His Innocent Sera

Leaning against the front of his sleek red Ferrari, Nate exhaled a cloud of smoke into the air and watched it dissipate. Dressed in a black shirt and jeans, he embodied the untouchable rogue. A walking temptation shrouded in an aura of mystery-his presence commanded attention effortlessly. He remained unfazed by the girl gawking at him, drawn to the unspoken promise of thrill and danger in his cold, piercing eyes.

"The party was crazy. Girls from other schools had also come. You missed the fun," Dave, his best friend, told him. Nate simply blew another gust, unbothered.

"Why do you not attend parties? Girls were asking about you," Maxim asked, confused.

"I have better things to do than be a part of the circus you call "party," Nate answered dryly. He barely ever attended parties.

"Dude, you've no idea what you are missing. Girls are so easy there," Stuart crowed, a haze of alcohol still lingering in his eyes. Nate wasn't impressed.

"Easy has never been my preference," he stated, flicking the cigarette away. "Nate," Gloria cooed, coming closer.

"Damn! She is hot. If I were you, I would have fucked her already," Maxim gushed, eyeing Gloria with lust.

"She doesn't do it for him," Dave replied with an eye roll. Maxim looked at Nate in disbelief.

"Really? Then who does it for him?......That mousy nerd?" Maxim joked, jerking his head towards Sera. Nate's gaze followed the motion and landed on her. His slave was quietly making her way towards the school building, head bowed, eyes trained on the ground. A mouse indeed.

"Come on! no man would touch her even with a ten-meter pole," Stuart scoffed. Maxim burst out laughing but Dave stole a glance at Nate.

Nate's gaze drifted to the boy who was heading straight toward her. She kept walking, unaware of it. They were about to collide. Nate watched, his fists tightening in a grip of frustration, his jaw locked with tension. Why the fuck she isn't looking up. A possessive urge to step in surged through him. But just before they were about to bump into each other, the boy raised his head, his eyes widening in surprise as he swiftly side-stepped, narrowly avoiding the collision.

Nate glared at her, irritation simmering beneath the surface.

"Hi there," Gloria purred coyly. Nate looked away only after Sera disappeared behind the door. His attention shifted to Gloria.

She stepped forward and placed a hand on his chest, "You haven't even wished me my birthday yet."

"Happy birthday," he said coldly, his hand brushing hers off his chest in a swift motion. Gloria ignored his cold response and continued.

"Today is my birthday party. You're the first person I am inviting," she remarked excitedly, offering him the invitation card. The card was decorated lavishly with intricate designs and embellishments that highlighted her love for grand gestures. "I don't attend parties," he replied, his eyes now elsewhere. The frown on his face was subtle but unmistakable-he was done. Her face fell.noveldrama

"Come on! Don't hurt me like this..." she whined, almost pleading. "Everybody thinks we are together. How would it look if you didn't come and everyone else does?" The muscles in his jaw ticked, his patience thinning with each high- pitched, whiny syllable she uttered.

He was about to tell her off when she said, "In fact, my uncle and his family are also coming," Gloria revealed, finally catching his interest.

"I don't know anything. You'll have to come. I won....."

"I'll be there," he cut off, surprising her. As the shock wore off, her face split into a wide grin. She took a step forward, eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Even though it's my birthday. Tonight, I'll give you a gift you'll never forget," she purred suggestively.

Nate looked away, not interested in her proposal.

After sending a wink his way, Gloria strolled off to do her shopping for the day.

"Damn! Say goodbye to your V card, man. She is going to rip it into shreds tonight" Stuart remarked, his gaze fixed on retreating Gloria.

Sera huffed, eyeing the mess of clothes spread across her bed with pure reluctance. She had no interest in attending her cousin's birthday party but her father had already decided for her. She had no idea why her dad was insistent on attending when they had never treated them like family. She was certain even the invitation was sent more out of societal obligation- they didn't actually want them there.

Her aunt was mean, for lack of a better word. The woman would never leave a chance to taunt her. She couldn't remember a moment in which she had treated her nicely. It was more than clear that she hated her guts. And her uncle was even colder than her dad. Strangely enough, he always avoided making eye contact with her. She always felt uncomfortable around them.

She reluctantly rummaged through her clothes which were all the same- ankle length. Little surprise she was also dubbed as a nun in her school. Little did they know her clothes choices weren't hers. They were his. He didn't want her to show even an inch of her skin to the world. With a sigh, she finally opted for a pink top and a pair of jeans.

Pushing the wheelchair, she entered the huge mansion. The mansion was undeniably beautiful but she could never bring herself to admire it the way she did Serrano's residence. This house was more like a museum, stacked with expensive pieces, no personal touch, no warmth.

The garden was teeming with guests, echoes of laughter and music dominating the air. She scanned her surroundings. Everyone around them were billionaires, powerful figures who controlled their country's GDP.

"What a surprise! I thought you all wouldn't come," her aunt exclaimed, putting on a fake smile as she approached them.

"You invited. How could we not," Mary replied curtly, her tone clipped. Her aunt's gaze drifted over to Sera, a hint of something bitter flashed in her eyes.

"Hello, aunt Sylvia," Sera greeted hesitantly.

"My servants wear better clothes," Sylvia commented, appraising her attire with overt disapproval. Sera remained quiet. After that, Sylvia moved to Dyson, her uncle joined shortly.

Sera looked around and found Gloria in the distance, surrounded by her elite friends. Clad in a golden fringe mini dress, she looked too pretty to be real.

Pasting a nervous smile across her face, she propelled her feet towards her cousin. She had baked her a box of lemon cake knowing how much she loved them. Despite how Gloria treated her, she still held onto the belief that relationships should be valued.

"Happy birthday, Gloria," she wished her warmly and extended the box towards her.