Flora's POV
Jonathan’s offer had left me restless.
As he stood there, his gaze steady but filled with some hidden turmoil, I tried to make sense of his words. Escape Lucian? He wanted to help me escape?
“What’s your plan?” I asked, my voice low to avoid the guards overhearing.
Jonathan glanced toward the door, then back at me, his expression growing cautious. “I can’t tell you here. The house is surrounded by people loyal to Lucian. If I speak too freely, it will be the end for both of us. But trust me—I’ll return tomorrow, and we’ll figure this out.”
Tomorrow felt like an eternity away. I crossed my arms, skeptical. “How are we supposed to talk with Lucian’s guards breathing down my neck?”
He gave me a small, conspiratorial smile. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle it.”
I wanted to push for more, but I could see the tension in his stance. He wasn’t going to give me anything else now. Instead, he shifted the topic abruptly.
“For now, Lucian sent me to ask if you needed anything.”
My irritation flared, and without thinking, I snapped, “Tell him to fuck off.”
Jonathan’s lips twitched into what might have been a grin. “As tempting as that is, I don’t think I’ll deliver that message. I’ll bring you some fruit salad instead.”
“Fine,” I muttered, throwing myself back onto the bed.
Jonathan lingered for a moment, as if debating whether to say something else, but then he turned and left. The soft click of the door closing behind him left me alone with my thoughts.
I stared at the ceiling, replaying the conversation in my head. Jonathan’s words about helping me escape stirred a flicker of hope, but it was buried under layers of doubt. Could I really trust him? Or was this some elaborate game Lucian had orchestrated?
And then there was this strange feeling I couldn’t shake. Jonathan’s eyes... there was something in them. A mix of guilt and determination, like he was fighting an internal battle I couldn’t see.
I turned onto my side, the necklace around my neck pressing coolly against my skin. My fingers brushed over it absentmindedly. If the Moon Goddess’s words were to be trusted, this necklace held some kind of key to my future.
But I didn’t have time to dwell on that thought because the door creaked open again.
Jonathan stepped inside, carrying a tray with a fruit salad. But he wasn’t alone.
Behind him was a woman who immediately commanded the room. She was tall and striking, dressed in an all-black ensemble that hugged her figure. Her presence exuded power, and the way she moved—like a predator stalking its prey—set my nerves on edge.
She stopped just inside the door, her sharp eyes scanning the room before locking onto me. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine.
Jonathan placed the tray on the bedside table and stepped back, bowing his head slightly toward the woman. The gesture made my stomach sink. Whoever she was, she held authority here.
“Leave us,” she said, her voice smooth but laced with steel.
Jonathan hesitated for a fraction of a second, his eyes flickering toward me. But then he bowed his head again and left the room without a word, the door clicking shut behind him.
I was alone with her.
She stood by the door for a moment, studying me. I fought the urge to shrink back, forcing myself to sit up straighter on the bed.
“Hello,” she said finally, her tone light but her gaze unwavering.
“Hi,” I replied cautiously.
She took a few steps closer, her eyes never leaving mine. “What’s your name?”
The question caught me off guard. My mind raced. Should I give her my real name? Or Dahlia’s?
Before I could answer, she smirked. “Don’t bother lying. I know who you are, Dahlia.”
My heart stopped.
She took another step closer, her gaze sharp and unrelenting. “I know you’re the one sleeping with my husband.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Husband? My mind reeled. Lucian was married? Dahlia must have known, but I didn’t. This was new territory, and it threw me completely off balance.
“I... I don’t—”
“Save it,” she interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. “Lucian is a man of many vices. You’re not the first mistress, and you won’t be the last.”
The way she said it, so calm and matter-of-fact, left me speechless.
She moved to the bedside table, picking up a piece of fruit from the tray Jonathan had brought. She inspected it briefly before taking a bite, her eyes still locked on me.
Then, without warning, she picked up another piece of fruit and held it out to me.
“Here,” she said, her tone almost mocking.
I hesitated, but her gaze hardened, daring me to refuse. Reluctantly, I opened my mouth, and she placed the fruit between my lips.
Her fingers brushed against my skin, and the touch made my stomach churn. There was something deeply unsettling about her—a predatory edge that set every nerve in my body on high alert.
She smiled, a slow, calculated smile. “Good girl.”
I swallowed the fruit quickly, my mind racing for a way to defuse the situation. “I’m sorry if I’ve offended you,” I said carefully. “If you’d like me to leave—”
She cut me off with a laugh, low and throaty. “Leave? Oh no, Dahlia. I’m not here to chase you off. I’m here to serve my purpose.”
Her words sent a chill down my spine. “What purpose?”
She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she stood, her movements slow and deliberate. I tensed as she closed the distance between us.
I scrambled to my feet, instinctively putting space between us, but it wasn’t enough. She cornered me effortlessly, her presence dominating. My back hit the wall, and I had nowhere to go.
She reached out, her fingers brushing against my face, tracing the line of my jaw. I flinched but held her gaze, refusing to show fear.
Her fingers trailed lower, down my neck and toward my chest. I pressed myself harder against the wall, trying to retreat, but there was no escape.
Her touch was slow, deliberate, and invasive. She smiled, a cruel, satisfied smile. “You’re quite the beauty,” she murmured, her tone dripping with false sweetness. “I can see why Lucian is so enamored.”
I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to shove her away.
She leaned in closer, her breath warm against my skin. “But be careful, little flower. Being close to Lucian comes with a price. One you might not be willing to pay.”
Finally, she stepped back, giving me space to breathe.
She turned and headed for the door, her movements unhurried. But just before she left, she glanced back over her shoulder.
“See you tomorrow,” she said, blowing me a kiss.
The door closed behind her, leaving me alone with the suffocating tension that filled the room. My knees buckled, and I sank to the floor, my heart racing.
Whatever game I’d been dragged into, it was far more dangerous than I’d realized.