As I took a step toward the door, I heard voices outside. Quickly, I put on a cheerful face, trying to mask my inner turmoil.
I opened the door, and there stood Liza and Kaitlyn, both smiling brightly.
“Kimberly, how are you doing?” Liza asked, her smile warm, though I sensed there was more behind it.
“I’m fine. Please, come in,” I replied, matching their smiles as I welcomed them inside.
We sat down on the floor, the room feeling a bit too quiet for my liking. That’s when Kaitlyn spoke up.
“Kimberly, I want to ask you something. Can I?” Her voice was hesitant, her expression mixed with curiosity and concern.
“Of course, you can ask anything,” I replied, though I had a feeling I knew where this was going.
Kaitlyn wasted no time. “What happened at the Alpha’s dinner last night? Tell us everything!”
I froze, completely shocked. How did they know about that? I hadn’t told anyone, and I was sure I’d left the room quietly last night.
“How did you know?” I asked, my face betraying my surprise.
Liza answered calmly. “The news is everywhere. You didn’t come to dinner last night, so we checked your room. When we didn’t find you, we overheard some maids gossiping in the canteen. That’s how we found out.”
I remembered seeing Mohandia when I left with Chief Maidservant Morgana. It had to be her. Anger flared in my chest.
“That witch must have spread the news!” I muttered under my breath, my voice tinged with rage.
“Who are you talking about, Kimberly?” Kaitlyn asked, leaning in, her eyes filled with curiosity. “And why didn’t you tell us?”
I sighed, calming myself down. “It’s Mohandia. She was the only one who saw me leave. I didn’t tell you both because I didn’t know where they were taking me. I’m sorry.”
Liza smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “No worries. But what happened? What did they make you do?”
“Hmm…” I hesitated, not wanting to get into the details, but I couldn’t avoid it any longer. “I was given a dress and joined the other maids to serve the Alpha and his guests,” I said, my voice dull.
We fell silent after that. I could feel their eyes on me, waiting for more, but I had nothing else to offer.
Then Liza spoke up, her voice quiet but firm. “Kimberly, how did you feel, seeing the Alpha and his new wife? The one who was supposed to be your sister, but went behind your back to marry him?”
Her question hit me like a punch to the gut. I wasn’t ready for that. How did she know so much? I had always thought no one here knew about my past.
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. I was holding back tears, fighting to keep my composure. If I spoke, I would break, and I didn’t want to show that kind of vulnerability.
Liza must have sensed the weight of her question. “I’m sorry if I upset you,” she said softly. “We’re your friends, Kimberly. We just want to make sure you’re okay. We all carry pain, and sometimes it helps to share it.”
I knew she meant well, but Ma’am Elena’s warning rang in my ears. *Be careful.* I couldn’t afford to let everyone in. But I also didn’t want to push them away entirely.
“It’s fine,” I said, forcing a small smile. “Honestly, I was upset when I first saw them together. But the Alpha made his choice, and it wasn’t me. I just have to accept that. I’ll find my happiness here with you two.”
They both smiled at my words, and I felt a little more at ease. But I still kept my guard up.
“So, how did you find out all this about me?” I asked, shifting the conversation away from my emotions.
Kaitlyn answered. “We were delivering flowers to the elders’ canteen yesterday. They made us stay to clean up afterward, and while we were there, we overheard some of them talking about you. They were gossiping, even mocking you. It made me so mad, I almost confronted them.”
I felt a chill run down my spine. *So the elders were gossiping about me too.* Ma’am Elena was right-this place was filled with dangers, both seen and unseen.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, trying to brush it off, though deep down, the mockery stung. “Everyone here has their own burdens. We just have to deal with it.”
Liza grinned mischievously. “If it were me, I’d have spilled wine all over the Alpha and his wife’s fancy clothes! Just to watch their reactions!”
I laughed, grateful for the change in tone. “That would’ve gotten me executed on the spot! My head would’ve been rolling before I even had the chance to apologize!”
We all burst into laughter, the tension easing a little. But I knew this lighthearted moment wouldn’t last.
Kaitlyn stretched and yawned. “I think it’s time for lunch. Let’s head to the canteen?”
We stood up and left my room together. I knew more rumors would be flying around, especially now that the elders had been gossiping. The maids would likely do worse.
The moment we stepped into the canteen, I could feel eyes on us. I kept my head down and ignored the stares, just like Liza and Kaitlyn did, as we walked to the back of the room to find an empty table. We were late, and most of the seats had already been taken.
As we sat down, I saw Mohandia and her group walk into the canteen. They looked like they were searching for trouble, and they made their way straight to the front table.
The maids sitting there quickly stood up to leave, but before they could run off, I acted.
“Stop right there!” I called out, loud enough for everyone to hear. All eyes turned to me as I stood up, walking toward the table where Mohandia and her group were gathered.