Chapter 49 Chapter 49
ANNA’S POV
The next morning came too fast.
I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, my stepmother’s voice replayed in my head, repeating every cruel thing she had said to me that night.
“No one will ever love you.”
“Men like Damon only want one thing.”
“Elijah chose Amanda. He never chose you.”
By the time the sun rose, I already felt tired, heavy, and hollow. My eyes were swollen, and my head ached, but I still forced myself out of bed because I had no choice. Maids didn’t get days off for heartbreak.
I put on my uniform quietly. My hands shook as I tied the apron. My chest felt tight again, but I swallowed it down and forced myself into the hall.
I had only one goal today—
Avoid Elijah. Avoid Damon. Avoid everyone.
I didn’t want them to see my eyes. I didn’t want them to hear my voice. I didn’t even want them to look at me and see how weak I felt inside.
I walked fast, keeping my head down as I moved through the long corridors of the castle. The other maids rushed around with trays and cloths and baskets, but I barely saw them.
Everything felt far away.
My heart beat too fast when I reached the dining room doors.
Inside, I could already hear voices.
I could hear Amanda’s light, fake laugh, Elijah’s calm tone. And then—Damon’s deeper voice.
My stomach twisted with pain. Why was I the one on the roster to serve these nobles breakfast? Why didn't I quickly find another maid to exchange duty with?
But I couldn't turn back.
Unfortunately, I was already there.
I took a breath and pushed the doors open.
The dining room was bright with sunlight. The long table was set with silver plates, crystal cups, and fresh flowers in the center. Elijah sat at the left side with Amanda right beside him, her long hair falling down her back. She looked perfect as always—beautiful, elegant, and proud.
Elijah didn’t look up when I walked in.
He didn’t even turn his head. He kept his eyes on his cup, as if I didn’t exist at all.
And for the first time, I truly felt it.
He wasn’t just done with me.
He was avoiding me too...
Then my eyes moved to the right end of the table.
Damon was right there.
He almost never ate here. He always preferred taking his food in his quarters or in the training hall. Seeing him at the table this morning felt strange. His eyes were on his plate, but something tense sat around his shoulders, like he wasn’t comfortable either.
And I wondered—
Was he avoiding me too the same way I was avoiding him? Had he noticed how I had been avoiding him since Elijah's announcement? Had he noticed it all?
My heart squeezed painfully as I lowered my head and focused on the tray I carried.
Breakfast was simple today—eggs cooked softly, slices of roasted meat, fresh bread, warm tea, and honey drizzled over small pieces of fruit. The cooks had prepared everything before dawn.
I walked to Elijah and Amanda first.
“Good morning,” I murmured, my voice turning extremely low. “Here’s breakfast.”
Amanda didn’t even bother to look at me. She lifted her chin and pointed at the plates with a dismissive flick of her hand.
“Put my food down, bitch!” she ordered, like I was some insect crawling near her.
I placed the plates gently—one in front of Elijah,
one in front of her.
Elijah didn’t reach out.
He didn’t say thank you or even glance at me. He just stared at the table, like I wasn’t there, like I had never been there.
Something inside me cracked a little.
I stepped back quickly, ready to leave before Amanda opened her mouth, but of course she opened it anyway.
She leaned back in her chair and clicked her tongue loudly. “Do you even know how to place a plate properly?” She pointed at Elijah’s dish. “This is crooked. Are you blind or just fucking stupid?”
My hands froze on the tray.
I opened my mouth softly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t—”
She cut me off with a laugh.
A cold, sharp laugh.
“Oh, Elijah, look,” she called out loudly, tapping his arm as she proceeded to further mock me. “This stupid maid can't serve a meal. How embarrassing of her. Anna, why are you so useless?”
Elijah didn’t look up.
He didn’t tell her to stop.
He didn’t even defend me or make an attempt to. He just smiled, lifted his cup and drank his tea slowly, like my humiliation was nothing to him.
He was really done with me...
I lowered my head even more. “I’m sorry,” I apologized to Amanda who further continued humiliating me.
“What?” Amanda mocked loudly. “Speak up. You sound like a silly mouse.”
Embarrassment rushed to my face. “I said I’m sor—”
She rolled her eyes. “Ugh, forget it. Just move. You’re blocking my space. You should get back to where you belong. You should get back to the kitchen, Anna.”
I stepped back quickly.
A part of me hoped Damon didn’t hear that.
But of course he did.
Everyone did.
I walked to him next.
When I placed the plate in front of him, I expected him to ignore me too. I thought he was going to act like Elijah, to also pretend I was invisible to him.
But what was I expecting?
This was Damon.
He had never ignored me before.
As soon as I looked at him, he also looked up, and his eyes caught mine so fast and so sharply that I forgot how to breathe.
His stare wasn’t cold.
It wasn’t empty.
It wasn’t distant.
It was… searching.
His brows drew together slightly, like he had questions he wasn’t asking, like he saw something in my face that he didn’t understand.
I quickly looked away.
I didn’t want him to look too closely.
I didn’t want him to see how broken and humiliated I was. I didn’t want him to see that I was struggling not to cry because of Amanda's insults. I didn't want him to see any of that.
Carefully, I placed the last piece of fruit on his plate, whispered a soft “Here you go...” and turned to leave.
I didn’t make it far.
I had barely taken two steps away when his cold hand wrapped around my wrist.
I froze.
My heart leaped.
Slowly… very slowly… I looked back.
Damon’s hand held me gently but firmly. His fingers wrapped around my wrist like he didn’t want to let go. His eyes, deep and unreadable, were locked on mine.
My breath caught in my throat. “Alpha Damon…?”
The room went silent.
Amanda stopped eating and stared at Damon with her mouth slightly open.
Elijah finally looked up—his eyes moving from Damon’s hand to my face, then back again—something dark moving in his gaze.
But Damon didn’t look at either of them.
He looked only at me.
“Have breakfast with us, Anna.”
My heart skipped a full beat.
“What?” I whispered.
I was shocked. What did he just say? Did he just ask me to have breakfast with the three of them? Was I not hearing him properly?
Amanda gasped in horror too. “What did you just say?” she snapped in anger. “Have breakfast with us?”
Damon ignored her completely.
His thumb brushed lightly against my wrist, warm and slowly. Not by accident. Not by mistake.
My breath trembled.
“I said sit down and have breakfast with us, Anna.” Damon’s voice wasn’t loud, yet it ruled the room. He didn’t blink or turn. His eyes stayed locked on mine as if the others didn’t exist.
“Sit,” he repeated, slower this time. “Sit with me!”
My lips parted, but no sound came out. My whole body felt tight and small. I could see Amanda’s glare from the corner of my eye—sharp, hateful, and hungry for me to disobey. Elijah kept looking at the table as if I wasn’t even there, as if my presence offended him.
My heart stopped.
The world around me blurred, but Damon's voice stayed clear, pulling me forward and trapping me at the same time.
Why was he doing this?