His Innocent Sera

What could be worse than this?

Sera was disgusted with herself. No matter how many times she cleansed her mouth with a cleanser, it couldn't wash away the filth that clung to her like an invisible stain. An ever-lasting taint on her dignity. Today, he had made her feel worse than a slave.

She was exhausted, sick to death of his cruel demands. She had been warned about the monsters that live under beds, but no one warned her about the monster that slept with her in her bed. That monster reveled in her pain, taking twisted pleasure in breaking her piece by piece. There was no one she hated more than him. He was the bane of her life. Her living nightmare. His mere mention was enough to make her gut clench with cold dread.

"A flower for your thought?" Giovanni's voice pulled her out of her reverie. She turned her head to look at him.

"Hi," he said softly, presenting the small violet flower towards her.

Sera's gaze flickered down at the unfamiliar flower. She tried to identify it but couldn't.

"It's Etna Violet," he answered her unasked question. Nudging the flower closer, he added, "a flower for a wildflower."

"I am not a wildflower," she stated flatly, making no move to accept the flower. Giovanni smirked, moving closer.

"Growing at the most unlikely places, blooming against all odds. You are a wildflower," he described, raising the flower between their faces. Sera was at a loss for a comeback. She didn't know how to respond, no one had ever described her like this.

"You are not from Spain, are you?" she asked instead, his accent was different.

"I am from Italy. Moved in here recently for work," he told her before pointing towards the flower in his hand, "have mercy on my arm and take the flower, please." He made a pleading face.

"I am sorry. I can't take it," she refused politely.

"How can you refuse something so beautiful. Look at it. The poor thing has already started to wilt from your rejection," he said with mock drama. She rolled her eyes while a small smile began to form on her lips.

She took the flower from him.

"I've never seen this flower before," she shared, examining the little bloom in intrigue. She was an earth child, her soul deeply woven into nature. Rare flowers were no mystery to her, yet this one looked familiar

"It's because this flower grows only in Italy," Giovanni explained, watching her fascination with amusement.

"You brought it from Italy?" Sera asked, confused. Giovanni chuckled.

"Look at it, Seraphina. Does it seem it can endure such a long journey? We are growing it here," he answered, smirking. Understanding dawned on her.

"You have an eye for nature's beauty, so I thought you would appreciate it too," he added a moment later. She looked up to meet his eyes, a gentle smile blooming on her face.

"I appreciate it," she confirmed.

"I'll go inside now," she said, gently holding onto the flower. He nodded before she walked past him.

His mouth twisted into an evil smirk as he watched her go.

"Romeo isn't our ally, he is the snake in the nest. Beware of him," Killian coached his eldest son.

"And the nest is where he is going to rot and die. Italy is mine," Nate declared with unwavering conviction. He might lack experience but his hunger for power surpassed any legacy. He was relentless, a force that couldn't be bent or tamed. He didn't want power, he needed it, he craved it. And he wouldn't hesitate to reduce anyone to ashes if they dared to stand in his way. He would flood Italy with blood if he had to, but Italy was his to take.

"A good ruler knows better than to underestimate their enemies," Killian stated, looking meaningfully in Nate's eyes.

"He is not an enemy, he is a fucking loser," Nate countered dryly.

"Language," Killian scolded, briefly glancing at his wife who luckily hadn't heard them. She was too engrossed in her knitting to lend them an ear.

"Sorry," Nate apologised, even though he wasn't sorry at all.

"I'll take my leave now. I am getting late for class," Nate said before rising to his feet.

After scoring another goal, he turned towards his friend with a smirk, but his gaze of their own drifted towards the window where she sat. Everything blurred for him instantly, she took all his attention. Without even trying.

A weird sensation rippled through him as he gazed at her. She seemed to be reading a book, her head tilted, her eyes lost in the pages. He unconsciously turned towards her to have a good look. Her hair was tied in a bun, some loose strands framing her face, swaying gently as wind played with them. A scarf was wrapped around her neck, hiding his mark. One day he'll have her flaunt them to the world. The sun streaming in through the window had cast a soft glow around her. She looked divine. A giddy sensation tore through him for some reason. Suddenly, the ball slammed into his face, snapping him back into reality.noveldrama

He glanced up once more but she was nowhere to be found.

With a huff, he turned and started playing.

"Mrs. Albert is calling Seraphina Diaz," a student from another class showed up in the mid-lesson and announced. The teacher consented her to leave. Sera, confused, got up and walked out of the class to see Mrs. Albert. She couldn't understand why Mrs. Albert was calling her so urgently.

She was walking down the corridor, towards Mrs. Albert's room when, from nowhere, a hand shot out and clamped around her wrist. Before she could understand anything, she was dragged into a pitch black room. The door slammed shut behind her, she was pushed against it, her back hitting the wood with force. A gasp barely escaped her lips before they were captured-crushed beneath the urgency of another mouth.

It didn't take her a moment to figure out who was kissing her.