Adrien walked beside Eveline,' should i say something?' He knew he should speak, at least a few words, but none came. Every sentence he considered sounded hollow in his mind.
Behind them, the maid of Duchess Blackwell trailed closely, her eyes sharp and calculating. *She is lucky,* the maid thought, already drafting the report she would deliver to her lady. *He is handsome, yes—but look at her. Pathetic. I do not understand why my lady didn't sell her to Count Hogswell. Such a shame.*
Adrien's gaze flicked to Eveline. Black hair, pale skin, graceful posture—but nothing remarkable, she wasn't beautiful. Except her eyes. Pink, strange, unsettling in their intensity. He couldn't stop himself from looking. *Her eye color… it's unique. It looks…* He trailed off, realizing he didn't know how to finish the thought.
Eveline, as always, kept her eyes fixed on the floor, her hands lightly clasped in front of her. She wasn't looking at him at all. *Can she even see ?* he thought bitterly. *why is she so quiet ?*
Finally, they reached the door of the room. Adrien's voice broke the tense silence.
"We are here, my lady," he said flatly, gesturing toward the doorway.
Eveline nodded slightly, still looking down, and stepped inside. Adrien followed,
Behind them, the maid lingered, ready to memorize every small gesture for Duchess Blackwell. *She is lucky,* she reminded herself again. *Very lucky indeed.*
Adrien's eyes flicked to the maid. *She looks more like a spy than a servant,* he thought, his jaw tightening slightly. He cleared his throat and addressed Eveline, keeping his tone formal.
"My lady, do you require anything? Coffee? Tea? While we speak?" he asked, sliding into the nearest chair with deliberate ease.
"Tea would be nice," Eveline murmured, still keeping her gaze lowered. She moved gracefully to sit across from him.
Almost immediately, the maid busied herself with bringing a tray of steaming tea and delicate sweets, setting everything carefully between them. Adrien watched her every move with mild suspicion.
"Okay, everyone can leave now," he said firmly, expecting the maid to step back.
the maid of Duchess Blackwell paused, glancing nervously at him but not moving.
"What are you doing?" Adrien asked sharply.
"My lord… Duchess said—" she began.
"I said leave," Adrien cut her off, standing up. "Why are you still here? "
The maid's eyes widened. "My lord, but my lady cannot be alone—"
Adrien's patience snapped. He leaned closer, his voice low and sharp. "Are you going to leave, or do I have to make you?"
The maid swallowed hard, nodded quickly, and bolted from the room, nearly tripping over the hem of her skirts.
Adrien exhaled, sinking back into his chair. The room was finally quiet.
*Finally… we are alone,* he muttered under his breath. He glanced at Eveline, noting her calm composure despite everything. *Not that it changes anything,* he thought.
Eveline looked up at him once, pink eyes catching the light. Her expression was unreadable, calm, and obedient, as if she had already accepted her role in all of this.
Adrien stared back.