Seraphina walked into the orphanage and as everyone of the kids saw her, they rushed over to her.
"Seraphina." They all chroused, enveloping her in a hug. "We missed you."
"I've missed you guys too." A small chuckle from her filled the air. She looked up at the children's caregiver as she spoke up. "Thank you for always taking care of them, Aunt Susan."
"No need to thank me darling. It is my duty." Susan said as she walked over tos tart cleaning the toys along with the children.
"Where is Cheryl?" Seraphina asked as she looked up at the little girl sitting on the stairs, knees drawn to her chest and her eyes slowly blinking behind her huge glasses. "Cheryl, come here."
The girl rushed over to Seraphina and hugged her tightly. "You didn't come see me last night as you promised."
"I am so sorry baby. I ended up in the hospital because of my health. I'll make it up to you okay?" Cheryl nodded and as they both started a conversation, a familiar aura filled the room, making Seraphina look up at the entrance where Lucian was standing with his hands tucked in his pocket.
"Oh my goodness. Prince Lucian." Susan bowed immediately and so did all the kids. Lucain didn't say a word and just walked over to Susan, handing her a cheque.
"If the monthly payment to each home isn't enough, just say so. This isn't the way I want my clan's orphanage to be like." His cold voice boomed, sending chills down everyone in the room's spine.
His eyes met with hers and just walked out of the orphanage with his hands tucked in his pocket. Susan was shocked, she has never seen Prince Lucian coming down to the city himself and now she wondered why he came here.
Seraphina rushed out of the orphanage with Cheryl in her arms but he already drove off before she could call out to him. "Do you know his highness?" Cheryl questioned, Seraphina shook her head negatively before taking her back into the orphanage.
After two hours, Seraphina stepped out of the orphanage, waving goodbye to Susan. Lucian's car was in a dark corner, his eyes fixed on her as she walked down the curb.
He slowly got out of his car and stealthily walked after her. She didn't notice him following her and he watched her get into her house which was about a ten minute walk from the orphanage.
"Father, why are you still up at this hour?" Seraphina's voice was filled with concern as she placed her bag on the nearby table, trying to help her father to his seat. He was laying numb on the floor and unable to move.
He didn't say a word and just remained like that. "I had a long day. I am so sorry I was unable to come home last night. It was too much office work. I will find a better caregiver for you." Seraphina patted his hands gently with tears rolling down her cheeks. "Just a little more time, I will make enough money for your surgery too."
"S-Sera…" He tried to force out but nothing came from his lips.
"I'll be back, father. Let me change and come make you something to eat." She stood up, picking her bag before rushing to her room. She collapsed on her bed and bursted into tears.
Her father had been in that condition for years now and she had nothing to give him quality medical attention. Every single money she had before Asher left her with their business, she used for his weekly check up.
His condition recently got even worse and he has been unable to talk and move properly for days now.
She gently clicked open the locket around her neck and stared at the picture of a woman with the same ginger red hair with green eyes as her. "I miss you so much mother. If you were here, maybe none of this would be happening now."
She freshened up, prepared dinner for herself and her father before she fed him his portion. "I know you love me so much father. You don't want me to carry all this burden by myself, but I will be fine okay? And my heart condition is getting much better than you can imagine too." She assured him with a bright smile on her face.
Morning came and she hurriedly prepared her father for the day and took him to Susan's building which was just right next to theirs.
"Have a great day today, Seraphina." Susan's daughter, Ciara smiled at her and waved her off.
Seraphina rushed into the elevator leading to her floor, check-in the time to see she was five minutes late already. She rummaged through her bag and took out her pills, using them before she stepped out of the elevator.
"I hope he doesn't notice I am late." She mumbled, picking some files on her table to drop in Lucian's office.
The moment she stepped into his office, the hair on her skin rose. The aura in the room was choking and she could tell someone was in a very bad mood.
"Good morning, your highness." She bowed, keeping her head down.
"So you didn't only decide to skip work yesterday, you also came late this morning." His cold voice sent shivers down her spine, Seraphina swallowed hard as the tension in the air choked her even more. "Quite interesting," his tongue clicked as he rose from his seat, looking straight at her.
"You're fired!!"