The Heiress's Revenge - A Bloody Affair - Chapter 96

Chapter 96: [96 – The Happy Dream]
Seraphina was dreaming.

She was back in her old home. It did not look burnt or haunted like it had turned after Marcus, William, and Daniel burned it down to ashes along with the bodies of her family members to destroy any evidence that could have gotten them arrested, destroyed them.

Unlike her nightmares, her home looked beautiful and exactly the same as it used to be. Seraphina touched the photo frames that hung on the walls, the cozy sofa seat, and all the other things with tentative hands, careful and worried that everything would vanish into air and once again she would have to face the horrors of the crimes that were committed in this very mansion.

Dressed in a dress similar to the one that she had worn on her 5th birthday, Seraphina hesitantly walked further inside the mansion, wondering why was she here. She was not complaining but usually situations like these always ended up hurting her mother than those usual nightmares.

The ones that already started with horror images and scenes of death of her family members did not hurt as much as the ones like these that show what she could have had but she does not because of those three people. Dreams that turn into nightmares are always more crushing and hurtful.

But still, Seraphina dared to explore. She wanted to see where it was going, was prepared for come what may. As expected, suddenly all the lights began turning off, one after the other but Seraphina did not stop. She continued, because to end this nightmare she needed to go on and on until she reaches the same place where the bodies of all her family members had laid in the coagulated puddles of their own blood.

Sighing, Seraphina continued to walk towards the living room where there was no light and from the point where she was currently standing at, all she could see was pitch black darkness. Gathering up her courage to face the same scene again, she stepped into the room and waited but nothing changed.

She frowned wondering what was happening, why the scene was not changing but then she jumped when she heard a collective shout of “Surprise!” and the lights turned on.

Seraphina’s eyes widened in shock as she took in the sight in front of her, the smiling faces of the people whom she was prepared to see lying dead on the floor. There was a massive, four tiered strawberry cake placed in the middle of the room. There were Elijah, Madison, and Asher present in the room as well.

But what shocked Seraphina the most was that her grandfather and parents looked older than they were when they were killed. Even her brothers Chis and Nate looked older. There was a beautiful woman standing beside Nate, her eldest brother who was holding a toddler in his arms, and on the other side of him was Chris, who had the biggest smile on his face and had his arm wrapped around Madison who was visibly pregnant.

Tears clouded her vision, this was what she had imagined her life would have been if that tragedy had not occurred, if William, Marcus and Daniel had not destroyed their lives. Seraphina gulped hard, her throat feeling constricted and choked up because of the emotions that she was going through at the moment.

The whirlpool of emotions were creating tsunamis inside her making her question her sanity but at the same time, her heart was screaming to her that enjoy this while she can and do not think about anything else. Seraphina gave in to her heart’s demands and wiped away her tears.

Smiling widely, she looked at their happy faces, imprinting them in her memory as everybody started singing “Happy Birthday” song for her. Elijah stepped forward and she could see the frown on her father and brother’s faces, these identical frowns and the similar expressions made her laugh while Elijah came to stand next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

“Did you like the surprise?” he asked and Seraphina could only nod in yes with tears in her eyes, “I love it.” she muttered and rested her head against his chest. She knew on a subconscious level that nothing about this was true. That it all was a dream, a happy one and that her reality was not so happy but Seraphina wished to cherish this moment. She just did not want to let go of it.

“Ahem ahem.” her father fake coughed and stepped closer, pulling her out of Elijah’s arms and into his embrace as Elijah looked at them smiling sheepishly, “Happy birthday, my child.” her father wished. It had been so long since she heard him say that.

Seraphina snuggled into her father’s chest, inhaling the oh so familiar scent that had always provided her with comfort and security. This was the scent that she associated with protection.

She could feel her mother’s soft hands caressing her hair, hear her wishing a happy birthday in her melodious voice. She felt relaxed and warm but soon was pulled away from her father’s embrace.

Seraphina was about to yell and complaint but stopped when she noticed who it was. Nate and Chris were holding her by either of her shoulder, “What? Are you only going to give Dad a hug and not us? We are the ones who prepared everything!” commented Chris.

“Yes, we deserve some love, don’t we?” asked Nate making everybody else chuckle as the two of them grabbed her into a bone crushing hug, causing her to yelp but not in pain, and later burst into peals of laughter as they began tickling her.

“Happy birthday, baby sister. See we all have prepared this surprise birthday party for you. You wanted this, did you not?” asked Nate while patting her head just like he used to when they were kids.

Seraphina nodded positively, “Yes.” she could not control her tears but then Asher came to stand by her side and wiped those tears away, “No crying for the birthday girl today.”

“But it is not my birthday.” she whispered to herself but Asher, the dream Asher only smiled and said, “They missed so many birthdays didn’t they? So just enjoy and forget about anything else.” it was either her heart telling her to not overthink or perhaps Asher too was there in this dream like state. She did not know what it was but she was going to follow her dearest cousin’s advice and not overthink about it.

Be happy, that was what she was going to do.

Seraphina let her brothers drag her to the other side of the room, right in front of the cake, “We know that you like home made cakes more because the reflect true happiness and celebrations to you, so we helped Mom prepare this in the little time that we had. I hope that you like it.” Nate’s wife, she assumed she was, said.

“Uumm hhmm, cut the cake sweetie! I wanna know how it taste likes.” Seraphina chuckled seeing the hungry look on Madison’s face. Her chuckle turned into full blown laughter when Chris took out a handkerchief from his trousers’ pocket and wiped the corner of Madison’s mouth, “You had a little drool right there.”

Madison slapped Chris’s hand away while everybody laughed at the adorable couple. “Cake, cake, cake.” the toddler, Nate’s daughter, raised her hands in the air and was jumping in her father’s arms, telling her aunt to cut the cake.

Nate shook his head and kissed the top of little girl’s head who was dressed in an identical dress as Seraphina’s, “This is the new word that she learnt to say.”

“How many can she say now?” asked Elijah coming to stand next to Seraphina. Nate and Chris were not giving him space so Asher had to make some for him.

“Four.” Nate’s wife replied, “Maa, Paa, No, and now Cake.” Nate added proudly and kissed the cute baby girl again on her head, “My baby is so intelligent!” he commented and Seraphina’s heart fluttered seeing the scene.

“Sweetie! Are you cutting the cake or not? Along with your niece, you little nephew wants some cake as well.” Madison said pointing at her huge belly, she was obviously in her last month of pregnancy.

Madison’s comment only widened the smile on Seraphina’s face, a niece and a nephew, it was the best life that Seraphina could have ever imagined for herself. This was how it should have been.

Seraphina once again glanced over at the happy faces of her family, even the non familiar ones and smiled as she picked the knife and sliced through the cake surrounding by the loud and rhythmic cheers of the happy birthday song.

She picked up the sliced piece of cake and fed it to her her niece first, then her grandfather, her parents next, next were her brothers, their partners, and at last to Elijah.

“Happy birthday, Sera.” he wished her again. Grabbing her hand in his, he pulled her out from the group and made her stand opposite to them from where she could see all of her family. They all were looking at her with very cryptic smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes.

Seraphina looked at them in confusion until Elijah kneeled down in front of her and opened her fist to show a small, velvet, jewelry box, “Hey beautiful, see what I got for you.”