“Goodnight,” I cut him off, closing the door before my composure cracked… before he noticed how much I already knew.
I leaned back against the door, breathing unevenly.
They planned to kill me on my birthday… and now he wanted his lover inside my home.
Not happening.
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the curtains, pulling me slowly from sleep. But before I even opened my eyes, something felt off.
Someone else was in the room.
I sat up abruptly — and froze.
Candela was kneeling beside my dresser, wiping its surface with a cloth, humming softly as though she belonged there. She wore a plain apron, her hair tied neatly back.
She looked up, offering a timid smile. “Good morning, Ma’am.”
My stomach dropped. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh!” She quickly stood, lowering her head respectfully. “Sir Sebastian told me you changed your mind… that you agreed to let me stay as the maid.”
Ice spread through my veins. “That’s not true. I never agreed to anything.”