Seraphina sitting on the ground along with Dorian and Zachary standing behind the chair.

Before she knew it, she found herself staring at Zachary's face in the painting, smiling.

Zachary, without her notice, was already beside her, his arm draped across her shoulder, his brow raised, confused. She waved him off, "Oh, I just remembered something,"

Still staring at her, as if waiting for her to reveal what she was just thinking about, Seraphina let out a soft sigh.

"You see, when I was 10 years old, always playing around with Dorian in your manor's corridors, I would always stare at your portrait at that time. I confess, you're my first major crush, with all those serious faces and all,"

Zachary seems to not believe her judging fr his skeptical face but had the nerve to chuckle, shaking her head, she added, "Really, Zach, I really did have a crush on you, well, that was until I eventually met you in the library, remember that?"

Nodding, Zachary waited for her to continue her tale, a smile plastered in his face, absently brushing her knuckles.

"Let's just say, you seriously frightened me at that time, with all your intimidating looks and all, and your deep voice," she concluded, chuckling.

She also confessed that while her classmates back then kept asking her about Dorian, it didn't seem to bother her for some reason despite having feelings towards Dorian.

And that she felt thankful that no one is asking for the older brother.

Zachary asked her why. With that, she did not answer, blushing.

Later that day in the Hearts manor, Seraphina was busy stripping off her church gown, Zachary downstairs, helping the staff out up another painting when she noticed the door was ajar and that a note suddenly appeared in her bed.

With jelly feet, she walked towards her bed, tremblingly picked it up and read it.

"You should've stayed away, Sweetie," was written in the brown parchment.

Reading the note several times, Seraphina finally digested what it said. Before she knew it, a soft gasp escaped from her lips, still half-naked, wearing only her undergarments, she clenched the note hard.

Before she entered her chamber, no such note existed in her bed, meaning, the sender was still inside the Hearts manor.

With that, she abruptly fetched her robe, not caring if she looked utterly improper, and ran downstairs towards Zachary.

Not bothering to knock, she quickly opened the mahogany door, there she saw Zachary, a hammer and a nail in his hands. Dozens of paintings swarming on his feet.

As soon as Zachary saw her, with her wrecked state, he instantly knew something's amiss.

Without saying a word, he dropped the hammer and nail, running straight to her, his hands traveling around her body, checking for any bruises, eyes worried.

Seraphina handed him the note.

After reading it, Zachary was on the verge of opening his mouth when they heard a horrified scream of Aunt Veronica coming from the garden.

Quickly, both of them ran downstairs, hand-in-hand, both their hearts beating fast.

When they reached Aunt Veronica, her gardening apron was all bloody, what one's yellow was now unrecognizable.

There, they followed the direction of Aunt Veronica's eyes, and what lies in front of them caused Seraphina to gasp.

For all the tall gnomes they have been all shattered, their pointed hats missing, the mockingbird's Aunt Veronica bought back in America are all swimming in their own blood in the pool.

Obviously, the birds were murdered using the sharp hat.

Before Seraphina could stop Zachary, he already left them, running back inside the house, probably in search of the intruder.

After a minute, he came back, sweaty, gasping for air, this time, Seraphina ran with him, leaving Aunt Veronica completely in a state of shock at what transpired.

As soon as they saw the carriage parked outside, they knew something's amiss.

Hurriedly, Zachary strolled towards the carriage, with much force, he opened it and what lies inside completely turned their worlds upside down.

For inside the carriage was the coachman, his head chopped off and so are each his fingers, his eyeballs plucked out of its socket.

Everything inside the carriage body there, the floor, even in the ceiling.

What made things worse was how the gnomes' missing pointed hats all buried the coachman's head.

Gripping Zachary's shirt, Seraphina hid behind him, suppressing a gasp.

When Zachary leaped towards the corpse, that's when he realized the words, ''No way out," were scribed into its chest. Blood spilling.

With that, furiously, Zachary, dragging Seraphina with him, his arms around her shoulders, walked back inside the manor.

Fortunately, Aunt Veronica was already sprayed across the coach, the housemaids fanning her, providing her a glass of water, still, her eyes remained in complete shock.

Seraphina was forced to sit on the other chair when Zachary led her to it; she realized Zachary's going somewhere.

With desperation, she looked at him, her frail cold hands gripping his hands, "Stay please,"

Instead, Zachary angrily shook his head, saying, "I need to end all this,"

Seraphina swore she heard him murmuring the name 'Jack' under his breath.

Who is this Jack? Is he the one who sneaked inside the manor?

And where is Zachary going? Didn't he realize they might be in grave danger since the intruder might still be here?

Panicking, she remained his grip around him, "Please, just let the authorities handle this, Zach,"

Still, he remained hardheaded, furiously shaking his head, his lips into a thin line, brows meeting.

Seraphina, close to crying, still begged him to not go.

"Please don't go, Zach, please, I am begging you. I love you, please, I can't lose you," cried Seraphina, her lips quivering.

Zachary stopped in his tracks, looked her in the eyes, suddenly, the anger in his eyes vanished,  love and surprise replacing it.

Still, the determination was planted in his eyes, it was perhaps he debating whether to go or not.

In the end, she lost.

Instead, his blazing blue eyes met her crying emerald eyes, as if speaking rather right through his eyes, he merely nodded, and kissed her forehead.

With that, he was gone.

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I accidentally reposted the previous chapter a while ago, I know, yikes. But, really, I thank you,  for messaging me regarding it.

On the other hand, stay safe, fellas!