Beyond the Sinister (COMPLETE)

XVII. disguise

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.