Chapter 27 Chapter 27
Chapter 27 Chapter 27
Lily’s POV
“Lily! Lily! Wake up!”
Emma’s voice pierced the quiet of my sleep, pulling me from a dream that had been so sweet, so vivid.
“Emma, why did you wake me? Especially when I was having such a beautiful dream,” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes and trying to orient myself.
“Sweet dreams?” she asked, her tone half-amused, half-exasperated.
“Yes,” I whispered, the memory already fading. “I was… by a beautiful ocean. The sun was rising, the water shimmering gold and turquoise, waves lazily brushing the shore. There were small sailboats dancing in the distance, and the air smelled of salt and flowers. I felt… free. Light. Happy.”
Emma’s expression didn’t soften. Instead, she leaned closer, hands on her hips. “Well, maybe your beautiful dream is about to turn bad if you don’t get your ass up right now.”
I blinked at her. This was the first time she’d ever spoken to me like that. Firm, no sugarcoating, almost… commanding.
“Never… why would you talk to me like this, Emma?” I asked, bewildered.
“Well, Lily, you need to come out. Ma Katrine is calling you.”
“What? Ma Katrine is calling me?” My heart skipped. There was only one reason she would call me personally.
“Then definitely there’s something going on,” I whispered to myself, anxiety prickling at my skin.
“What? Did I do something wrong?”
“You’ll find out when you come out.”
“But… when I come out, can’t you just tell me what’s happening now? Why anticipate it?”
Emma shook her head, tugging me toward the hallway. “You’ll see.”
As I stepped out, before I could even ask, a sharp slap landed across my cheek. The sting made my head spin. I looked up and froze. Victoria.
“Why did you slap me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” she shot back, eyes blazing. “You’re sleeping when you’re supposed to be with your master! Or do you think a secretary’s work is child’s play?”
“No, ma, but—” I stammered.
“But what?”
Ma Katrine’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. “But what?”
“You were resting when you were supposed to be with my son. I don’t blame you, I blame him for giving that position to a lowly maid like you,” she said gently, though her disappointment was clear.
“I am sorry, ma,” I whispered.
“Now go inside,” Ma Katrine instructed. “Try your absolute best, as the secretary you are, to calm him down.”
“Calm him down?” I echoed in disbelief.
“Yes. My son Sebastian… his PTSD has started,” she said, her voice low but firm.
“His PTSD?” I repeated, my chest tightening.
“His… madness,” Ma Katrine continued. “I never imagined Sebastian could deal with something like this.”
Victoria scoffed, brushing past me. “Seems like she can’t do it. Mom, let me go. I am Sebastian’s fiancée, his childhood friend. I should be able to calm him down.”
“Yeah, that’s right,” Ma Katrine said softly, almost remembering. “But be careful, so you won’t get hurt.”
“Thank you, Mom,” Victoria replied, though her pride was clear.
I froze for a moment. If I went in there… I could get hurt too. The thought made my stomach twist.
“That is very bad,” Ma Katrine muttered. “I hope she succeeds.”
“Don’t worry. She will,” Regina said firmly, though her gaze flicked to me like a warning.
“Hey, you useless animal, I never knew your work in this palace. You deserve to be thrown away!” Regina snapped at me.
I bit my lip and ignored it, focusing on what mattered.
“Let’s focus on Sebastian for now, yes, my friend,” Regina continued, softening her tone slightly.
Victoria’s expression twisted, a mix of fear and frustration. If she succeeded, she would gain even more favor from Sebastian.
“Well, as long as Sebastian calms down…” she muttered, almost to herself.
“I don’t care about that,” Emma whispered to me.
“You really like him, Lily. See, you might suffer if she gains Sebastian’s favor,” someone else muttered.
I scolded them silently in my head. “Does that even matter?”
“What are you whispering about, you good-for-nothing maid?” Regina barked.
“Nothing, ma,” I said quickly.
Victoria appeared again, breathing heavily, panic etched across her face.
“Victoria, my daughter, what happened?” Ma Katrine demanded.
“Have you calmed Sebastian down?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“No, no! I’m sorry, I couldn’t. It’s beyond me. His madness has increased. He almost hurt me. I am terrified, Mom. The person I saw is not him. He’s… different.”
“Not him? What did he look like?” Ma Katrine pressed, falling to her knees, tears streaming.
By that time, Sebastian’s secretary returned.
“Hey, where did you go? As his secretary, aren’t you supposed to—”
“I am sorry, ma,” Drey interrupted. “I was given a task by him.”
“Alright. Find a way to calm him down,” Ma Katrine ordered.
“I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“You can’t? So what is your work?” she demanded.
Ma Katrine broke into tears again, and I moved closer to Drey, whispering.
“Who calms Sir Sebastian down? I mean, there must be someone when his PTSD shows.”
“That was his grandmother,” Drey said quietly. “But unfortunately, she’s passed away. She would sing to him, and he’d calm down.”
“But does this happen anytime?” I asked.
“No, not at all. Someone must remind him of his sister.”
“His sister?”
“Yes. He feels guilty that she died.”
“What should we do?”
“I suggest you go, Lily,” Drey said, smiling—but the smile had a hint of mischief.
“What? Me? Even Victoria couldn’t calm him down, and you want me to go?”
“Yes. He might listen to you.”
“I… I can’t.”
“Ma, why don’t you let his personal secretary, Lily, go?”
“No, please. I tried to stop him,” Victoria said, panic rising in her voice.
“I feel that for Sebastian to make her his secretary, he must have seen her capability. He’s never made a wrong decision. So we should give it a try,” Drey said, her smile widening.
“What is this evil smile?” I whispered.
“Why would I, a mere maid, be the one?” I muttered. I saw the terror in Victoria’s eyes, and I felt the weight of what I was being asked to do. Walking into that room felt like stepping into a lion’s den.
I couldn’t. I shouldn’t. I hoped they would reject me.
“Really? You think so? Who is she, or what does she have? She’s just a lowly maid who can’t even protect herself!” Victoria snapped.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I want. Victoria, your words work in my favor today,” I muttered.
“It’s not about what you have or where you come from, but who you are, Miss Victoria,” Drey added, sharply.
Victoria blinked.
“It doesn’t matter who goes. What matters is calming your master—and you, as the fiancée, calming yourself.”
“Yes, Mom, I understand. But…”
“Lily, please go and calm my son down. Just be watchful so you won’t come out in blood,” Ma Katrine warned.
“My master… he will never hurt his servant,” I whispered.
“Victoria, stop spewing nonsense,” Ma Katrine said firmly.
I heard the maids whispering. Instead of refusing, I nodded. I would go. I didn’t care about the danger. Even Miss Victoria couldn’t, but I would.
The secretary stepped back, but I felt the pull forward, like invisible hands pushing me toward my fate. I might die. Maybe compensation awaited—but in this house, the dead were forgotten.
I tried to process it. Was Drey pushing me? Did they mean I would be treated as if I didn’t exist? Did a maid die here before, and was it covered up? I didn’t understand this place.
As I reached the door, a stench of something metallic, something dark, filled my nose. My heart raced violently. My palms sweated. My body felt like it was on fire. My hands shook so badly that I had to use both to open the door.
What is really going on with Sebastian Kingsley? Was he possessed?
I pushed the door open—and almost collided with a flying glass cup.
“Who is that?!” Sebastian roared.
His voice hit me like a thunderclap to my ears, making me shiver violently. I almost fainted. This wasn’t the Sebastian I knew. He was different. Fierce. Predatory. Ready to strike. A lion about to hunt.
There was no going back. No going forward. My chest tightened, my heart pounded. My legs trembled. And yet… I had to move.