Hey! Hope you all are well and before proceeding further to read, I want to clear one thing again and for the last time. This book is a dark romance novel, which clearly means it will contain dark contents , so make the decision whether you want to read the story further or not. Enjoy:)
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"So be careful, Princess. Don't even think about escaping from me, "
Seraphina didn't say a single word but just heard that sinner above her ,who was gazing at her with his icy grey eyes.
Arzal placed his palm over her cheek and gently brushed his fingers against her soft skin, making her breathing to accelerate.
Seraphina's heart started clenching in fear and pain when she saw a predacious smirk appearing on his face, as he was gazing into her shimmering blue eyes.
"Fine, let's make a deal, Sera. As you know I am a businessman and I do nothing for free, " He uttered, smirking while brushing his fingers on her cheek.
"So I guess it would not be very much justifiable if I take something for free, right? So… " He halted and touched the corner of her swollen lips with his thumb pad.
"You love your brother the most in this world, right? You can do anything for him, so… " He brushed his thumb on her lower lip delicately and stared into her azure orbs.
"Your brother will be safe, unharmed, perfectly alright and will even get every kind of success he has ever wanted in his life till the second you will follow my each and every word, Sera , "
Seraphina still didn't open her mouth but she could clearly sense that deadly havoc playing in his eyes and lacing in his words.
"But the very second you will defy my words then… " He leaned closer to her face and gave a gentle suck on her lower lip, making her to fist her palms.
"I will forget my words which I am giving to you right now of your brother's safety, "
Her heart ached, processing his words. He had made her vulnerable and helpless. He had caged her weakness and now was using it against her.
Tears pricked into her eyes but Seraphina still didn't speak a single word to him in reply.
"So, the condition of the deal is very simple. Obey me and get anything but disobey me and lose your everything, Princess , "
A tear slipped down from the corner of her eyes, hearing his words and watching that demeanor grin on his face, which made her mouth automatically speak those words.
"I hate you, " She softly breathed out against his lips in her shivering voice, which made his grin fall from his face.
Seraphina witnessed that grey shade in his eyes to turn darker at her words. His palm trail from her face to her neck and her heartbeat dropped when he clutched her fragile neck in his big and firm palm.
His hold wasn't painful, not even a little but it was terrifying enough for Seraphina to feel suffocated and afraid of him.
His devious smirk again crept back on his face as he peered into her glossy eyes and took his face more close to her. Seraphina shut her eyes when he traced his nose bridge against her cheek and then jaw line.
"Good for you, Princess if you hate me, " The pitch of his voice turned more low, making her shiver under him.
He brushed his lips on her cheek and then kissed his nose pin because he was painfully addicted to it , not just to it but her entire existence.
"Because loving me is far more worse than hating me for you , Sera, "
His words were a significance of warning for her but only if they both knew what their fate had stored for them in future.
He slowly detached his face from her and looked at her closed eyes.
"I will take your silence as an approval of the deal between us, Sera, "
Seraphina heard him saying and she exhaled a sharp breath when she felt him getting up from her. Her body lost his warmth , resulting in her shivering as she was still almost naked .
Seraphina slowly opened her lashes, only to find his eyes scanning her entire bare body with that evil sinfulness in his eyes.
A shiver ran down her spine when she witnessed his predatory gaze on her naked skin. She immediately got up and pulled the duvet and covered her with it, making him chuckle slowly.
He laughed and then looked at her afraid self. He bowed his upper body and got closer to her face.
Their gazes again fastened as their breathing mixed.
"Only if you know, Princess, " He cooed against her face, staring into her eyes which turned confused after hearing him because she didn't know what he meant by his words.
His grin turned wide by watching that untidiness in her alluring azure eyes which made her look more innocuous.
Unable to control himself, he pecked her lips softly , making her gulp. He stood straight and then glanced at her one last time and then turned.
Seraphina saw him walking towards the door. She thought he was going to leave but his feet halted which made her throat dry in panic.
"Lock the door more carefully because not every f#cked up man who is going to see you here like this is going to leave without satisfying his real motives, Princess, "
Her eyes widened in fear, realising the meaning of his words . Seraphina gazed at his back bewildered and then she saw him walking out of her door without turning around.
After witnessing him leaving, Seraphina bursted out crying and hugged the duvet tightly because what just had happened had shrugged her heart in fear and pain and what was about to happen had started shivering her soul in terror.
In the evening, Nathan came back from his work. He entered his house and then closed the door behind him. He walked further inside the house and spoke loudly.
"Sephi, I am hom… . " He stopped when he saw her sitting in front of a window of the hall as she was looking outside through it.
He walked towards her and placed his palm over her head which made her slightly shrug.
Seraphina trailed her eyes upward at him and Nathan immediately noticed that something had changed in her because her eyes were looking dull and slightly puffy.
"Seraphina, what… "
She didn't let him complete his words by hugging him as tightly as possible. He immediately hugged her back and started caressing her back.
"Angel, what's wrong? Are you not feeling well? " He asked, tensing up badly.
Seraphina caged him more firmly and softly spoke.
"No, I..I missed you, Nate, "
Even her voice was quivering which didn't go unnoticed by Nathan. He took out her face and then saw her eyes were glistening with tears which made his chest tighten.
He cupped her face and asked, concerned.
"Sephi, what happened? Please tell me. What's bothering you, angel? "
Her entity screamed at her to tell him everything. Everything about that person who had started ruining her life. Seraphina opened her mouth to tell him the truth but immediately his threat started echoing in her head which made her shut her mouth again because she knew he was capable of doing what he had just threatened to her and Seraphina could lose anything but not her brother because he was her everything. Her brother had always shielded her in best or worst. He had put her , her safety, her happiness before his, so how could she let something happen to that person's life who was living for her.
She shrugged her head a bit and answered.
"I.. I slept in the noon and had a very b..bad dream, " She moulded her words but did not lie completely. That person was a nightmare for her.
Nathan sighed in relief at her words because he believed his sister would never hide something from him, lying wasn't even a question. He trusted her blindly.
He smiled and cleaned her teary eyes delicately.
"Why didn't you call me if you had a bad dream? I would have come back to you hurriedly, " He told and her fluttered, realising how much he loved her.
Seraphina placed her palm over his and clutched it tightly.
"From now on, I will fight against that bad dream alone, " That was also the truth. She had to fight against that nightmare alone.
Nathan beamed and patted her head and said
"My Sephi has really turned into a big and brave girl and I know she will win against her bad dream and the second she will defeat her bad dream, her bad dream will turn into the most beautiful dream of her life, "
Who had seen the future that at what cost her nightmare was going to change into a beautiful dream in future?
Seraphina slowly nodded and smiled weekly.
"Go and freshen up . Then I'll talk to you about something, Nate, "
Nathan got confused hearing her and spoke.
"You can tell me now what's troubling you, Seraphina, "
She shrugged her head lightly and said.
"No, go and freshen up first . You must be tired and then we'll talk, "
Nathan sighed but ended up listening to her and then went to his room to freshen up.
And Seraphina exhaled a heavy breathing by watching his disappearing figure . She turned her head and again looked at that evening sky through the glass window, which was falling into more darkness just like her life, which was drowning more deeper in darkness with each passing second and she had no way out from it, then to lose herself to that darkness.
"Ok now tell me, what you want to talk to me about, Sephi? " Nathan asked, while coming out from his room.
Seraphina sighed, hearing him. She held his hand and made him sit on the couch and settled herself beside him.
Nathan tensed more by watching that seriousness in her eyes. He cupped her palm in his and spoke.
"You can tell me anything, my angel. You know that ,right ? "
Seraphina's heart clenched in pain. Yes, he was just not only her brother, he was her father, he was her mother and even her best friend. Seraphina had always found her entire world in him because he was always there for her , in every phase and moment of her life.
She held back his hand and parted her lips to speak.
"Nate, I want to talk to you about that thing which Mr G.. Grayson was talking to you last night, " She was even afraid to take his name.
Nathan's brows arched in confusion, hearing her, until he heard her next words.
"I thought about it alot and came to the conclusion that you should accept Mr Grayson's request of l.. leaving this country for the project, "
Shock was an understatement, Nathan was bewildered at her words. His eyes slightly widened, what made her change her decision so fast and easily.
"Seraphina… . "
"I know, Nate. I.. I was the one who was telling you to not leave before but now I think you should accept Mr Grayson's request because h.. he has also helped us a lot and when he is needing our help, we should h.. help him, " Only Seraphina knew how painful it was for her to speak out those words to him.
"But Seraphina, I don't want to leave you. I know Mr Grayson has done a lot for us and I should help him now but angel, I can't return his favour at the cost of you, " That was the truth, Seraphina was the cost which he wanted.
"I can't leave you here alone, because I can't take you there with me as you have your school and your finals after a couple of months and I can't take risk with your studies or future, so no. I have denied Mr Grayson's proposal that I won't be able to leave you here with him and his mother, "
Seraphina gulped hard. How she wished that it remained like what Nathan was saying but she knew she couldn't let it happen because she wasn't ready to endure its deadly aftermath.
"Nate, I.. I will be alright with Mr Grayson and his family because Mr Grayson is a g… good and humble man, " The biggest lie she had ever told in her life.
"But Ser… "
"Please try to understand, Nate. You should not always put me above your success and life. This opportunity will be really beneficial for your growth in future. You will be more successful and… "
"I want nothing at the cost of you, Seraphina, " He halted her words.
Seraphina was beyond astonished to know how he could love her so much. Her eyes filled with tears.
"But this time I want your success, happiness and wellbeing at the cost of anything, Nate, " She said as a lone tear rolled down from her eyes.
"I want you to choose yourself this time before me. At least not for you, but for me. Please choose yourself for once above me, Nate, "
Even Nathan's eyes filled with slight tears at her words. He didn't reply but just pulled her into a soft warm hug and kissed her head.
"You're above everything for me, Seraphina. My everything lies in you, my angel, "
Seraphina hugged him tightly and silently shedded her tears on his chest.
"Then for once, do something for us and not just only for me, Nate. " She softly breathed out and took out her face.
Seraphina saw the tears in her brother's eyes which hurted her more than anything. She palmed his face with her tiny soft hands and pecked his forehead affectionately.
"You're my mamma and you're my papa , Nate . I have always found them in you, so I want my parents to shine more beautifully in their lives through you. I want you to achieve every beautiful thing in your life but I know this won't be possible if you just think about me but not yourself, so please. Accept Mr Grayson's proposal. Go out for that business project and I promise I will try my best to live here on my own and it's just a matter of months then you will be back to me, "
Nathan was speechless, witnessing his little sister's matured behavior and words. She had turned so much understanding which made him feel proud of her but he was still not ready to leave her all alone.
"But Seraphina , how will you adjust with him and his family and in that new place for these 2 months ? You will.."
"I will try, Nate. I will try my best and if anything happens, I will tell you, so that you can come back to me as soon as possible, " She spoke but he still wasn't convinced.
"But Ser… "
"Do you trust Mr Grayson, Nate? " Seraphina asked him, which made him stunned.
"I do but he's still a stranger for you, Seraphina. You and even me have just started knowing him personally from the past couple of weeks, so how could I trust that stranger with you and your responsibility?"
His concern for his sister was justifiable and understandable because every brother would think the same for his little sister.
"But I trust him, Nate. I trust Mr Grayson , " She didn't know whether it was a lie or truth but she just said it.
"Mr Grayson won't do anything wrong or immoral, especially with me. He has always treated and behaved with me g…gently and appropriately," Now she lied fully but she had to, in order to convince him.
"So, please Nate. Accept his proposal and go out for that project. I will be alright here, please, "
Nathan exhaled a long breath and then looked into her pleading eyes. He nodded slightly and then spoke.
"Fine, I will talk to Mr Grayson about this and will notify him about my decision , "
Seraphina also nodded and then again caged him. She placed her head on his chest and closed her eyes which started falling tears silently because now she had herself chosen that path of getting destroyed and ruined by her only tormentor.
After getting done with the dinner . Seraphina had come back to her room to sleep but her sleep was far away from her because she got the news from Nathan that he was going to leave a day after tomorrow for that project as he had informed Arzal and he would make the arrangements of his leaving till then.
She was beyond restless and afraid and somehow hurt too because she knew that she was pushing herself but she had no other option than that. At that point, she was just thinking about her brother's safety and wellbeing, even if it was at the stake of herself.
Seraphina was tossing herself here and there when suddenly her mind started flashing those images of the day when on that same bed, she had lost her first kiss to him. Yes, he had snatched her first kiss from her but she had also willingly given up to him the other time.
Yes, she had every reason to blame him, to hate him for what he had done and was going to do but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel that strange sensation running across her entire body, just with the mere remembrance of the things he has done to her today. The way he kissed her, the way he touched her . Those feelings and sensations which he had made her to feel were terrifying yet so captivating.
Seraphina was totally drowned in her own thoughts which got broken with the ringing of her phone. She tossed her head and stretched her arm to take her phone from the table.
Her brows knitted in confusion, watching that unknown number, flashing on her phone's screen, especially at that time of the night. She picked up the call and pressed the phone to her ear.
"Hello, " She said, in her gentle and untidy voice but heard nothing for the opposite side but just a numb silence. So she spoke again.
"Hel… " Her voice halted, whereas her heart froze, finally hearing that voice from the other side.
"I am missing you, Princess, "
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