Chapter 64 STAYING SILENT

Chapter 64 STAYING SILENT
Lina

Lina had never liked the servant corridors before.
They were narrow, dimly lit, and always smelled faintly of soap and old wood. But until recently, they had simply been part of the estate’s quiet rhythm—a place where maids hurried between rooms and kitchen staff carried trays without disturbing the noble residents.
Now the corridors felt like traps.
Every sound made Lina jump.
Every voice made her stomach tighten.
She carried a basket of freshly pressed linens toward the guest wing, but her thoughts were nowhere near the task. They kept circling back to the same terrifying realization.
The Duke knew something.
She had seen it in his eyes earlier that morning.
Ace had not raised his voice. He had not accused her of anything. But the calm way he had studied her, the quiet warning in his words…
It had felt like standing before a storm that hadn’t decided whether to strike yet.
“If someone approaches you again…”
The memory made her chest tighten.
She had lied to him.
And she hated it.
Lina had always been an honest person. Life had been difficult since their parents died, but she and Samuel had survived by doing the right things. Working hard. Avoiding trouble.
Now she was secretly delivering messages inside a duke’s estate.
Her grip tightened around the linen basket.
“I didn’t have a choice,” she whispered to herself.
But the words didn’t make her feel any better.
When she reached the guest wing hallway, she placed the basket on a small wooden table and began organizing the folded sheets. The familiar routine helped her breathe a little easier.
Fold. Stack. Smooth the edges.
Work had always been the best way to quiet her mind.
Still, the fear refused to disappear.
What if the stranger came back today?
What if he demanded another message?
Or worse…
What if the Duke discovered everything before she could figure out how to protect Samuel?
Her thoughts spiraled until a soft voice interrupted them.
“Lina?”
She jumped slightly and turned around.
Mariel, one of the older housemaids, stood in the doorway holding a tray of teacups.
“You startled me,” Lina said, forcing a small smile.
Mariel studied her face with concern.
“You’ve been doing that a lot lately.”
“Doing what?”
“Looking like you’re about to faint.”
Lina quickly returned her attention to the linens.
“I’m just tired.”
Mariel didn’t sound convinced.
“You’ve been working here long enough to know the routine. This job isn’t that exhausting.”
Lina hesitated.
Mariel was one of the few servants who had been kind to her since she arrived at the estate. The older woman had shown her where everything was stored and even helped her adjust during her first week.
For a moment Lina considered telling her the truth.
But the image of Samuel standing on the docks flashed through her mind again.
She shook her head quickly.
“I’m fine.”
Mariel set the tray down on the nearby table.
“You’re not fine.”
Lina sighed quietly.
“Please don’t worry about me.”
Mariel crossed her arms.
“That’s difficult when you look like you haven’t slept in three days.”
Lina forced another smile.
“I promise I’m alright.”
The older maid studied her for several seconds before finally sighing.
“If you say so.”
She picked up the tray again.
“But if something’s bothering you…”
Mariel’s voice softened slightly.
“…you should talk to someone.”
Lina nodded politely.
“I will.”
But as Mariel left the room, Lina felt the weight of silence settle over her again.
Talking to someone wasn’t an option.
Not when Samuel’s life depended on her keeping quiet.
She finished stacking the linens and picked up the basket again.
The hallway outside the guest wing was quiet.
Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, illuminating the polished wooden floor.
For a moment the estate felt peaceful again.
Normal.
Lina took a deep breath and started walking back toward the servant quarters.
Maybe today would pass without another message.
Maybe the stranger wouldn’t return yet.
Maybe—
A soft tapping sound interrupted her thoughts.
She froze.
The sound came from behind her.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Her heart began pounding instantly.
Slowly, she turned around.
No one stood in the hallway.
But something had changed.
One of the windows near the corner had been opened slightly.
The curtain fluttered gently in the breeze.
Lina stepped closer.
Her stomach twisted when she saw the small folded piece of paper resting on the windowsill.
“No…” she whispered.
Her hands began shaking again.
He was here.
Or at least… he had been.
The hallway remained silent.
No footsteps.
No voices.
Just the quiet movement of the curtain brushing against the window frame.
Lina set the linen basket down slowly and reached for the paper.
Her fingers hesitated just above it.
“What do you want now?” she murmured.
But the stranger wasn’t there to answer.
Finally, she picked up the note.
The handwriting was the same sharp script as before.
Her eyes scanned the message.
You did well.
Her stomach twisted.
The council meeting will take place in four days.
The Duchess must attend.
If she refuses, your brother dies.
Lina’s breathing became shallow.
She kept reading.
You will deliver another message tonight.
The same place.
Do not fail.
The paper slipped slightly in her trembling hands.
Tonight.
Another message.
Another lie.
Another step deeper into whatever dangerous plan these people were building.
Lina pressed her hand against the windowsill to steady herself.
“This can’t keep happening,” she whispered.
But the stranger clearly believed it would.
And maybe he was right.
Because Lina still didn’t know how to stop it.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed faintly from the nearby corridor.
Lina panicked.
She quickly folded the note and hid it inside her apron pocket.
A moment later one of the kitchen assistants rounded the corner carrying a basket of vegetables.
“Morning,” he said casually.
“Morning,” Lina replied quickly.
He continued down the hallway without noticing anything unusual.
Lina exhaled slowly.
Her mind raced.
Another message tonight.
But this time something felt different.
The stranger’s words had sounded more confident.
More certain that the Duchess would attend the council meeting.
Which meant they believed their threat was working.
Lina’s gaze drifted toward the estate gardens outside the window.
She knew the Duke and Duchess weren’t foolish.
If anyone could see through this scheme, it would be them.
But telling them the truth still felt impossible.
Because even if they tried to help…
What if they couldn’t protect Samuel in time?
Her chest tightened painfully.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered quietly.
She didn’t know whether she was apologizing to the Duke, the Duchess…
Or her brother.
But one thing was certain.
Tonight she would be forced to deliver another message.
And each message she carried brought the estate one step closer to danger.
Lina picked up the linen basket again and walked slowly down the hallway.
The peaceful estate around her continued its daily rhythm.
Servants worked.
Birds sang in the gardens.
The fountains sparkled in the sunlight.
No one seemed aware that a hidden plot was quietly unfolding within the walls.
And Lina…
The frightened maid caught in the middle of it all…
Was running out of time to stop it.