Chapter 5

Morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. Lila stirred, her body still tense from the previous night’s encounter. She had barely slept, her mind replaying every second of what had happened—the way Mr. Harrington’s eyes lingered, the words he said, and how he had toyed with her. ”You look good in that,” he’d said. But it was the warning after that still had her stomach in knots: ”Disobedience might be overlooked once, but I won’t make a habit out of it.”

Lila shivered despite the warmth of the room.

It had been a subtle threat, yet enough to remind her how fragile her position in this house was. She didn’t even want to face him this morning. Could she even manage to act normal after everything that had transpired?

Pulling herself out of bed, she dressed in her usual maid uniform, making sure everything was neatly in place. As she stood before the mirror, tying her apron, she noticed the slight tremor in her hands. Get it together, she silently urged herself.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. It was one of the senior maids, Clara.

“Mr. Harrington requested your service this morning in the dining room,” Clara informed her briskly, handing her a tray of fresh tea. “Be quick about it.”

Lila nodded, but her heart sank. Of course, he would request her. After last night, it was almost as if he knew she wouldn’t be able to refuse. Was he testing me? She pushed the thought away and focused on the task at hand.

The walk to the dining room felt longer than usual, her mind racing with a thousand possibilities of what he might say or do. She entered quietly, the door creaking open just slightly. Mr. Harrington sat at the far end of the long, polished table, his face hidden behind the morning paper. He seemed perfectly at ease, as if nothing had transpired the night before.

Mrs Harrington wasn’t eating breakfast with him today. She had caught a cold and was being served in her bedroom.

Lila exhaled softly and approached him. She set the tea tray down gently, careful not to make a sound, but she knew he was aware of her presence.

“Good morning, Lila,” he said, not looking up from his paper.

“G-good morning, sir,” she replied, her voice barely a whisper. She poured the tea, willing her hands to remain steady.

He finally lowered the paper and met her gaze. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes held that same intensity from the night before. It made her feel like she was under a microscope, every move scrutinized.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked, though there was a slight edge to his voice, as if he already knew the answer.

Lila swallowed thickly. “Yes, sir,” she lied, forcing herself to hold his gaze.

“Good. You’ll need your energy today.”

The comment sent a flicker of confusion through her. “Sir?”

He smiled slightly, folded the paper and leaned back in his chair, casually sipping his tea. “I have some tasks for you. I expect you to be at your best.” His tone was smooth, but there was an underlying command, as if daring her to question him.

Lila nodded quickly, unsure of what else to say. Her pulse quickened. Tasks? What could he possibly want from her now?

“You did well last night,” he remarked, his gaze raking over her in a way that made her insides twist. “But remember what I said—obedience is everything. I hope we won’t have any problems, will we?”

Lila’s mouth went dry. She shook her head. “No, sir,” she whispered.

“Good.” He reached up to her face. His fingers brushed against her chin, tilting her face up to meet his eyes. “I think we’ll get along just fine, don’t you?”

She nodded, frozen under his touch. Her heart hammered in her chest, but she couldn’t find the strength to pull away.

He smirked, as if satisfied with her reaction, “ Good.”

Lila stood by the dinning room table , heart thudding in her chest as she watched Mr. Harrington rise from his seat. His gaze lingered on her, his movements slow and deliberate, each step bringing him closer. Her mind raced. Was he going to say something? The room felt too quiet, too intimate without Mrs. Harrington around. The absence of her sharp words made Lila even more aware of his presence.

He moved toward her, and as he approached, his hand reached out, grazing the space behind her. She tensed, unsure of his intentions. Was he reaching for something… or for her? Her breath hitched as their proximity tightened, his eyes fixated on her, dark and unreadable. Her lips parted slightly, her body frozen in place as his gaze lowered to her mouth. He was so close now—was this really happening?

She felt herself sway, her mind dazed and clouded, almost like she was floating. Without thinking, her eyelids fluttered shut. Is he going to kiss me?

Then his voice cut through the haze, sharp and cold.

“Lila.”

Her eyes snapped open, blinking in confusion. “Y-Yes, sir?”

His face remained passive, though his words carried a chilling edge. “What do you think I’m doing?”

Her heart sank, a wave of embarrassment washing over her. “I… I thought…”

His eyebrow arched, amusement barely touching his expression. “Thought what, exactly?”

Her mouth went dry as she stammered, the weight of her misunderstanding crashing down on her. “I didn’t mean to… I thought—”

“Hmm.” He stepped back, the distance between them now painfully wide. His expression turned to stone. “Seems you’ve made quite the mistake.”

Her cheeks burned, her face flushing with humiliation. She opened her mouth to apologize, but he raised a hand, silencing her instantly.

“Don’t assume things, Lila,” he said icily. “Mistakes like that will cost you here.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” she whispered, feeling smaller than ever. The moment that had sent her mind spiralling into fantasies now felt like a cruel joke.

“Forget it,” he said, his voice dismissive. “ Take this.”

She looked down to see him handing her an envelope. So this was what he was trying to do.

Lila felt even more stupid. How had she assumed that her Alexander was going to try to kiss her, in his marital home, in the middle of the dinning room, in broad daylight?

Lila took the envelope, feeling the weight of its contents even before she opened it. Inside was an obscene amount of cash. Her eyes widened.

“Go into town and purchase the best necklace you can find for My darling wife. She’s indisposed and she deserves it.” He stared at her intensely, stressing every word.

Lila blinked, staring at the bills in her hand. This amount of money... why is he trusting me with it? Her mind whirled. Was this another test? Last night had been unnerving enough. Now he was sending her on an errand worth millions.

“I’ll—I’ll leave right away,” she stammered.

Without another word, he turned and strode out of the room, leaving her standing there, mortified. Her pulse pounded in her ears as she stood frozen, her thoughts racing. How could I have misread that so badly?

She swallowed thickly, her body still tingling from the nearness of him, though the memory now felt like a slap in the face. Whatever she had imagined, it was just that—a foolish imagination. She was there to serve and nothing more.

Get it together, she reminded herself. She had a job to do, and she couldn’t afford to lose it. But no matter how much she tried to focus on her duties, his words from last night and this morning echoed in her mind: Disobedience won’t be overlooked twice.