Chapter 1
Seraphina Frost had been staring at her computer for hours, staring at the same five hundred words on her thesis for "The Third Nightingale." Her eyes were blurring, and she slammed her head down on the desk with a thud. "Ugh, why did I listen to them about picking this terrible major?" she grumbled, pushing herself away from the desk in frustration. She decided to take a break and glance back at the screen. She stood up and wandered around her small apartment, a cramped one-bedroom in the Community of Greenvale, piled high with scattered books and papers. It felt even smaller than it was. Grabbing her phone, keys, and wallet, she made her way out the door. The building where she rented was an old six-story walk-up, lacking an elevator. To get to the main street, she had to navigate through a narrow alley that was rumored to be on the verge of demolition—though it had been years since anyone had actually acted on that rumor. The quiet was the only upside to her neighborhood, and at $600 a month, her fully furnished apartment was a steal. The best part was its proximity to the Noble Academy, only four subway stops away. While the area near the academy had plenty of shops and restaurants, the area around her apartment didn’t have much to offer. At the entrance of the Community of Greenvale, a notice was posted, warning about recent thefts in the area and urging residents to be vigilant. Seraphina brushed it off, planning to head to the academy dorms to borrow some notes from her friends. As she walked down the alley, the gray walls were marked with big circles around the Chinese character for ‘demolish’—a grim reminder of the neighborhood's uncertain future. The wet concrete underfoot made her tread carefully in her flats, trying to avoid any puddles. Suddenly, she heard some dragging sounds behind her. Freezing for a moment, she stopped in her tracks, and the sounds halted as well. A sense of unease gripped her, but her curiosity won, and she took a few tentative steps forward. The noise resumed. Whipping around, Seraphina spotted two scruffy-looking homeless men who had been following her. She gulped nervously, watching the pair—one shorter and stocky, and the other tall and lanky. “Uh, do you guys need to go ahead?” she asked, her heart racing as the memories of the warning flashed in her mind. Were they the thieves mentioned in the notice? Neither man responded, and Seraphina instinctively took a step back. Chillingly, they mirrored her movements, stepping closer. “What do you want?” Seraphina exclaimed, adrenaline fueling her courage, though deep down, she knew it might be a hopeless stand—not that she wanted to face off against two men alone. One of them barely reached her waist while the other towered over her. “Pretty lady?” one of the men finally spoke up, his voice soft and almost childlike. “Are you the pretty lady?” “Wait, what?” Seraphina felt utterly confused. Why was he calling her that? “Look, she is a pretty lady!” the other man chimed in joyfully, tugging on the sleeve of his friend. “Uncle, we found the pretty lady!” She wanted to deny that she was their "pretty lady," but the way they were beaming at her made it impossible. Right now, there were just the three of them in the alley. “Who—who are you?” she asked warily, glancing around for an escape route. Suddenly, one of them dropped the hand he was holding and lunged toward her with something clasped in his other hand.
Chapter 2
Seraphina Frost suddenly widened her eyes, feeling as if her feet were glued to the ground. She couldn’t move, just watched as a scruffy kid came up to her, holding up a crumpled photograph. “Look, you’re the pretty lady in this picture!” he exclaimed proudly. Seraphina thought, no way—I've been around way too long to be anyone's 'Lady', and where did these two little street urchins even get my photo? Yet her gaze was irresistibly drawn to the image, and she squinted to get a better look. “Wait, it really is me!” Seraphina replied, stunned, taking in the cheerful grin of her younger self captured in the photo. “When did I ever have a picture like this? Where did you get it?” The scrappy kid, clearly thrilled that she recognized herself, shoved the photo back into his tattered backpack and swept his wild hair back, revealing a round, dirt-smudged face. He grinned widely, showing a few missing teeth. “Hi, pretty lady! I’m Alistair Goodwin,” he introduced himself, “I just turned six a couple months ago, and I’m already in first grade! And that guy over there is my…” “Hold on!” Seraphina interrupted, feeling a wave of apprehension wash over her at the sight of this talkative little boy. “Why are you telling me all this? And why do you have my photograph?” With big, pleading eyes, Alistair responded, “I was about to tell you! But then you made me stop!” “Okay, okay,” Seraphina conceded with a smirk. “Go ahead.” Alistair waved at the quiet figure standing behind him and said, “That’s my uncle, Gideon Goodwin. Our last names are the same because he’s my mom’s brother, and Goodwin means ‘good friend.’” The tall man ambled forward, stumbling slightly as he adjusted his disheveled hair that almost concealed his face. He wore a faded plaid shirt over a worn-out jacket, and his pants had several patches on them—an odd sight in a neighborhood like this. He looked as though he had stepped out of a fashion disaster, yet oddly, he seemed to embrace it. Seraphina couldn’t help but tilt her head back as she looked up at this towering figure, which reminded her of the expansive skies—a sharp contrast to his current shabby appearance. “Wait—is this really your uncle?” she asked, looking back at Alistair with skepticism. “Yes, Uncle Gideon!” Alistair exclaimed, beaming with pride. Even she, who barely paid attention to local news, had heard of the famed Goodwin Manor, and the name “Gideon Goodwin” struck a familiar chord. Her brows furrowed in recognition as she reached up to push aside the tangled hair blocking Gideon’s face. What lay beneath left her momentarily speechless. He had sharp cheekbones and deep-set eyes, his expression rugged yet charming—his piercing gaze seemed capable of seeing right through her. It was unmistakably Gideon, even though his face was animated by a blissful, goofy grin that contrasted with her memory of his serious demeanor. “Are you sure that’s your uncle Gideon?” she asked incredulously, throwing a glance at Alistair, who simply nodded, holding Gideon's hand. “Yep! He lost his mind after a fall, but he’s still my uncle!” Alistair said, sighing with an air of disappointment. Seraphina burst into laughter, unable to contain herself as she poked Gideon's forehead playfully. “Gideon Goodwin, look what happened to you!” And in that instant, the strange little encounter moved her heart—a weird twist of fate meeting a familiar face once again.
Chapter 3
When it comes to the tangled fate of Seraphina Frost and the Goodwin family, it all began with Young. At just seven years old, Seraphina Frost was blissfully unaware of the troubles that loomed on the horizon. She had grown up in the comfortable, worry-free existence of a child, until one fateful night when her world turned upside down. Lord William Frost, her father, lost everything he had in a reckless stock market gamble. In a moment of despair, he took his own life, leaving behind a mountain of debts for the Frost family to bear. Days after her father's tragic death, her grandmother, consumed by grief and anger, followed him to the afterlife. Seraphina found herself drowning in sorrow as her health began to deteriorate. With little to rely on except a meager pension, her life quickly transformed into a relentless struggle. To make ends meet, she took various part-time jobs, often sacrificing her own education to support her family. Just when hope felt like a distant dream, Seraphina’s luck changed. Through a kind introduction, she secured a position as a server at a lavish party hosted by the wealthy Goodwin family. The event was set to begin at ten in the morning and stretch until midnight—long hours, but the pay was more than generous. With a threadbare uniform that hung loosely from her slight frame, she joined her fellow servers, barely aware that this single event would alter her entire life. At the party, she crossed paths with Lady Margaret Frost, her estranged sister, whom she hadn't seen in nearly a decade. This gathering was hosted by Sir Reginald Goodwin, the mastermind behind Yare Industries, and his wife, Lady Yvette. Upon learning of the Frost family's plight, Lady Yvette, moved by Seraphina's circumstances, made a gesture of generosity; she and her husband agreed to support Seraphina’s education and future. Excited yet apprehensive, Seraphina accepted the job at Yare Hall, where she would again work as a server but with a significantly higher wage. Over the next ten years, the impact of their support would be profound. But on this day, as an unknown challenge awaited, Seraphina wandered into the garden, only to find herself the target of a gaggle of affluent boys. These privileged youths had already been introduced to the vices of adulthood, and they took great pleasure in taunting the innocent Seraphina, their eyes glimmering with the thrill of cruelty. With her hair arranged in a tidy bun and clad in her modest uniform, Seraphina resembled a porcelain doll, her rosy cheeks a stark contrast to her troubled heart. "Come on, just smile at us, and we'll let you go!" one boy sneered, blocking her path with a smirk. In that moment, grief had stolen away her ability to smile—she was too burdened by the weight of loss and responsibility. Instead, embarrassment burned within her pale cheeks, and she bit her lip, looking away. Yet the boy didn’t relent; relishing the power of the moment, he snatched the drinks from her hands and splashed them over her. "There! Maybe this will encourage you to smile!" With a laugh, he darted off, leaving her stunned and humiliated. Wiping the sticky residue from her face, Seraphina’s eyes glinted with a defiant spark. Fueled by their torment, she grabbed a glass of water and trailed behind the offending youth. When she finally drew close enough—only him and another boy nearby—Seraphina summoned her courage. "You know, picking on someone smaller and weaker isn’t impressive," she spat, catching the other boy by surprise. "If you want to tease someone, at least do it with some style." As resentment grew, she realized how foolish they all were. Before she could reconsider, she drenched the instigator with the water, aiming for his head. Startled, he turned, but rather than run away, she lunged into the other boy’s arms, sinking her teeth into his shoulder in a fit of rebellion, splattering juice all over his shirt. The boy she bit let out a startled yelp, his eyes wide with shock; he was none other than Gideon Goodwin, Lady Yvette’s son. As chaos ensued around her, Seraphina stood defiantly amidst the ruckus, a blend of mischief and madness, determined that she would no longer be a victim. This was just the beginning of her rebirth.
Chapter 4
Lady Yvette Goodwin never anticipated that attending a party with Clara Everly would lead to such a tussle, and what was especially infuriating was that Clara believed it was Finn Vale, the local scion of the Frost family, who had picked on that seemingly delicate yet fierce girl, Seraphina Frost. Instead of seeking retribution, Clara found herself apologizing in an odd twist of fate. Seraphina had bitten Clara's arm hard—a fact that Clara knew all too well. The bite left an impression lasting no less than a hundred and ninety-one minutes, making it impossible for Clara to look at the spot without wincing every time she showered. Growing up, Gideon Goodwin was notorious for his cunning. Once slighted, he would seek to rectify the wrong. Luckily for him, with Seraphina Frost taken in by Bartholomew Yare, they ended up in the same Noble Academy class. As someone who had always been the center of attention, Gideon seized the opportunity to secretly bestow gifts upon the newcomer, Seraphina. Yet, once Seraphina learned the source of her unexpected good fortune—the favor of the sharp-minded Gideon—she outright rejected his attempts to win her favor, silently cataloging the events instead and vowing to ensure he faced the consequences. After a couple of ill-conceived pranks, Gideon grew weary of the game. Especially after being pulled aside by his sister, who scolded him for his boyish antics, he lost all motivation to continue tormenting Seraphina. But little did he know, he developed a new habit—secretly watching Seraphina, waiting for the perfect moment to finally best her. Time marched on, and Seraphina Frost continued to hear whispers about Gideon, but as her reputation soared, she heard little about him until it was rumored he was fleeing the area entirely, lost to the endless scorn of his peers. Meanwhile, Gideon's curiosity about Seraphina grew stronger each passing day. He sought every chance to learn about her life, even persuading his sister to take notes on Seraphina's daily comings and goings. His sister once quipped, "Gideon, do you think it’s a bit creepy that you obsess over her life like this? It’s borderline stalker-ish." To this, Gideon scoffed, "As if I would stoop to liking someone as wild as Seraphina! There are plenty of civilized ladies around." But before Gideon could dismiss his sister's jest, he repeatedly dreamt of being consumed by passion with Seraphina—the wild girl who ignited a flame within him. In stages—through each encounter, Seraphina's intensity shone brightly. Ultimately, Gideon had to acknowledge he had quite frankly grown fond of the fierce girl. This realization hit especially hard after Finn Vale—soaking wet after a prank gone awry—was sent packing by Seraphina during his clumsy attempts to woo her. Gideon had initially planned to approach Seraphina formally once she settled into her dorm at the University of Knowledge—by that time, he figured she’d be more receptive to the idea. But his plans shifted when a family tragedy struck, leaving his mother reeling and needing to care for his little nephew, the only two-year-old Alistair Goodwin. With that crisis, any thoughts about pursuing Seraphina faded momentarily as all focus turned to the family. Once Alistair was finally into the Eldest years, Gideon could no longer ignore his feelings. The spirited boy caught wind of his uncle's affection for Seraphina Frost after glimpsing numerous drawings made by Gideon in secret. Alistair, being the bright child he was, thought it odd for his uncle Gideon to be so indirect in pursuit of love. “Uncle, are you sure pretending to be a beggar will win Seraphina's heart?” he asked innocently. “I’m not pursuing her! This is about revenge for her earlier bite!” Gideon insisted, rather petulantly. “Right, but you could merely talk to her instead of hiding,” Alistair thought, turning his face away in disappointment. Ultimately, he felt his uncle needed a figure like Clara to keep him grounded. After much intrigue, Gideon managed to snag the rental close to Seraphina at her residence. After spying for several nights, he finally spotted her just as he hoped. With a silly grin plastered across his face, Gideon extended his arms wide, catching Seraphina off-guard as she peppered him with playful jabs. “Hug time!” “Knock it off!” she teased, lightheartedly shoving him away. Nevertheless, a bewildered smile crept upon her lips, intrigued by her newfound adversary turned ally.
Chapter 5
Seraphina Frost gasped in shock. She was so taken aback that she didn’t even think to fight back. Alistair Goodwin’s jaw dropped as he stared at his uncle, Gideon Goodwin, who had a tight grip around Seraphina. Alistair silently gave his uncle a thumbs up for his boldness. “Gideon Goodwin, what are you doing? Let go of me!” Seraphina finally snapped back to reality, struggling against the grimy embrace. But no matter how she squirmed, it felt like escaping the clutches of a Mysterious Soul. She quickly stomped on Gideon’s foot, her eyes blazing with fury. “Let me go!” Gideon’s expression shifted in an instant from playful to pained. Fortunately, he’d smeared something dirty on his face, keeping it from attracting any unwanted attention. He slowly released her, pouting, “You’re so fierce!” Seraphina’s eyes were wide, and her anger was mounting. She felt flustered, unsure of how to respond. Alistair sighed softly, then leaned closer to explain, “Pretty lady, my uncle had a car accident that messed up his brain. He’s not as smart as I am yet.” Seraphina looked down at the little boy and retorted incredulously, “He was hit by a car and now he’s dumb? Do you really think I’m that gullible?” Alistair insisted earnestly, “It’s true! Ever since the accident, he can only remember you—he keeps saying he wants to find you, the beautiful lady. That paper was given to me by him!” Seraphina stepped back, eyeing the duo critically. Suddenly, she burst out laughing and shook her head. “Really, Gideon? You think I’d fall for such a ridiculous story? A Duke from Goodwin Manor gets hit by a car and comes crawling back to me because of a personal grudge? You must think I just woke up from a dream!” Gideon looked like he didn’t understand the sarcasm at all; he merely grinned wider. Seraphina raised an eyebrow, feeling oddly perplexed. There was something strange about this version of Gideon. Alistair’s expression turned somber. “Because my uncle was sent back to Frost’s Home. Grandma and Grandpa made him go.” “Hmm?” Seraphina was caught off guard. “What do you mean by that?” Alistair’s heart relaxed; finally, they were getting to the point. He looked at Seraphina with pleading eyes, gripping Gideon’s hand tightly, stammering, “Grandpa said Uncle got kicked out of Goodwin Manor for not doing something right, so he’s no longer connected to Goodwin Manor.” Seraphina frowned in suspicion. “What could he possibly have done wrong that would make Lord Thaddeus Yare kick his own son out of the family?” Alistair shook his head, his bright eyes wide in confusion. “I don’t know! Grandpa didn’t say.” Seraphina’s brow furrowed deeper. As far as she was concerned, Gideon was the most notable member of the Goodwin family, while her memory of Lord Edmund Goodwin was a charming young man she had met when she was just seven. “What about you? Did your grandpa kick you out too? Are you and Clara going to beg on the streets with your uncle?” A hint of scrutiny tinged her voice as she questioned Alistair’s and Gideon’s intentions. In response, Alistair’s head dropped, refusing to meet her gaze, allowing Seraphina to see the distress written on his young face. With a soft plop, Seraphina noticed a small puddle of water ripple beneath him. Startled, she bent closer and saw Alistair quietly crying. Since losing Lord William Frost, she hadn’t shed a tear. But seeing this young boy in such pain, her heart raced with panic. “No, no! Don’t cry, I didn’t mean to upset you!”
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