Lina leaned against the wall on her room’s door, her heart racing with excitement. She hadn’t seen Luna leave, and her mind filled with satisfaction.
“It worked,” Lina whispered to herself, a wicked smile curling her lips. “He couldn’t resist her. And that maid… she’ll make sure the truth never comes out.”
Her fingers played with the edge of her dress as she imagined how Damian’s downfall would unfold. If anyone ever found out about him being with Luna, Aurora would never forgive him, especially when she woke up.
“This is perfect,” Lina muttered, her eyes gleaming.
Luna, meanwhile, hurried back to her small room. She kept her head down, her mind filled with questions about Damian’s strange behavior. As she entered her room, she closed the door quietly behind her and leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath.
“What was wrong with him?” she murmured to herself, her brow furrowing.
She walked to her small bed and sat down, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. “He wasn’t himself,” she said softly. “He looked… restless. Was he sick?”
Her thoughts swirled, but she couldn’t make sense of what had happened. “Why did he ask me to stay? And why did he look at me like that?” Luna whispered, her voice trembling.
Lina didn’t see Luna leave, and her assumption grew stronger. “She’s still in there,” Lina thought with glee. “They’re together.”
But then her expression darkened. “The maid,” she muttered. “She’s the only one who knows about the drink. If she talks… no, I can’t let that happen.”
Straightening her back, Lina smoothed her dress and made her way toward the kitchen. Her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor, her steps filled with purpose.
The maid was standing near the sink, cleaning some glasses when Lina walked in. She didn’t notice Lina at first, too focused on her task.
“You,” Lina said sharply, her voice cutting through the quiet.
The maid jumped slightly, turning quickly to face her. “Mrs. Wolfe!” she said, bowing her head.
Lina’s lips curled into a smile, though her eyes were cold. “You did a wonderful job tonight,” she said smoothly, stepping closer.
The maid blinked in surprise. “I… thank you, ma’am,” she said nervously.
“I mean it,” Lina continued, her tone sweet. “You’ve been working so hard, and I can tell you take your duties very seriously.”
The maid blushed slightly, nodding. “I just want to do my best, ma’am.”
“And you have,” Lina said, her smile widening. “Which is why I wanted to give you this.”
She reached for a small glass of wine she had prepared earlier and held it out to the maid. The red liquid glimmered faintly under the light, and Lina’s fingers tightened slightly around the stem of the glass.
“This is for you,” Lina said, her voice dripping with false kindness. “A reward for all your hard work tonight.”
The maid hesitated, glancing at the glass and then back at Lina. “Oh, ma’am, that’s really not necessary,” she said quickly.
“I insist,” Lina said firmly, pushing the glass toward her.
The maid shook her head slightly, her nervousness growing. “Ma’am, I’m still working. I don’t think I should”
“Nonsense,” Lina interrupted, her tone soft but commanding. “You’ve earned this. Take it.”
The maid swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she reached for the glass. “Thank you, Mrs. Wolfe,” she said softly, though her voice wavered.
Lina smiled, her eyes gleaming. “Go on,” she said, her tone almost playful. “Drink up.”
The maid hesitated again, glancing at the glass nervously. “It’s very kind of you, ma’am, but,”
“No buts,” Lina said, her smile tightening. “I wouldn’t offer it if I didn’t mean it. Now drink. That’s an order.”
The maid flinched slightly at Lina’s firm tone. Not wanting to disobey, she lifted the glass to her lips and took a small sip.
The wine tasted strange-bitter and metallic-but the maid didn’t dare say anything. She forced a small smile and took another sip.
“It’s… very good, ma’am,” she said quietly, though her voice sounded unsure.
“Good,” Lina said, her smile widening. “Finish it all. You’ve worked hard you deserve to relax a little.”
The maid hesitated, but Lina’s watchful gaze made her feel trapped. Slowly, she tilted the glass back and drank the rest.
When the glass was empty, Lina took it from her hand and placed it on the counter. “See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?” she said, her tone light.
“No, ma’am,” the maid said softly, though her hands still trembled slightly.
“Good,” Lina said, patting the maid’s shoulder. “Now, go back to your duties. And keep up the good work.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the maid said, bowing her head before hurrying out of the kitchen.
As Lina watched her leave, a satisfied smile spread across her face. “That takes care of that,” she murmured to herself.
She turned and walked out of the kitchen, her steps light and her heart filled with triumph. “No one will ever know,” she thought.
Meanwhile, Luna sat in her room, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her thoughts still lingered on Damian, the strange look in his eyes, and the way he had acted.
“What’s wrong with him?” she whispered again.
She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts away. “It’s not my place to question him,” she murmured. “But… I’ve never seen him like that before.”
Her hands tightened around the edge of her apron. “I hope he’s all right,” she said softly, her voice filled with genuine concern.