"Haah! Haah! Haah!" Susan kept panting as she ran through the endless and dark forest with only the moon to light her path.

She couldn't make out anything other than the fact that she was in the woods and something was chasing her.

She kept running because she couldn't stop. If she did, 'it' would catch her. But what was it?

What was chasing her? It had a formless dark figure with glowing red eyes. It chased her deep into the forest but had no thought of catching her.

It really felt like, it only needed her to run. Keep running and never stop.

'Why? Why is it chasing me?' Susan thought with tears gushing out her eyes and spreading with the wind.

She was scared and just wanted to get away from it, why was it so difficult to escape?

She got to a lake and stopped. The moon reflected it's rays on the lake, causing it to glow.

It would've appeared beautiful if she wasn't running for her life. She took in a few breath before daring to look back.

Her pursuer seemed to have given up but as soon as she turned her head towards the lake, she met it's bloody red eyes. Startled, she woke up.

Susan opened her bright peach eyes but they didn't look so bright. They looked scared and afraid.

She kept panting and grabbed her chest. Her heart was unsteady and her entire body was covered in cold sweat.

"It was a nightmare. Just a nightmare!" She assured herself and pushed the strands of black hair behind her ears.

She couldn't get rid of the fright that accompanied the nightmare, no matter how much she assured herself

Those bloody red eyes haunted her and she didn't think she could close her eyes.

"Get it together Susan, it's not real. It was just a nightmare!" She kept telling herself and sighed.

Her room was poorly lit but her windows were open yet, it felt like she was suffocating in her room.

She wasn't one to easily have nightmares and even if she did, she could always brush it aside by the morning but this time, it felt so real to the extent that she could still feel the branches from the forest, brushing roughly against her skin.

"What am I thinking about now? I shouldn't think too much, today's the day!" She flopped on her bed but didn't dare to close her eyes.

Susan, being a good daughter, agreed to get married to her betrothed. It was true that arranged marriages were uncommon in the present age and time but, some families still held on to it. Like her family.

They had her betrothed to a man when she was just 8 years old. She couldn't refuse as she concidered her family's condition.

Her father owned a small business and was in need of investors. This marriage would not only help his business out but would tie her family to a great family as the Esclairs, which had been in existence for decades. So it was more like getting sold.

Other than that, she still didn't know if her soon to be husband was actually still young as the rumors said or if he was actually a perverted old man.

"I'm going to miss you!" Katherina, Susan's younger sister, wailed.

She wore a pink floral dress just for the occasion of saying goodbye but, she couldn't stop herself from crying.

Susan had two younger siblings, Lucas and Katherina. Lucas was the first and only son while Katherine was the last. She was about 15 years old and Lucas, 20.

"It's okay, Kathy! I promise to come visit once I'm settled there, okay?" Susan promised. Although, she acted like she wasn't affected, her countenance looked lonely and sad.

"But why do you have to go live there? You're just getting engaged. It's not like you're marrying him already." Katherina pointed out and hugged Susan tight. "I don't want you to go!" She sniffed.

'I don't want to go either but, it's for the best' Susan thought.

"I heard rumors that 'that guy' isn't so nice. They say he's evil with an angelic appearance, that's why he rarely shows up in public." Katherina stated and Lucas scolded her.

"Kathy!" Lucas called. "You can't badmouth a man you've never met, not less seen!" He warned and she glared at him.

"So what? It's all over the news. I can't believe that all of it is a lie, there's gotta be some truth!"

"You..." Lucas felt annoyed at her childish judgement but she was not all wrong. Even with fake news, there was truth to it. He couldn't handle her and just turned to Susan. "Anyway sis, take care." He said "If he ever bullies you, let me know. I'll teach him a lesson."

Susan nodded and laughed. She would miss them. No, she already missed them.

"Now now, dear Susan is leaving. We should leave our best last impressions." Their mother approached and Susan smiled warmly.

"Mom!" She hugged her.

"You don't need to worry about anything Suzy dear, we'll take care of things at this end while you ...just take care of yourself."

"I will, mom!" Susan felt mixed. Was it the longing emotion that led someone into crying or was it the bitter emotion that led someone to scream? She didn't know what to do but one thing was for sure, she had to make sure her family didn't worry about her. "Where's dad?"

"Your father has some business to take care of so, he can't see you off." Her mom said and she nodded.

"I understand!" With that, she hugged her siblings one last time and got into the car.

According to the driver who had come to pick her up, the drive would take approximately two hours. So she decided to sleep and ward off the anxiety that was building up in her heart.

She had so many questions to ask but just kept them in her mind.

'What would the house look like? How will the people there respond to me? Am I meant to say anything or just remain silent? What would ...what would he look like?' she drowned herself in her thoughts and slept off.

A few hours later, she woke up to see the entrance of her new home. The gates were huge and was a bit frightening. It was painted in black and so was the rest of the mansion.

"Wait, that's a freaking castle!" Susan exclaimed at the sight. She was truly shocked at the size.

Unlike houses that were found in the resent centuries, this mansion looked to be thousands of years old and yet, it was still standing and in good shape.

The car stopped. It was time for her to alight. She reached out to open the door but someone beat her to it.

A good looking young man with pale skin, short silver hair and blue eyes opened her door for her. He was smiling so professionally that she concluded him to be a servant or something.

"Welcome home, my lady!" He greeted and bowed. She was dumbstruck at his action but when she looked behind him, her jaw dropped.

Behind him were two long rows of servants bowing at her. It was truly unbelievable. Where exactly was this?

'I know my soon-to-be husband was wealthy but, this is really over the top' Susan thought as she followed the silver haired servant to her room. 'Compared to this, my family and I are mere ...should I say paupers?'

"This is your room, my lady!" He opened the door to reveal a large bedroom that not only contained a bed and a wardrobe but also a sitting place with three chairs and a table in the middle.

There was a fire place close to the sitting place and a small shelf. It was currently empty.

The room, unlike the rest of the mansion, was painted blue. The curtains and everything else were also blue.

'How did they know I like blue?' she thought. "Um..."

"Please, call me Carlson." He said. She stared at him with amused eyes but then blinked.

Her expression was a bit shameful but she quickly adjusted to the mood.

"Um, okay. Carlson!" Compared to the way he called it, it sounded odd coming from her.

Carlson had an elegant beauty and a very distinguished action. His words were also fluent and elegant.

"You don't have to worry, I'm just the head butler so, feel free to call me as you like." He said with a smiling face.

Susan was shocked. Not only was he outstanding, he was also the head butler.

No! How did such a young man get to be the butler of such a huge place? Wasn't it exhausting?

"Thank you for your concern, Carlson. I just wanted to know if I can have someone tour me." She said and he tilted his head. "I mean, this castle... No, this mansion is so huge, I think I might get lost just trying to find my way downstairs. Could I get a guide to show me around?" She requested and Carlson nodded.

"That shouldn't be a problem. I'll guide you." He said and she violently shook her head.

"No. I mean, you look busy. I don't want to bother you or anything." She felt uncomfortable for some reason.

Carlson understood her restlessness and that was precisely why he insisted on being her guide.

"Don't worry my lady, I insist!" He said and she signed.

"Then, I'll be in your care."

Susan picked her phone and followed Carlson out. Just as the mansion looked huge from the outside, the inside was no joke.

He showed her the main hall, kitchen, dinning hall, guest hall and even the banquet hall which was being decorated in preparation for her engagement ceremony.

Susan was allowed access to those places and could go there without permission. Every other place needed permission before entry.

Carlson showed her the back of the mansion and a very good place to relax; under the apple tree.

After that, he took her to the vineyard and finally, the garden.

The garden was filled with nothing but roses. There were red roses, pink, blue and even white and yellow roses.

There was a part of the garden that seemed off limit and Susan quickly caught on to it so, she didn't insist on going there.

While they were in the garden, she couldn't help but wonder how Carlson was so knowledgeable despite his young appearance.

She unconsciously stared at him while her thoughts drifted.

Carlson noticed Susan staring and turned to her with a smile.

"Is there something on my face?" He asked and she quickly looked away, feeling embarrassed that she was caught staring.

"It's just that, you look really young for a butler." She spoke her mind and he nodded.

"Thank you for the compliment." He said "But don't be fooled by my appearance. I'm older than I look." He said and she nodded. She turned her gaze to the flowers.

"Wow! They're all so pretty." She said "Your master must really love roses for him to plant a variety of them." She reached out to pluck one but just as she was about to touch it, Carlson held her hand.

"Apologies for my rudeness, my lady but..." He let go "...I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize he might get mad at me for plucking his flowers." She said, rubbing her hand.

"Not at all, my lady but, there are thorns." He pointed out with an ever smiling face. "You could get pricked and 'bleed'!"

Susan was surprised. She had completely forgotten that despite the lovely appearance of a rose, it was still dangerous. Under that beauty, was a prickly trap.

"Oh! I seemed to have forgotten that. Thank you." She said and looked at the roses once more. She pushed the strands of hair dangling in front of her eye, behind her ear.

"It's alright!" He walked with her out of the garden. "Now that I've shown you all relevant areas of the mansion and the road that leads to your room, kindly go to the dinning hall and await dinner." He instructed and she nodded.

While they walked in, she wanted to ask if the lord would have dinner with her but brushed the thought aside.

Carlson seemed to have read her and answered.

"The lord will not be joining you for dinner as he is currently busy." He smiled and she blushed with embarrassment. Her thoughts were so easily read. "Don't mind it."

"I...I don't mind at all." She replied and walked away, briskly.

Just as Carslon said, Susan had dinner alone. It made her wonder if he had no siblings living in the house. She missed home already. It felt too lonely in the big mansion with only servants and a butler who looked about the same age as her but was far older. She sighed.

The news about her engagement was already blowing up in the internet with people tagging her as the luckiest girl alive but she...she didn't feel that happiness. That excitement, why couldn't she feel it? She was supposed to be happy yet, she wasn't.

Her family would do well for sure. They would lack nothing as her dowry was very expensive and the agreement that followed was no small deal.

It made her wonder why they would go through so much just to have her? A mere nobody!

There were so many smart, talented and beautiful young girls in the world, why her? She had nothing to offer other than her looks and figure.

She doubted that that was the reason he wanted to marry her, though.

"Sure I'm tagged as one of the country's most beautiful girls but, other than that, I have nothing." She said to herself. "Why not pick someone who was really smart or athletic? Am I really worth it?" She sighed.

"Knock! Knock!" Came the door. "My lady!" It was Carlson. "I have something important I must inform you of." He said and she quickly opened the door. "I hope I'm not disturbing your rest?"

"Not at all!" She said while shaking her head. "What is it?" She asked.

"I would like to advise you to refrain from walking the halls at night. It gets a little scary for someone who isn't used to it. I don't want you getting frightened." He warned and she nodded.

"Alright! Anything else?"

"And please, never go to the garden at night!" His words sounded cold "Do you understand?" Although she did not understand, she nodded anyway.

"Of course!"

"Then goodnight, my lady. Have a wonderful rest!" He bowed and left.

Susan closed her door and pondered on it for a while but she couldn't get what he meant. In the end, she concluded that the garden also looked scary at night and that there were big and scary watchdogs.

Whatever the case may be, she would definitely not go there at night.

That night Susan had another nightmare. It was just like the previous one, running in an endless forest with nothing but the moon to light her path.

'It' kept chasing her with it's dark and formless figure and red glowing eyes.

When she got to the point where she saw the lake, she found a crystal coffin instead.

Not minding the change, she tried to catch her breath and looked back to see if it was still chasing her. When she saw that it wasn't, she turned to the coffin. Once again, she met the bloody red eyes and woke up with a start.

"Why?" She gasped for breath. "Why that nightmare?" She covered her eyes with her arm.

She felt tired of having that same terrifying nightmare for two nights. She was exhausted. "I'd rather not dream at all."

"Was it that scary?" Came a voice and she subconsciously replied.

"Very!" As soon as she realized it was strange, she turned to see a man. "Kyaa!" She immediately got off the beg and glued herself to the wall while pointing her slipper at him. "Who...who are you?" She inquired.

"Come on, I don't bite!" He said and beaconed on her with his index finger but she didn't move an inch. "Am I that scary?"

"No! I mean yes! Who are you and what ...what are you doing in my room and on my bed at this hour?" She questioned and he smirked.

What was an attractive young man doing in her bed at that time of the night?

He had jet black hair and sharp brown eyes. According to what she heard, those were the features of members of the Esclairs family.

He sat up and stared at her with all certainty. That smirk on his face seemed to mock her.

"So, you'd let me be on your bed if it wasn't this late?" He asked and she frowned.

"Don't joke around. Tell me who you are or I'll...I'll scream." She threatened. Although he had the features of an Esclairs, she couldn't be so sure he was one.

He got off the bed and started walking towards her. Without a second warning, she attempted to scream but he covered her mouth.

His movement was so fast that she didn't know when he got to her or how he got to her. 'How is he so fast?'

"Little angel, if you scream, you'll put us both in a disadvantaged situation." He said and she glared at him. "I know that look. Trust me, I only wanted to get to know my sister-in-law." He said and her eyebrows furrowed.

'sister-in-law?' she thought 'Even if that were true, who visits their sister-in-law in the middle of the night and lie on their bed while their sleeping?'

"I'm going to let go now. You have to promise me that you won't scream after I let go, okay?" He asked and she nodded.

He slowly removed his hand from her mouth but little did he know that she was preparing herself to let out a loud scream.

Once his hand was far from her mouth, contrary to their agreement, she let out a very loud scream.

Carlson immediately burst through the doors.

"Humans are very dishonest!" The strange man exclaimed and Carlson exhaled feeling exhausted.

"Carlson, help!" Susan yelled but didn't have the guts to move from her current position so he walked towards her.

"Young master, the lord would not approve to such a behavior in his absence." Carlson said while leading Susan to a chair. "Calm down, my lady!"

"I just wanted to say hi!"

"At this hour?" Carlson asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What's wrong with this hour? Isn't this the usual time vam..."

"Ahem!" Carlson intentionally interrupted him by clearing his throat. He quickly caught on to his fault and changed his tone.

"Anyway, I just got back and wanted to see her in person. Don't make a big deal out of nothing, sheesh!" He put his right hand in his pocket and used his left hand to rub the back of his neck. "I'm already going." He headed for the door and smirked. "I'll see you around, little angel!" With that, he left.

Susan looked at Carlson, expecting some kind of explanation. He looked at her and smiled.

"That was the lord's younger brother, Dylan. He can be a bit of a mischievous type but I assure you, he won't do anything that will bring harm to you." He said and she sighed.

"Should I be concerned?" Susan asked and he shook his head.

"He's not a threat!" Carlson said and then looked at the door. "But how to make sure he doesn't repeat this act?"

"I'll... I'll lock my door from no on." She said and he nodded.

"Please do that!" Carlson said 'But I don't think that will stop him'

Susan stared at Carlson. Yes she said she would lock the door from now on but, she never said it wasn't locked to begin with. How did he get in? Through the window? Speaking of, how did Carlson come to her rescue so fast? It was almost as if he expected something like that to happen.

"Um, Carlson?" She called and he turned to look at her.

"Yes, my lady?"

"How did you get here so fast?" She inquired. The expression on her face was difficult to read.

He stayed silent for about 2 seconds before smiling.

"I was just coming from the lord's study, which is just at the end of the hall. Luckily, I was just outside your door when you screamed." He explained.

Susan had no real reason to doubt him, so she let it go and nodded.

"Now, get some sleep, my lady." With that, he left, leaving Susan to stare at the ceiling.

She was on full alert for in case Dylan ever returned. But she soon fell asleep.

Thanks to the whole drama, her stress from the nightmare had been completely relieved and she could fall asleep with ease.