Chapter 5

A strange night it was passed. Arthur didn't do anything to me, but my nerves were still tense until I was taken back to my room, and then my spirit relaxed a bit.

After that, I was locked in my room again and, at night, was retaken to Arthur's room. Things kept repeating like that for five days. Unlike the first night, Arthur went to sleep the following night instead of staring at me all night. That made me less stressed, but I still didn't dare to blink when I was near him, so I stayed up every night and slept during the day.

When we were with him, we never spoke to each other.

Today, I was suddenly woken up by Dylan when I had only slept for two hours. I rubbed my eyes and asked dreamily, "What's going on?"

"Today, you have to work like normal," Dylan said.

At this point, I really just wanted to sleep, but I couldn't disobey Dylan's orders.

I do the same job as before. During the days I was locked up, there was no one to clean the villa for me, so my work piled up. What makes me most tired is the kitchen. Someone did the cooking but didn't clean and wash the dishes. I looked at this mess and was so angry that I cursed.

I cannot do all the work in one day. I returned to my room at seven o'clock in the evening according to the previous rules. I thought I was going to bed, but no. After I showered, I saw Dylan coming to find me.

I was bewildered, my face full of question marks. Dylan quickly explained, "You still have to go to Arthur's room."

"Why?" I exclaimed in a slightly grumpy voice. Insomnia and fatigue from work make me impatient.

Dylan shrugged, "Just follow orders; don't ask too many questions."

He said, then turned and left. I looked at his back, feeling extremely frustrated. Finally, I suppressed my anger and followed him. Even if I complain to him, I know it won't solve anything. I need to talk to the most influential person here.

Before long, I was in Arthur's room. Dylan closed the door and left as usual.

I turned on the lights in front of Arthur's surprised eyes. This was the first time I had seen this room so bright and the first time I had seen Arthur's appearance clearly.

I don't have time to judge him. Anger made me forget my fear of him. I said in an aggressive voice, "If you want to kill me, kill me now. Stop torturing me mentally and physically. I've had enough!"

I stared at Arthur with unyielding eyes, the slogan of not giving up clearly showing on my face.

"Oh!" Arthur's voice was intense. Just a sudden sound made my heart tremble.

"So, how should I kill you?" Arthur said calmly; his eyes were opaque as if a layer of darkness made it impossible for me to see his emotions.

My heart trembled, and the anger in my heart was reduced by half because the fear had returned. However, on the outside, I didn't show it to Arthur. I accidentally opposed him. If I backed away now, it would not be very comfortable.

"How you want to kill is up to you," I said through gritted teeth, my hands clenched.

Arthur raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, "Aren't you afraid of me anymore?"

He always knew I was afraid of him because I didn't hide my fear when I was with him these past nights. It seemed like he was surprised because tonight, I didn't choose to be afraid anymore.

I said firmly, "No matter what, I have to die. I don't want to live my days of fear and having to work tirelessly. You end this torture quickly."

I said and closed my eyes tightly. In my head, I imagined Arthur turning into a monster and biting my neck off.

I waited for about a minute; every passing second felt extremely heavy and suffocating.

I couldn't hear any sound or see anything, so I was extremely nervous. I shouted, "Hurry!"

After a minute, still, nothing happened to me. I was both scared and angry, opening one eye to observe.

Arthur sat in a chair, legs crossed, the corner of his lips slightly raised, and looked at me with eyes like he was watching a joke.

At this moment, I felt so ashamed; my fear and anger disappeared quickly. I whispered to myself, "What am I doing? What a shame!"

Arthur spoke up to break my confusion, "Why do you think I will kill you?"

His face had returned to its cold look, no longer mocking me, so I felt less shy. I replied, "Dylan said I broke the law, I should die. I'm smart enough to know I've discovered your big secret, so you won't let me leave. I tried to be obedient so you wouldn't kill me, but I couldn't stand your torture anymore. Every night, I have to worry that you will eat me, stay up all night, and work all day. If I live so hard, I'd rather die a little sooner."

I honestly said all the words in my heart; my voice contained the resentment I had suffered over the past few days.

"I won't kill you!" Arthur said.

The sentence was gentle, but in my ears, it was enhanced a hundred times because it was like an amnesty, helping me to be freed from the death sentence.

The unexpected joy made me not dare to believe, "Really?"

Arthur didn't answer, giving me a disdainful look, implying that is he looked like someone who would go back on his word?

I was happy but suddenly thought of something that made me pause. I cautiously asked, "Am I going to be locked here for the rest of my life?"

I understand Arthur's secret is shocking, and he will not let anyone who knows his secret can leave the Douglas palace. Perhaps the previous servants who knew his secret were killed. I was lucky not to be killed, but I will indeed be imprisoned for life. This is equivalent to reducing the death sentence to life imprisonment. I don't want that!

"You are so greedy! You have lived, but you continue to demand freedom." Arthur snorted coldly.

I bit my lip, not knowing what to say for a moment.

"But I may consider your wish. Just be obedient and listen. When I feel happy, I will give you freedom. A smart person like you would know how to do it."

Arthur's voice was calm and mixed with warnings. I vaguely understood but didn't dare to completely believe his words. I can only try to follow each step to survive in this place carefully.

My conversation with Arthur ended there because Arthur wanted to go to sleep. I was a little braver, so I didn't stand still all night watching Arthur like before. I sat down on the sofa and fell asleep without realizing it.

...

The following days, I continued cleaning work during the day and went to Arthur's room to sleep at night. However, the rules in the villa have been removed, so I no longer feel constrained.

There are no more bodyguards to guard the villa, so there are almost only Arthur, Dylan, and me.

Arthur did not continue to lurk in his room. He moves around the villa more, often working in the book room and jogging in the garden behind the villa.

I got used to Arthur, so I dared to look straight at him. I have to admit that he is handsome. His face is as beautiful as a delicately sculpted statue-perfect body with admirable height and toned muscles. Sometimes, I'm bewildered and overwhelmed by his beauty. I might have been fascinated with him if I had never seen him turn into a monster.

One time, I cleaned the book room while he was working. While working, he was earnest, exuding the aura of a mature and successful man, making me unable to take my eyes off him.

He suddenly raised his head, our eyes met, and I saw the darkness in his eyes. I was confused and moved my eyes elsewhere.

Arthur's eyes are gorgeous but always contain darkness and cruelty. The feeling of looking into his eyes always makes me cold, panicked, and suffocated.

"You always silently observe me. What are you curious about?" Arthur suddenly asked.

I tried to be calm on the outside; I felt guilty in my heart. I didn't expect him to notice that I was always secretly looking at him, but he misunderstood that I was observing him because I was curious about something.

I want to say that I only looked at him because he was so handsome. I wouldn't say because it's embarrassing to admit it.

I smiled wryly and denied, "I'm not secretly observing you. You misunderstood!"

"I don't doubt my judgment. Are you curious about what I am? You want to know why I can turn into a monster." Arthur emphasized the word monster.

What Arthur said is what I had always wondered about, but I never dared to ask because I understood that 'curiosity killed the cat.'

I shook my head, not admitting that Arthur was right.

I heard his disgust at the mention of the word monster. If I admitted that curiosity now, he might get angry. At that time, something terrible will happen to me.

"You better be so obedient!" Arthur said in a satisfied voice.

I breathed a sigh of relief after only a few seconds of hearing his warning words again.

"There are only two types of people who know my secret. One is my person, and the other is a dead person!"

I shivered slightly. I don't want to be those two types of people.

While I wasn't paying attention, Arthur's eyes flashed, and his lips curled slightly.