26 Lacking etiquette

Author's note for the chapter: this is from Aldus's point of view

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It's been days since I returned from my little business trip with Lazarus and I still don't have a clue why Lazarus reacted so strongly to Serina.

I tested everything.

Sure, she has slightly elevated pheromone levels which makes males find her attractive even if she is not their type, but it should not go beyond the 'she is nice to look at' effect. Lazarus is a werewolf whose enhanced nose picked up the pheromones which lead him to Serina, however, that does not explain his struggle to stay in control and away from her.

I asked my gardener to trim the roses when Serina was in that area and I observed him secretly. As expected, other than him glancing and smiling occasionally at Serina, the man didn't show any other reaction. It seems that regular humans can't pick up whatever affected Lazarus… assuming that there is something to pick up.

I considered lowering down my defenses, but I gave up on that idea. What if it affects me and I develop an unreasonable crush on my own test subject? … cough, cough… correction: my daughter.

It's not worth risking it. I saw many good people lose their way and fall to their demise as they got infatuated with someone. Even I was a victim of different stimulants that affected my behavior. That is the reason why I developed my defenses which are always ensuring that I maintain clarity of my mind. There is nothing worse than losing yourself and being in control of another. I hate that feeling.

Maybe when I fully embrace the concept of Serina being my daughter I can try the experiment because the fatherly bond will prevent me from developing the attraction. Maybe.

I feel that I am missing something important.

My eyes moved to the computer screen and I saw the latest email from my contacts in London. It's about Serina's family. Her father's name is Mikhail Bogdan, and her mother's name is Shirley Bogdan, maiden name Bennett.

It is confirmed that Serina's parents are staying in a house in an upscale neighborhood in London. The house belongs to Serina and they are living out of a monthly allowance that is coming from a fund that is set in Serina's name.

My investigator found that the house and the fund are given to Serina by her maternal grandmother (Amelia Bennett) as part of her last will, who passed ten years ago. Those assets will be fully Serina's after she graduates and until then, her parents are acting as her guardians.

There is an interesting clause attached to those assets: if Serina fails to graduate, the house will be given to the city and the fund to charity.

That clause could explain why her parents are not looking for her. They are aware that she is missing, and they are keeping that information a secret in order not to lose the house or the money. Serina's mother is unemployed and her father works as a teller in a bank which is not a bad job, but there is no way that they could afford a house in that posh neighborhood.

I wondered if all mortals are like that these days, ready to neglect their own kin for some benefits. It's a long time since I bothered to find out what are mortals up to.

My men are still digging out the specifics of how Serina's family ended up in such a state.

Why Serina's grandmother didn't leave the house and assets to Shirley (aka Serina's mother)? It points to the possibility the grandma didn't approve of Shirley's behavior or maybe her choice of a husband. It is strange that neither Shirley nor Mikhail were mentioned in grandma's last will, considering that Shirley is a single child. However, grandma cared enough for Serina to provide her with assets under the condition that Serina needs to work for it in the form of completing her education.

Based on Serina's school records, Serina worked hard by not only cruising through her school but also by having impressive grades. She would accomplish great things as a mortal if she didn't die.

I have a nagging feeling that her family is complicated and that maybe her death was not accidental. All the photos my contacts found, had only Serina in them and reports describe her as a loner. That makes me wonder, how come a girl without friends ended up on a group vacation and to share a room?

I wish that I knew these things when I found her in Venice. I would look for some evidence of who was behind the attack.

Serina's birth certificate shows that she is born in Bucharest, Romania. Her father is from there, and I want to find out what happened to Serina before she came to London at the age of thirteen when her grandma died.

Maybe those are non-important details, but I feel that it would shed some light on Serina's background and personality.

On the other side, if her parents are money-hungry to the point of ignoring the fact that their daughter is missing, that would explain why they are not important in Serina's dreams. Every time Serina dreams about her parents, it's in a negative light. It does not seem that she had a warm family and that could be the reason why she adjusted to me as her father so quickly. It's not difficult to reach the low bar her factual father set.

The alarm warned me that it's almost time for breakfast. I should join Serina and tell her that today is the day we are going to visit a local fair. She will like that.

...

I found Serina in the sunroom where she usually spends her mornings. I am glad that she appreciates the way light reflects in the colorful mosaic details that are cutting through the clear glass surfaces. I designed them myself.

Serina was sitting with her legs crossed and I decided to get her a tutor for etiquette. My daughter should not act like an uncultured pirate.

"What are you drawing?", I asked when I noticed that she is sketching something in her notepad.

Serina lifted her gaze and greeted me with a smile. "Duke."

I remember that from her dreams Serina described him as handsome and this is not even close. He looks cross-eyed and his nose is disproportionately large. "Is that how he looks like?"

Serina was visibly uncomfortable. It seems that my expression showed I am not impressed. I can't help it. It's natural for me to look down on people when they don't perform up to standards.

"No matter what I try, it does not look like him. I am horrible at this.", Serina said with a sigh, ready to drop the notepad on the side.

Don't make her feel bad, Aldus, I reminded myself.

"Don't worry, Serina. I will get you a drawing tutor also."

"Also?"

She noticed my choice of words. She is smart.

"Yes. I want you to take an etiquette class that will teach you how a lady should behave. Also, a tutor for ballet which is good for posture and coordination."

Serina swiftly kept her legs down and sat with her back straight. I'm glad she understood, and I saw the improvement, but there are too many things she is doing wrong so if she thinks this will get her free from tutors, she is mistaken.

"Don't overthink it, Serina. I want the best for you. The more you know, the better you will be. Now… let's go and have breakfast and after that, I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?"

"Mhm…", I hummed and made a dramatic pause before announcing: "We are going to the fair!"

Serina's eyes sparkled and I had to dampen her mood.

"When we are there, I want you to speak Italian. It will be good practice."

Serina exhaled dramatically. "Yes, father. Anything else?"

"Don't give me attitude, young lady!", I snapped.

Serina burst into a laugh and I was glad that she was not intimidated by my presence.

I wondered if she will be so carefree after she finds out about my nature that I am hiding from her. As much as I don't want to scare her off, I am curious to see her reaction. She took the news about Lazarus being a werewolf relatively smoothly. Maybe she is ready for more revelations.

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