𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒

Chapter 3

As the night grew longer, the wind grew stronger. The night was chilly. The gentle breeze blew calmly, but the coldness of its breeze is making the environment submit due to the dominance of the cold. Winter is now coming, and the warmth that we are feeling is gone for a while.

Zachariah walked towards the garden at the back of the Watson's Mansion. The maiden greeted him minutes ago and told him that Seraphina was waiting for him at the garden. As Zachariah walked into the garden, he was amazed about the landscape and the greens of the garden. Even if the darkness is circulating the whole garden, Zachariah still could see how breathtakingly the view of the garden was.

Zachariah's POV

As I walked towards the garden, some dried leaves crunched in agony. There are so many beautiful and unique flowers planted here. And how the grass was crafted with amazing and beautiful grass and long trees.

I walk deeply to the garden. Their garden was very huge like ours. In the middle of walking to find Seraphina, the boredom didn't even go inside my head since the landscapes were majestic.

I spot a white mini cottage, looking so beautiful in the core of the garden. As I observed it for awhile, I spotted a girl wearing a white dress with a ponytail tied on her hair neatly. It was Seraphina. She looked so calm and innocent sitting all alone in there. My face planted a smile as I walked towards her.

She was looking at the scenery. Looking so elegant and ethereal under the shine of the moonlight. She looked in peace, but I felt that there was a war inside of his heart and mind, and it's true. She was back facing me, she didn't still know that I was here now yet.

She was mumbling something incoherently. It was audible, but I can't hear it clearly. She is fuming mad, and I understand it. We both are confused and shocked.

"Seraphina?" I called out her name to let her know that I finally arrived. She turned her head and body in front of me, looking at me deeply with a judgement inside of her eyes. I can feel her lingering eyes, it makes my breath slowly stop.

Her face is illuminating by the shine under the moonlight. Her face is igniting from the outside, but it's clearly contrary to the inside. Her jet black hair is swaying because of the night breeze, her honey toned skin, the moles on her face, clearly indicating her unique beauty. Her pinkish lips, that is very beautiful when it'll be curved. Her eyes held a billion stars. Her nose is perfectly shaped. She's beyond beautiful.

Third Person's POV

"Zachariah Ashford!" Seraphina yelled in annoyance and frustration. Seems like her face doesn't match her attitude. A perfect and beautiful face held poisonous and dangerous behavior.

Zachariah immediately snaps back to reality. "What? I'm sorry. I got distractedㅡ" He was immediately got cuts off by the angry voice of Seraphina.

"I couldn't even count how hundreds of times I called for your name, you went deaf! Do you have an ear problem or what?" Seraphina rants while crossing her arms all over her chest. Looking so stressed and angry about the lack of hearings from Zachariah.

Before Zachariah opened his mouth to apologize, Seraphina immediately shushed him silently. Seraphina sat against the bench and closed her eyes to maintain her calm mind, because every time she sees Zachariah, she will again lose her mind. Zachariah sat on the opposite bench silently while facing her face to face.

The comfortable silence that is surrounding the whole cottage has finally ended when Seraphina looked at him with a serious and uncomfortable stare. Zachariah looked at him and waited for Seraphina to say what she wanted to say.

"Why didn't you refuse our marriage?" Seraphina asked, looking at him with a despite and hateful look on her face, Zachariah felt a shiver down to her spine. He slowly ducked his head down in submmitionㅡ" Look at me when I talk to you." Seraphina coldly spoke, making Zachariah look at her immediately in a rush.

There's one thing that Seraphina knew about her soon to be husband, he is submissive and shy. But, she's not gonna believe that personality of that man, because she doesn't know him yet fully.

"I... I trust my parents wholeheartedly. I don't trust other people than my parents. I know they will choose what's good for me, and it's you. I have faith in them and in you." Zachariah genuinely spoke while smiling slightly, already imagining some scenarios on what will happen in the  future. But, his smiles faltered when he heard the sarcastic laughed from Seraphina.

"Bullsh*t. Is that what you called reason?" Seraphina sarcastically laughed in anger. Zachariah only looked at him with confusion.

"That was your reason? Well, your stupid faith just ruined someone's life." Seraphina stated in anger with a pain bitterness lacing in her tone. She felt a tear forming inside of her eyes, she immediately looked away to wipe it secretly. She doesn't want a stranger to witness her cry. Her ego will not approve of that disturbing side of her.

Zachariah looked at him with a guilty look in his face. He never intended to hurt Seraphina, he doesn't have any excuses, he knows that it was his fault for agreeing.

"When I look at you, I just wanna punch you till you pass out. I despite you for just agreeing just like that." Seraphina uttered with annoyance, and before Zachariah could say sorry, Seraphina immediately hushed him. "And could your sorry can fix this?" She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"I don't want to get married. I don't want anyone. I am capable of my own. I don't need a man, and now you're here. What an amazing life!" Seraphina clapped her hands and laughed bitterly.

"Well, I don't have any choices now nor you, since it has been decided without the two of us knowing." She spoke with a serious tone in her voice, and looked at his eyes again. "I will agree with this arrangement. I will agree on marrying... y-you." Seraphina stuttered at the last word, she closed her eyes and released a deep sigh. Zachariah wanted to comfort her, but she knows that Seraphina wouldn't appreciate and like his touches.

"I'm sorry for the behalf of my family for forcing you." Zachariah apologized sincerely, cringing by the word 'force'. "It's not your fault. It's our family who made this arrangement. Well, it's only for business anyway." Seraphina spoke, trying to accept the bitter truth that her parents gave her. Zachariah could only nod in return, he didn't speak because of shame and guilt.

"Since, we are marrying for business. Let's keep our marriage life formal, only for business. As we already know that the purpose of our marriage was for merging businesses, it'll only be kept that way." Seraphina enunciated. Zachariah listened genuinely and nodded in return.

"We still have some two weeks left." Zachariah softly spoke while looking at her, Seraphina raised a brow in confusion. "So?" Seraphina casually asked, making Zachariah pouted unknowingly before muttering, "Nothing."

"Seraphina, our parents will handle all the arrangements." Zachariah gently spoke, even though he already knows that Seraphina already knew about that, he still said it. Why? Because, he wanted to spend some more time with her.

"As they should." Seraphina scoffed in reply. Leaving Zachariah in the garden all alone without turning back.

Unknowingly, their new beginnings have finally started.