The Heiress's Revenge - A Bloody Affair - Chapter 99

Chapter 99: [99 – An Act of Love or Revenge]
IMP – Just a quick note before starting this chapter. As you know that I had accidentally update an extra, unrelated chapter which I had marked as “To not read, to be deleted”, well, as the chapter could not be deleted so I have updated a new chapter in it’s place, i.e., Chapter 95 – The Shadow of Secrets. Please read it.

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“Do you really want to know?” asked Elijah, in a deep, husky voice that caused a tingling sensation to creep up Seraphina’s spine. The intensity with which he looked her at was causing her heart to melt like a piece of butter would melt when place under the summer sun.

Her heart was pounding within her, racing like a mania but she did not let the nervous anxiety to reflect on her face and looked back at Elijah with the same intense eyes but with a hint of mischief in them, “Yes.” one word, but she spoke that in a tone and in such a way that it sounded like a challenge to Elijah. It was as if she was daring him to tell the truth.

“Yes.” Elijah answered in a monosyllable as well. His tone firm yet casual and carefree that it made Seraphina think that he was joking. So she laughed but her laughter was cut short when Elijah’s expressions did not change. He had this serious expression on his face that implied that he meant what he said and that subtle, soft smile curving upon his lips told her that he really liked the idea and was okay with it.

Unwilling to misunderstand him in anyway and for any reason, Seraphina asked him to confirm, “Yes?” she repeated, “You mean to say that you are ready to marry me, like today, right now?”

“Yeah.” Elijah pulled her closer and cradled her face in his hands, “I am ready to marry you if you want me. It doesn’t matter what day what time, I am ready.”

“But?” Seraphina could not understand that how easily Elijah agreed for such huge commitment, “I am not joking okay. If you are saying that you want to marry me, like now, then I mean it by ‘now’. With that I mean, that I am going to get ready in one of my favorite dresses and put you in a nice suit, take you to the marriage registrar’s office and get married. Immediately.”

“Yeah, I know.” chuckled Elijah, “And I agree. Why are asking me to confirm it again and again, I told you that I was going to give you a truthful answer.” he asked playing with a few strands of her hair, looping them around his fingers.

“But why?” Seraphina asked, feeling shocked that he was ready to marry her without a second thought.

“Because I love you.” was Elijah’s answer, genuine and heartfelt but Seraphina could only respond with a, “Huh?” making him chuckle.

“Remember, I confessed to you that I am falling for you too hard and too fast, that my emotions, when it comes to you, they are not in my control at all. It is as if that I am constantly being pulled towards you with with such magnetic force that sometimes feels like as powerful as the gravity of this planet. It does not sound romantic, I know.” he said and Seraphina giggled.

“But that is the truth, Sera. I love you. I know the time that we have been together is short but I am extremely sure about my feelings which is why when you asked me to marry you, I readily said yes. I was only hesitating because I thought that you might not be as ready as I am and I did not want you to take any impulsive action.” explained Elijah, unaware of the fact that with every word that he spoke, he was hitting at the wall that Seraphina had built around herself, breaking a piece of it with each word.

“I remember that you told me that you are not there yet, that you need sometime to cover the distance between us.” he was talking about the conversation that they had after that horrible incident that Daniel had planned, “You told me to wait for you and that is what I was doing all this time because to be honest, I am already there, Sera.”

Seraphina’s eyes widened, her heart skipped several beats because of the fast pace that it was beating at, the tingling sensation that she was feeling around her spine previously now spread throughout her body causing goosebumps to rise on her skin.

“I know that you might be feeling like how stupid I am to agree to make such a big commitment in such a short time I think that time is not a validation that love requires. Love can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any moment. Sometimes it takes someone an entire lifetime to find their true love, some take years, and for a few it is just that moment.” Elijah was explaining the whole thing to her so beautifully that it brought tears to Seraphina’s eyes.

“Just that moment where our eyes met. I still vividly remember that memory when I came to pick Chloe up but fate brought me to you instead. I don’t remember anything else from that day but I remember every single detail about you and that tiny memory that we made that day.” Seraphina sniffled and hugged him tight, resting her head against him chest while Elijah wrapped his arms around her in a comforting way and kissed atop her head.

“You do not have to feel pressurized about this at all. Just because I am ready to marry you doesn’t mean that you -” Seraphina did not let Elijah complete his sentence. She stopped him mid way by pulling out of his embrace and looking up at him as she said, “Okay.”

“What?” asked Elijah.

“Let’s get married.” Seraphina said, grabbing his hands in hers, “I want to marry you to. I might not say it enough times, but I do love you Elijah.”

His eyes sparkled with unshed tears when he heard Seraphina confess, “I love you, like I really do and I want to marry you as well. I too did not want to rush things but I really want to marry you, perhaps that is why the first thing that came to my mind in order to distract myself from that nightmare was that question.” Seraphina continued to rant and Elijah continued to listen to her intently.

“You know that I lost my whole family in that accident but when you came in my life, I don’t remember how and when, but you became my family. I do not know if I am making sense or not but that is what you are to me and I want to make this chosen family officially and legally mine.” explained Seraphina hoping that Elijah would understand her point and would agree to the get married the same day.

“So, will you marry me?” she asked again, this time genuinely and not just a way to distract herself from the haunting memories of her nightmare.

“Yes, I will marry you.” responded Elijah with a wide smile stretched across his lips. Seraphina mirrored that smile, their joy increasing by every passing second.

It did not matter who started leaning closer to the other first, who got there first, and who was the one to initiate the kiss. But it happened, the two of them met in the middle at some point, brushing their lips against each other in soft pecks until one of them took the initiative and deepened the kiss, drawing the other closer, as if trying to erase all the distance that had ever existed between them.

Their breaths mingled, and the world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them wrapped in the warmth of their love.

Seraphina’s fingers curled into Elijah’s hair, anchoring herself in the moment as if to ensure this was real, that he was truly here with her while his hands gently cupped her face, his thumbs brushing away the remnants of the tears she hadn’t realized were still there.

When they finally pulled back, it was only because they needed to catch their breath. They rested their foreheads together, eyes closed, savoring the closeness.

“I never want to lose you.” Seraphina whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with conviction. “You are my safe place, Elijah. You are mine and nothing and no one can take you away from me.” though she might not be able to hold that promise but Seraphina knew that she would not give up without trying.

She wasn’t being entirely truthful to Elijah, she did not love him as much as he did but she did have feelings for him. It was hard not to. She wanted him truly and genuinely, she wanted to make him hers. It might seem like she had made him her obsession and wanted to possess him but she was not concerned.

Seraphina wanted to be with him while she could. Also, getting married to him was the only way to enter Grayson mansion and in the lives of all of her enemies, officially. This marriage would also give her the opportunity to be among her enemies and destroy them from within.

“And you’re mine.” Elijah replied softly, bringing her out of her thoughts, “I promise to you that I would give you no reason to regret this decision.” he added to which Seraphina nodded, feeling a profound sense of peace and determination wash over her.