Chapter 7 The Master’s Villa
LEITANA
My eyes fluttered open.
For a second, I didn’t remember where I was. The ceiling above me wasn’t the same one from the small house I grew up in. It was high, way too high,with little golden lights shaped like stars.
I blinked, sitting up slowly. My dress was wrinkled, my head heavy. The bed beneath me was huge, soft like it could swallow me whole. The sheets smelled faintly of rain and something sharp, like the man from the car.
My heart jumped.
Where was I?
The last thing I remembered was the hum of the car, the rain, and him sitting beside me, silent and cold.
Now I was here.
The room wasn’t dark, thank God. The curtains were drawn halfway, letting in a pale silver glow. Everything around me looked too grand to touch—white walls, tall mirrors, golden edges, and a chandelier hanging like a crown. Even the fireplace in the corner was bigger than my whole dorm back home.
I turned slowly, my feet touching the carpet. It felt like walking on clouds.
This place couldn’t belong to normal people.
On one side, there were glass doors leading to a balcony. I walked closer, the air smelling like wet grass and horses. When I peeked out, I froze.
The land stretched endlessly. Green hills, stables far away, and a few people moving around in black coats. Everything looked amazing.
So this was his place. That person.
My… husband?
I almost laughed at the word. It sounded wrong in my head. He didn’t look like someone who had a wife. He looked like someone who owned people.
I rubbed my arms, the air in the room colder than before. My head turned toward the door.
Maybe I should see what’s outside. Maybe he’s gone. Maybe I can find out where “here” even is.
I pushed the door open slowly.
The hallway outside was long, silent, marble floors stretching in both directions. Paintings lined the walls, and somewhere far off, I could hear faint voices. I hesitated for a second, my hand still on the knob.
Then I stepped out.
Each sound of my bare feet echoed softly against the floor. My stomach tightened as I moved forward, afraid someone might see me, ask who I was because even I wasn’t sure anymore.
I passed one window and caught a glimpse of the world outside again. It looked endless. Beautiful, yes… but like a cage made of gold.
I took a breath and whispered under my breath,
“God, weya nao mi?” (God, where am I?)
My voice sounded too small inside that big house.
I kept walking. Every few steps, I passed one more painting, faces of people I didn’t know. Their eyes followed me. Maybe it was just my head, but it made my skin crawl.
Then I heard it, voices. Two women talking somewhere down the hall. I stopped and pressed myself against the wall.
“…the Master hasn’t come out since his return,” one woman whispered.
“He brought her, didn’t he? The new wife?”
“Yes,” the other replied quickly. “They said she’s… different.”
Their voices grew clearer as they turned the corner. I pressed my back against the wall, holding my breath. My heart thudded in my ears.
Then the two women appeared, young, both wearing neat black dresses and white aprons. When their eyes fell on me, they stopped mid-step.
One gasped softly. “Oh….my lady!”
They both bowed, heads low, eyes wide like they’d seen something holy.
“My… lady?” I repeated, confused.
They looked up slowly, still startled. One of them smiled nervously. “Forgive us, Mistress. We didn’t know you were awake already.”
Mistress. That word felt strange in my ears.
“I… mi jes wake up small,” I said quietly, my voice shy.
The girls blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“I mean… I just wake up a little bit ago,” I tried again.
Their eyes met, clearly surprised. “You speak… different,” one murmured, tilting her head.
I smiled faintly, not sure what to say. “Mi from Vanuatu,” I said. “That’s how we talk there.”
But then my eyes went wide when I realized what I had just said.
I wasn’t supposed to let anyone know that I’m Leitana.
I was pretending to be Avery… not me.
W–what if they told him?
Both women nodded slowly, though I could tell they didn’t truly understand.
“Dinner has been prepared,” the shorter one said quickly, breaking the silence. “The Master is waiting in the dining hall.”
“Dinner?” I echoed, glancing out the window. The moon was already high, glowing bright against the dark sky. Maybe hours had passed since they brought me here.
“Yes, Mistress. Please, come with us.”
I followed them quietly down the hallway. My footsteps sank into the thick carpet, and I couldn’t help but stare around—the golden lamps glowing softly against white walls, tall glass windows stretching endlessly, showing green hills that seemed to go on forever. Every corner looked too beautiful to be real.
I brushed my fingers against a table as we passed. The wood was smooth, shining like it had been kissed by sunlight.
“Everything so big here,” I whispered without meaning to.
One of the girls looked back with a polite smile. “It is the Master’s villa, my lady. Nothing here is small.”
Villa. I didn’t know what that meant, but I nodded anyway.
When we reached the dining room, the doors opened by themselves—someone must have pushed them from inside.
The smell hit me first. Warm bread, roasted meat, fruits I couldn’t name, and something sweet, like honey. The room was long, the table even longer, covered in white cloth and golden plates. Crystal lights hung above us, their glow scattering across silver cutlery and glass cups.
The servants inside bowed as soon as I stepped in. I froze for a moment, unsure what to do, then gave a small nod back.
At the far end of the table, he sat.
Ravial.
He was dressed in black again, sleeves rolled up slightly, his attention fixed on the phone in his hand. His posture was straight, sharp, like the rest of him. He didn’t look up. Not even when I stopped at the edge of the table.
One of the women beside me whispered, “Please, my lady, have your seat.”
I moved to the chair they pulled out for me—the one just beside his. My wedding gown rustled softly as I sat, its fabric heavy and cold against my skin.
I stared at the plates before me. The food looked beautiful but strange—colors and smells I’d never seen before.
A servant stepped forward and began placing portions onto my plate with careful hands.
I whispered, “Thank you,” and gave her a small smile.
She blinked, startled by my tone. “Of course, my lady.”
I glanced at Ravial again. His eyes were still on his phone, thumb moving slowly across the screen, face unreadable.
Did he even remember I existed?
My papa and mama’s voices echoed in my head—their warning, their plan, their deceit.
Just do what we say, Leitana. Say yes. Stay quiet. Don’t ask questions.
But sitting there beside him in that golden, silent place, I felt smaller than ever.
I lowered my gaze and folded my hands in my lap as the servants finished serving.
The clinking of plates faded. The only sound left was the soft tap
ping of his phone.
And just when I thought he wasn’t going to say anything… he finally spoke.
And what he said next was nothing I expected.