The loud voice of Lady Lydia sent a jolt of fear down Seraphina's body. She shivered because of it and immediately snapped her hand away from the hold of the man.
"M...mother, I...I" Seraphina stuttered with every word she spoke, unable to keep eye contact with her parents. She subconsciously moved closer to the silver-haired man which the man noticed. This act of hers brought a small smile to his face hidden behind his silver mask.
Seraphina's inability to form an intelligent sentence made the frown on Lady Lydia's face want to burst and consume her daughter who never listened to any word of hers. What was she doing with another man when she was about to be engaged to one of the sons of Mr. William, their family business partner? She questioned herself.
"Don't tell me you can't speak now, Seraphina. Answer my question, young lady!" Lady Lydia barked again, demanding an answer from the fear-enveloped woman.
"I was with her," The silver-haired man finally spoke. His deep masculine voice brought the attention of Lady Lydia to himself.
Lady Lydia stared at the silver-haired man from his silver hair and silver mask to his long coat that naturally hung on his well-toned body that showed from the slightly tight inner black shirt he wore. Her eyes traveled down to his well-tailored straight and ironed pants that stopped below his costly polished black shoes. His attire and demeanor spoke volumes of the high and elite society where he probably came from.
Seraphina noticed the way her mother's scrutinizing eyes looked at the man as if accessing him to know where he came from and also know how she would talk to him.
Their family was just middle-class people whose lives was was once easygoing. They had everything they needed and a little extra to keep too. But these little things they enjoyed were all taken...or rightly put, they were all lost to the hands of the tragedy that befell the business of Mr. Castiel.
This reason was enough for Lady Lydia to mellow down and speak in a more gentle voice. She couldn't go shouting at a man whose shoes only could pay the debts they owed Mr. William who was their family business partner. And not to add too, the carriage displaying all of its glory could worth more than their measly house they called a mansion.
"Yes?" Lady Lydia slightly raised her eyebrows as she questioned the silver-haired man. From the tone of her voice, one could still notice the arrogance behind her words that she refused to drop.
"Why is she with you?" Mr. Castiel intervened in the questioning lest his wife offended a high-profile person and he was not in the position to pay for any damage that might be caused because of her rude way of speaking.
While Mr. Castiel questioned the silver-haired man, his eyes were trained on the silent Seraphina.
"Ah, my bad." The silver-haired chuckled and Lady Lydia's face was quick to scrunch into a distaste. She wondered which of their words or actions were funny to the man.
The silver-haired man continued to say, "I forgot to introduce myself properly and neither did this beautiful daughter of yours. So that should be our bad. Am I right, Lady Seraphina?" The man tilted his head in question while looking at the silent lady.
Seraphina felt her cheeks heat up at the words of the silver-haired man calling her beautiful for the third time she could remember today.
Mr. Castiel and Lady Lydia noticed this and wondered what the relationship between their daughter and the silver-haired man was.
Seraphina was quick to school her facial expression that was about to give her away when she saw the judging eyes of her parents. She answered, "Yes, it is your bad for not introducing yourself properly." She pushed the blame on the man and internally smirked.
Seraphina went on to say, "Actually, Father, Mother. He is the son of Mr. William our family business partner."
Mr. Castiel's face was quick to turn from a frown to a baffled expression, especially his wife whose mouth fell open at the revelation.
Mr. Castiel's hostile attitude immediately had a huge turnover. He took a step forward and extended his hand to the silver-haired man for a handshake.
"It's my pleasure to meet you, Master William."
The silver-haired man took his own time to stretch his hand to shake the older man's hand. He replied to Mr. Castiel's greeting, "It's a pleasure to meet you too, future in-laws."
As the man spoke, he looked at Lady Lydia and then at Seraphina who furiously glared at him.
The man held a triumphant look on his face when he glanced at Seraphina. He released his grip on Mr. Castiel's hand and stood straight again as he regarded the faces of the three family members.
Lady Lydia was more than flattered to be addressed as the future in-laws to William's family who were not only wealthy but were also one of the Lord of their great empire,
Mr. Castiel's expression was no less than Lady Lydia's. He was more than pleased to hear this too.
Seraphina on the other hand felt like the anger that had been boiling in her had finally reached its limit. Her eyes were like arrows of fire shooting and drilling holes in the head of the silver-haired man.
Suddenly she smiled with an evil glint appearing in her eyes. She turned to her parents and said,
"Father, Mother, you didn't let me finish speaking," Seraphina complained in a small voice, and her parents and the silver-haired man's attentions were quick to fall on her. She continued to speak,
"The thing here is that, Mr. William's son who is this man, came earlier today and demanded to see me which according to what he said that it was the wish of his father. But when I got to the place he took me to as I didn't want to offend Mr. William our family business partner, I found out that this man had only been pulling my legs and was joking with me."
Mr. Castiel looked between Seraphina and the silver-haired with narrowed eyes. He questioned, "What do you mean, he was playing with you, Seraphina?"
"I do not know, Father. I too was confused about this. I would never leave the house without taking permission from you both. You can ask the maid and the butler too." Seraphina asserted with a bowed head while smiling internally. She was knowingly pushing the blame on the silver-haired man since he was annoying her by always saying future in-laws every time.
Mr. Castiel believed his daughter. This time his narrowed eyes were trained on the silver-haired man. He asked, "Is what my daughter saying true, Master William? That you came here and took her away by, should I say coercion?"
Seraphina raised her head with dread filling her bones. What if the man denied her? What was she going to tell her parents was the reason behind her leaving the house? Seraphina internally questioned herself in fear while pretending to be bold on the outside.
"Yes, it is true my future in-laws. I did come here and took your daughter with me." The silver-haired man confirmed, surprising Seraphina again. She couldn't remember how many times this man had shocked her since they met each other today.
But wait...
This cunning man will not agree with her unless he was cooking up something in his head.
Seraphina's eyebrow furrowed deeply as she stared at the man with narrowed eyes. What was he planning this time?!