Chapter 2. Seraphina’s Choice

Seraphina

After completing my grocery shopping, I found myself with an hour of free time before returning home. As usual, I decided to visit the temple.

I was dressed in a simple sea green churidar adorned with knitted patterns, accompanied by a white dupatta featuring gold lace at the ends. Additionally, I wore a small black bindi in the center of my eyebrows.

I offered my prayers swiftly, intending to also visit the park. On my way back, I noticed an elderly couple ascending the temple stairs. Suddenly, the old man missed a step and began to lose his balance. Reacting quickly, I rushed over, grabbing his arm to prevent him from falling. I helped him regain his stability and inquired, "Are you alright, sir? Did you injure yourself?" He looked at me with gratitude and offered a humble smile, assuring me that he was unharmed. He seemed kind-hearted.

Just then, I heard a woman's voice from behind. "Oh my, Gabriel, why must you be so clumsy? If this kind young lady hadn't assisted you, your bones might have been scattered in every direction," she remarked. "Thank you, child. He's an elderly man with a tendency for clumsiness," she added, patting my cheek. Her touch felt reminiscent of a mother's affection for her child.

"It's alright, ma'am. As a fellow human being, it was my duty to help another," I replied. She smiled warmly and inquired, "May I know your name?"

"Seraphina," I replied.

"What a beautiful name. And Emma, don't worry. I'm far too handsome to break any bones," Uncle interjected, prompting all of us to burst into laughter.

"It was a pleasure meeting all of you, but I must be on my way before I become late," I said, smiling.

"Likewise, it was a pleasure meeting you. Hopefully, we'll cross paths again," Aunty responded.

"Thank you once again," Uncle chimed in. I smiled, waved goodbye, and proceeded to the park.

Upon arriving, a smile graced my face as I observed children running around energetically. I settled on my favorite bench, taking in the beautiful scenery and the joyous atmosphere. I found myself scanning the area for a special someone but to no avail. Then, from behind me, I heard a voice say, "Are you searching for me, Moon?"

I turned around and spotted my adorable little Sun. "No, actually, I was trying to find someone else. And do I know you?" I inquired.

He looked at me, his expression becoming slightly upset. Pouting, he replied, "Moon, it's me, your Sun!" He then approached me, sat on my lap, and embraced me tightly.

Returning his hug, I exclaimed, "Ah, it truly is my Sun!"

He responded with a radiant smile and planted a kiss on my cheek.

Sun is a four-year-old boy. His mother, Preeti, and I met during our time in college. While we weren't particularly close, we collaborated on a few projects together. After leaving college, I began frequenting this park, and a few months later, I encountered Preeti with her husband and their two-year-old son, Sun. Since then, we have grown closer, and as Sun has grown older, he has become increasingly attached to me. Now, you might be wondering why he calls me 'Moon. Well, he believes that my heart shines as brightly as the moon, illuminating his entire day much like the moon lights up the night sky.

Sun and I chatted and played with the other children for about 15 to 25 minutes. Realizing that my curfew was approaching, I knew it was time to head home. I kissed Sun on the cheek, bid my farewells, and climbed into the car with Uncle. He accompanies me on grocery shopping trips to ensure I don't wander off or misuse their money. I'm not sure where these concerns arise from, but I am grateful that Uncle understands my situation and keeps my visits to the temple and park a secret from others.

…

Carter Mansion

I arrived home and began unloading the groceries. My mother approached me and said, "The maids left early, and Lucas spilled something in his room. You need to clean it up immediately. And don't touch any of his belongings!"

I was surprised that she asked me to go to his room, considering I had only been there once before to give him his food while he was studying for exams. But since there were no other workers available, she had no choice but to ask me. Well, it wasn't really asking, more like ordering.

Setting aside those thoughts, I grabbed a rag and headed to Lucas' room. I knocked on the door because I knew he might get upset if I didn't. He responded with a low "Come in," so I opened the door and entered. The room was spacious and filled with luxurious items. Lucas was sitting at his desk, studying with his laptop and books.

He looked at me with a questioning expression, probably wondering why I was there. So, I explained, "Mother asked me to clean up the spill since the other maids left early.

I couldn't help but stutter. I always seem to stutter around this family. Lucas simply nodded, and I began cleaning the spilled juice on the floor near the chair and a bit on his desk. Once I finished cleaning the floor, I moved on to his desk where he was sitting. As I cleaned, I noticed that he had answered a question incorrectly.

"That's wrong. It should be 18, not 12," I pointed out. He glanced at me, then back at the question. He corrected his mistake and arrived at the correct answer of 18. He looked at me and gave me a warm smile. "Thank you. I have to admit, you're really good at this. But I hate this subject, especially what we're learning right now. Engineering is so challenging, ugh!"

It was the first time he had given me such a genuine smile. It felt as though he was a protective brother with whom I could share my thoughts, but I reminded myself not to overthink.

I smiled back and replied, "I don't like math either, but this particular problem was easy for me, so I remembered the solution. Wow, I didn't stutter that time, yay!

Before Lucas could respond, Mother burst into the room. "What's taking you so long!? Are you trying to manipulate my son or something!?"

I shook my head and stammered, "N..No. And there goes the stutter again!

Suddenly, a sharp slap landed on my cheek. "Get out!" Mother commanded. I nodded, lowered my gaze, and hurriedly left the room.

It stung terribly. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away. The rest of the day continued in the same manner. As a punishment, I didn't receive any food to eat, so I went to bed on an empty stomach, which had become the norm.

…

Cassian

Sinclair Industries: Cassian's Office

Today was just like any other typical day, filled with work and meetings. Noah had just left, after annoying me, and my mind wandered back to what Ayesha had mentioned yesterday. I believe she is right. We've been in a relationship for two and a half years and know each other quite well. It's probably time to take our relationship to the next level.

I was about to call my mom to let her know that I would be coming over to talk to her, but before I could even dial, my phone started ringing. Glancing at the caller ID, I saw that it was my mom.

I quickly answered the call.

"Hey, Mom," I greeted her.

"Hey, sweetie. I had a feeling and decided to call you first," she responded dramatically.

"Mom, enough with the flattery. What's the reason for your call?" I know her too well.

"Can't a mother call her son without a reason?" she sarcastically replied.

"Oh, come on, Mom! Cut to the chase," I exclaimed.

"Fine. I just wanted to tell you to come home at 6. Your dad and I have something important to discuss with you.

I wondered what this important matter could be...

Shaking my head, I replied, "Alright, I'll be there by 6. So, what's this important thing you want to talk about?"

"You'll find out when you get here. Now, why were you going to call?" she inquired.

"I was just going to let you know that I planned on coming over this evening because I wanted to talk to you too.

"Okay, then. Bye for now. My show is about to start, and I can't wait to watch the mother-in-law kill the daughter-in-law!" she said, referring to her TV dramas.

Her and her shows!

"Mom! Fine, bye! Go enjoy those pointless shows!" I quickly ended the call before she would scold me again for criticizing her daily soaps. I immediately got back to work, finishing everything as quickly as possible so I could head home. I couldn't help but wonder what my parents wanted to discuss. My mom seemed really excited, yet it also sounded important. With those thoughts in mind, I completed my work by 5 and started driving towards our mansion, which would take about an hour.

…

Sinclair Mansion

As the driver, Rey parked the car, I entered the house to find my mom and dad waiting for me in our spacious living room. My mom appeared genuinely happy, while my dad had a slight smile on his face. I couldn't help but wonder what could have made my parents so joyful. I approached them and exchanged greetings.

"Alright, so what is this important matter you wanted to talk to me about?" I asked, filled with curiosity.

At that moment, my mom and dad exchanged glances, both smiling and then they uttered the words that would change everything, "We've found a girl for you to marry!"

And that's when everything turned upside down.