Chapter 102 Newsflash, she's dead.
Celeste
A soft moan slipped from my lips as the last thread of energy drained from the Omega maid.
Three of them tonight.
Pathetic little sparks of life, but enough to quiet the gnawing hollow inside my chest.
The girl sagged against the wall, breathing unevenly, her eyelids fluttering as if she had simply grown tired. She would wake later with a headache and no memory of why.
Omegas rarely noticed when pieces of themselves were taken.
I wiped my hands slowly, savoring the warmth spreading through my veins.
It wasn’t much.
But it was enough to keep the darkness in me quiet… for now.
Then Lady Livia’s voice rang from downstairs.
“Celeste!”
Sharp. Loud. Irritating.
My jaw tightened.
Of course.
The moment I had a sliver of peace, she found a way to shatter it.
“Celeste!” she called again, louder this time.
My fingers curled slightly.
That woman had a voice that could peel skin.
I rose from the bunk with a sigh and walked toward the staircase.
By the time I reached the hallway, Lady Livia was already waiting there with her arms crossed, her expression twisted into the familiar look of disapproval she wore like a crown.
“There you are,” she snapped. “I’ve been calling you for ten minutes.”
“My lady,” I said softly, lowering my gaze. “You called for me?”
Her eyes swept over me with clear annoyance.
“And what exactly have you been doing since morning?” she demanded. “Lying around? Daydreaming?”
“I washed the dishes,” I replied calmly.
Lady Livia scoffed.
“Washed the dishes?” she repeated mockingly. “Is that supposed to impress me?”
I said nothing.
“Washing dishes for a woman can never be enough,” she continued, pacing slowly in front of me. “You clean. You cook. You check on the other servants. You make sure the animals are fed. That is why you are here.”
Her voice rose with each sentence.
“And yet you think scrubbing a few plates means your work is done!”
My patience thinned.
Still, I kept my face blank.
“I understand,” I said quietly.
“Do you?” she snapped. “Because from where I’m standing it looks like laziness.”
She stepped closer, pointing a finger at my chest.
“Look, we get it. Luna was kind enough to let you stay here, but that doesn’t mean you get to lie around like some useless ornament.”
Her finger pressed harder against me.
“If you want to live under this roof, you will earn your keep.”
Her voice grated against my ears like metal scraping stone.
Slowly, I lifted my eyes to meet hers.
“What would you like me to do?” I asked.
Lady Livia smirked, clearly pleased with herself.
“Now you’re asking the right question.”
She began counting on her fingers.
“First, go back to the kitchen and scrub the floors properly. Then the hallways. After that I want you to check the stallion in the east stable—he hasn’t been eating well and the stable boy is useless.”
She waved her hand dismissively.
“And when that’s done, you can start preparing dinner.”
I tilted my head slightly.
“You want me to do all of that alone?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“And what exactly is wrong with hard labor?” she retorted.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The hallway felt very quiet.
Then she turned away with a huff.
“Stop staring and get to work.”
She took two steps forward.
That was the moment I decided.
Not in anger.
Not even in frustration.
Just… quiet certainty.
My hand reached out and shoved her.
Hard.
Lady Livia gasped as she stumbled forward, completely unprepared. Her foot slipped against the polished stone floor.
The crack when her head struck the ground echoed down the hallway.
She didn’t move.
Blood began spreading slowly beneath her hair.
I watched her for a moment.
Still breathing… perhaps.
Perhaps not.
Either way, she wouldn’t be shouting anymore.
I crouched beside her, studying the stillness of her body with mild curiosity.
“Hm,” I murmured.
Paralyzed, maybe.
Or dead.
I straightened.
“Well,” I said softly to the empty hallway.
“No more chores.”
Stepping carefully around the growing pool of blood, I returned to my bunk.
The stolen energy still warmed my body, dulling the familiar hunger inside me.
I lay down and closed my eyes.
Sleep came easily.
\---
When I woke, the manor was louder than usual.
Voices drifted through the corridors—hurried footsteps, whispers, panic wrapped in curiosity.
I stretched lazily before pushing myself off the bunk and stepping into the hallway.
Two servants rushed past carrying blankets and towels. A few maids stood near the staircase, whispering among themselves.
“…they already called for the doctor”
“…there was so much blood…”
“…they said she might not make it…”
I stopped beside them just long enough to catch the end of the conversation.
“Lady Livia is being taken to the hospital,” one of the maids whispered nervously. “They said… she may not survive.”
A small sigh slipped from me.
How unfortunate.
I walked past them toward the kitchen, grabbed an apple from the counter, and took a slow bite.
Sweet.
Crisp.
Much better than listening to screaming.
Behind me, the maids continued talking.
“Did you hear about the Luna?” one of them said excitedly.
“Yes!” another maid gasped. “Luna Maureen had a child!”
“Not just one,” a third girl added, lowering her voice dramatically. “Three. Triplets.”
The others stared at her.
“Three?” someone repeated. “That’s impossible.”
“And they won’t let anyone near them!” the girl continued. “The guards are everywhere.”
“But when was the Luna even pregnant?” another maid asked, confused. “I never saw her stomach grow.”
“Oh my goodness… don’t you know?” one of them whispered.
“Know what?”
Their voices lowered further, thick with gossip.
I took another bite of my apple before finally speaking.
“Why are you girls gossiping instead of working?”
They jumped slightly at the sound of my voice.
One of them frowned.
“What? Isn’t it strange?” she said defensively. “Three babies suddenly appear in the manor.”
I shrugged.
“No, it’s not.”
They blin
ked at me.
“Now get back to work,” I said flatly. “And stop fooling around.”
One of the girls scoffed.
“Hey, it’s not like you’re the new head maid.”
I looked at her slowly.
“I don’t have to be the head maid to set your head straight,” I replied calmly. “Now clean up.”
For a moment, none of them spoke.
Then they quickly scattered, suddenly very interested in their duties.
I leaned against the counter, finishing the last bite of my apple.