My Seductive Guardian

Her New Guardian

Hazel opened her exhausted eyes and winced when she felt pain. They were swollen and it hurt to open them. The bright light hurt too.

Slowly she opened them again, only to see a strange room. It was minimalist, yet everything looked luxurious. The bed was so soft that it felt like she was lying in the clouds. Though she was accustomed to all kinds of luxuries, she still felt it was at another level.

But then the announcement of the death of her parents rang in her hair and she stood up at once. She ran out to reach their graves when she found out that the door was locked.

The house did not belong to her uncle or aunt. Or any relative she remembered. Where was she?

She knocked on the door with all her strength when she heard footsteps and soon the door was opened.

A maid and a young man entered the room. They frowned as soon as they noticed her standing near the door.

“You should not be walking, my lady. You are still weak and need rest.” the woman chided Hazel in a strict voice while the man stared at her bare feet and sighed.

“You have a high fever, my lady. You can not leave the bed, but if you must, at least wear slippers.” the woman nodded and went to retrieve her slippers for her. Hazel blinked and stared at both of them. Though they were serving her patiently, there was no tenderness in their voices. But they looked stiff and distant.

“Where am I and who are you?” she asked, though she obediently let them help in wearing her slippers. The woman then brought a robe for her gown.

“This is the house of Cedric Mayhard. You must have met him at your father’s office.” explained the woman as she started walking. Hazel followed them with a gloomy look on her face.

Of course, she had heard this name. She had heard this name all her life. Cedric was not only the partner of her father but he is one and only disciple his father had taken. The man was close to her family and inherited everything that belonged to her family. Even the house she used to live in was his.

She had heard her relatives whispering that the man had manipulated her father to give him everything. If not for him, she would have inherited everything. And after snatching everything from her, he had brought her here like a guest! How insulting.

Hazel held her dress tightly as thoughts swirled in her mind. Hatred, anger and more than that. So, when she stopped in front of him, her eyes were teary again. The man was leaning on the sofa with his legs folded one over another. He had some documents in his hands. His face looked serene and his eyes shining under the bright light of chandeliers.

He raised his head and nodded. The maids left at once, getting his signal. Hazel stood there alone, staring at the man with a myriad of emotions in her eyes.

“Lady Hazel, I hope you remembered me from my last visit. I am Cedric Mayhard.” she nodded as she was afraid that she would choke on her words if she opened her mouth.

“As you know, your distant family had refused your guardianship. I have personally sent letters to everyone in the last two days. But everyone had refused. So, you are left with nowhere to go.” Hazel already knew that. Her family had cleared that they were not going to take in a beggar. If only she had wealth to support them.

“Wait.. two days?” her eyes widened in shock but he only nodded without any expression.

“Yes, you were unconscious for two days. This is your third day in my house. So, as I informed you.. There is no one who wants to take you in. that leaves you with two choices.. Either, you are going to leave for an orphanage and stay there until you turn into an adult and then I will arrange a job for you. Or you can accept me as your guardian. This way, you will be able to enjoy all the luxuries of my home. You will get proper education deserving to a lady but for that, you have to sign the papers of guardianship.” even a blind could see that the second offer was much better. But he did not seem like a man who believed in charity.

“And what do I have to lose in both cases?” the man raised a brow, a smile crept up to his face making her flinch.

“In the first case, you will be the holder of your father’s position. As long as you or husband pay the debt he had taken, you will gain all the properties belonging to your father and the position of count. But in the next condition.” he paused.. Looked into her eyes and she felt immense pressure building in, “I will be announced as the count. A part of your family so that I can take you as my family.” he will the next count. The position should have belonged to her father and then passed down to her husband. But he would usurp it like he had usurped their properties.

She did not believe that her father had taken any debt from this young man. He was not even a noble, how did he have money to give to her father.

“You can take your time to choose, lady Hazel. But I hope you decide before the messenger from the royal family questions me.” he was threatening her. She knows it!

She held her dress tightly and smiled, “there is no need, my lord. I have already made my decision. I will accept your offer. I want to live here.”