Chapter 7

Misfortunes, as the saying goes, tend to come all at once.

For Velita, whose life had always been plagued by bad luck, today was the first time she truly understood the weight of those words.

The next time she saw Selina, after overhearing her casual conversation with the maids in the maze garden, was at dinner.

Jeremy had been out all day, leaving Velita with little to do but assist in setting up the dining table for the evening meal.

As the Count and Selina entered, they began chatting warmly, radiating the image of an affectionate father and daughter.

“Father, I was the tagger earlier, and I caught Anna right away! As soon as we started, she became the tagger again!” Selina exclaimed proudly.

“I never knew my sweet Selina was so nimble,” the Count replied, his tone laced with amusement.

Velita clenched her hands, suppressing the urge to blurt out the truth: the maids had taken turns letting Selina catch them. It wasn’t because she was particularly quick; Anna had simply allowed herself to be caught.

‘They’re wrong,’ Velita thought, struggling to curb her irritation.

She knew it wasn’t fair to think this way, but Selina’s radiant smile kept dredging up the words she overheard earlier, replaying in her mind like a cruel taunt.

The warm exchange between the Count and Selina soon shifted to plans for her upcoming birthday.

Velita fought to steady herself, to shake off the creeping bitterness, when a soft tap on her shoulder broke her focus.

Turning, she found another servant discreetly motioning for her to step outside.

Velita quietly excused herself and followed them into the hall. Once out of earshot, the servant explained the situation.

“Velita, you’d better head to the front gate.”

“The front gate?”

“Yeah, someone’s here asking for you.”

“Someone’s here for me?” Velita repeated, puzzled.

“Whoever it is, tell them not to come again. You know how it looks—maids having visitors at the Count’s estate. If the head butler finds out, you’ll be in for it.”

“I understand. I’ll handle it. But… did they give you their name?”

The servant shrugged, clearly disinterested. “Uh, they said their name was… Daniel, I think?”

‘Daniel?’ Velita’s mind froze.

[The name Daniel brought with it a flood of memories. Her childhood friend, her only family, had left three years ago to join the war. She hadn’t seen or heard from him since.]

‘No way. Daniel couldn’t have come here. That’s impossible,’ she thought, her heart pounding as doubts and hope collided.

Yet, before she fully realized what she was doing, Velita’s feet had already carried her halfway down the corridor, sprinting toward the estate’s grand front gate.

‘What if Daniel really did survive and managed to track me down after all this time?’

Velita’s thoughts spiraled into irrational hope. Yes, of course, Daniel is alive. He received my letters and fought desperately to come back to me…!

Her legs moved faster than her mind, descending the grand staircase at a pace that would send her tumbling if she missed a step. She burst through the front doors of the estate, nearly tripping in her haste as she reached the gates.

“Haa… haa…”

This time, her labored breaths weren’t feigned. She scanned the area, her eyes darting frantically in the dim light.

“Daniel…?”

But the figure she longed for was nowhere to be seen.

“…”

The chill of the night air seeped into her skin. Hugging herself, Velita felt a creeping sense of unease crawl up her spine.

That was when she heard the voice.

“It’s been a while.”

Slowly, Velita turned her head toward the source of the sound.

Standing there was a man she knew all too well. But it wasn’t the man she had been waiting for—not even close.

“O-Ora… b-brother…”

Killian Grandel, the man who had colluded with their mother to sell her off like livestock, stood before her, flashing a crooked grin that exposed his yellowed teeth.

“Well, well, my dear little sister. How on earth did you end up working in a place like this, huh?”

“…”

“If you’ve been living so comfortably in a place like this, shouldn’t you have sent word to your family? Isn’t that the least you could do?”

Killian’s eyes roamed over her servant’s uniform, inspecting her from head to toe with a predator’s gaze. He took a step forward, and Velita instinctively took two steps back. But it wasn’t enough. His longer stride closed the gap with ease, and his coarse hand clamped around her wrist.

“Ack!”

Killian’s grin twisted into a snarl, his yellow eyes narrowing like a beast about to pounce.

“You selfish little wench! Do you know the mess you left behind? We had to return every last coin!”

The iron grip on her wrist sent waves of pain coursing up her arm. Desperate, Velita grabbed his arm with both hands, shaking her head furiously, begging for mercy without words.

“Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused us?” Killian growled, his spittle flying in his rage.

“I-I’m sorry, brother…!” Velita stammered, her voice trembling.

“Stupid girl! You dared to refuse a good match that would have saved us all?”

His voice rose, echoing into the cold night. Every syllable was laced with venom, and Velita felt like she was shrinking under his oppressive glare.

Killian yanked Velita’s arm harshly.

“I’ll find you a new match, so stop resisting and come along.”

“No, brother! I won’t go! I don’t want to!”

Velita tried to stand her ground, but against the strength of a grown man, her efforts were futile. With her free hand, she clung desperately to the iron bars of the gate.

“You think I’m being nice right now? Keep testing me.”

“I’ll never go! I can’t!”

If the freedom Velita had gained by fleeing her unwanted marriage had been bitter and unkind, perhaps she might have given in. Perhaps she might have returned to her family willingly.

But the freedom she had fought for, running on her own two feet to escape that miserable fate, was intoxicatingly sweet. This place—the Ryles estate—was her sanctuary. She didn’t want to lose the fullness of her stomach, the warmth, or the peace of not living in fear of violence.

‘I was a fool…’

Of course, Daniel couldn’t possibly be here.

How could I believe my brother’s lie, that he was Daniel, and rush out here like this?

No matter how much she berated herself, it was already too late. Besides, even if she had been more cautious, it wouldn’t have changed the inevitable. As long as Killian knew where she was, they would have crossed paths eventually.

The garden was eerily empty, likely because it was dinner time.

‘Should I scream?’

If she screamed loudly enough, maybe someone inside the estate would hear her cries for help…!

Velita opened her mouth, preparing to let out a piercing scream.

[That girl is so pitiful.]

The memory of those words from earlier stopped her in her tracks.

Killian dragged Velita by her hair, ignoring her desperate resistance.

“Let’s go. I’ll find you a new match. Stop struggling and accept it.”

“I don’t want to! I won’t go with you, Killian!”

Velita planted her feet firmly, attempting to resist his pull. But against the strength of an adult man, she was powerless. Her free hand clung desperately to the iron gate as though it were her only lifeline.

“If you keep fighting, you’ll regret it,” Killian snarled, his grip tightening.

“I’ll never go! You can’t make me!”

Velita’s voice rang with desperation. From the moment she’d escaped her family’s clutches, fleeing a forced marriage to live as a mere maid, she’d experienced a fragile taste of freedom. Despite the hardship, life at the Ryles estate had been the closest thing to peace she’d ever known.

[‘I’m such a fool…’]

She cursed herself for running to the gate. There was no way Daniel could have been waiting there. Killian must have known that the name would make her come running. But even if she hadn’t fallen for his trap, she would have had to face him eventually.

The realization hit her like a cold wave—there was no one around to help. The evening had drawn everyone inside for dinner, leaving the garden and the front gate eerily empty.

[Maybe I should scream…]

If she cried out loudly enough, perhaps someone from the mansion would hear and come to her aid. But the thought brought with it a sharp, painful memory.

[That girl is so pitiful.]

Velita remembered Selina’s gentle, pitying words from earlier that day. Would she forever be a pitiful creature in their eyes? Even in the sanctuary of the Ryles estate, was she destined to be seen as nothing more than a charity case?

Her hesitation gave Killian an opening. His hand moved to her hair again, yanking her head back harshly. Velita cried out in pain, her grip on the gate loosening as he dragged her away.

“I’ll give you the money!” she shouted, her voice trembling with fear.

Killian sneered, “What money? What could a maid possibly have that’s worth my time?”

Velita’s mind raced. She knew offering her wages wouldn’t be enough to satisfy him. But she couldn’t give up now—she had to think of something.

[Why did you choose me to serve as your maid?]

[Why do you think?]

In her desperate search for a solution, Jeremy Ryles’s words came to her mind. The weight of his gaze, the subtle warmth in his voice… It struck her like a bolt of lightning.

[Emma must have misunderstood the nature of our relationship.]

[She’s terribly mistaken.]

That moment, and the look in Jeremy’s eyes, had stayed with her. Could she use his name to escape this? Velita swallowed hard, clinging to the only card she had left.

“Let me go!” she cried, glaring up at Killian.

“If you lay another hand on me, you’ll regret it! The Ryles heir won’t stand for this!”

Killian hesitated, his grip faltering slightly.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“I’m not just a random maid.”

Velita said, summoning all the authority she could muster.

“Jeremy Ryles has taken me under his protection. If he finds out about this, you’ll be the one paying the price.”

Killian’s expression flickered with uncertainty. Even he couldn’t ignore the potential danger of tangling with such a powerful family.

“You’re lying,” he growled, though his grip slackened further.

“Try me.”

Velita challenged, her voice trembling but firm.

“But if you harm me, you’ll face the full wrath of the Ryles family. Do you want to risk that?”

Killian’s jaw tightened, his frustration palpable. After a long, tense moment, he released her with a shove that sent her stumbling to the ground.

“You’d better not be lying,” he spat before turning and storming off into the darkness.

Velita gasped for breath, her heart pounding as she collapsed against the iron gate. Tears welled in her eyes, a mixture of relief and lingering fear.

[Jeremy…]

His name had saved her tonight. Whether it was a temporary reprieve or a lasting solution, Velita didn’t know. But for now, she was safe—and for that, she silently thanked the man whose name had become her shield.

Killian was taken aback as Jeremy’s voice, now silky smooth, resonated in the air.

“Darling.”

Jeremy said again, stepping closer to Velita. His tone was casual, but his words held an undeniable weight.

Velita’s eyes shot open, her confusion and disbelief written plainly on her face. Yet, Jeremy didn’t even glance her way this time. Instead, his piercing gaze was fixed on Killian, who was visibly stiffening under the intensity of it.

“Am I interrupting something?”

Jeremy asked, his smile friendly yet razor-sharp. It wasn’t a question; it was a warning.

Killian hesitated, his grip on Velita’s arm loosening. The sudden change in Jeremy’s demeanor left him wary.

“Oh, no… no interruption, sir.”

Killian stammered, his tone unnervingly deferential.

Jeremy shifted his gaze to Velita. He reached out and gently removed her hand from the hem of his jacket, only to envelop it protectively within his own. His thumb grazed over the bruises on her wrist, and his expression darkened for a split second before returning to its calm façade.

“Your wrist is hurt,” he observed, his voice low yet filled with an emotion Velita couldn’t quite place.

“Who did this to you?”

Velita opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her lips quivered, and her gaze darted between Jeremy and Killian. Jeremy, noticing her hesitation, let out a soft chuckle that didn’t reach his eyes.

“I see. No need to explain,” he murmured before turning his full attention to Killian.

“You must be her… relative?”

Killian straightened his posture, attempting to regain some composure.

“Yes, sir. Her brother, in fact. I was just—”

“Brother.”

Jeremy interrupted, his tone cold and clipped now.

“Then surely, as family, you’d never harm her, would you?”

Killian’s face paled.

“Of course not! I… I’d never—”

Jeremy raised a hand, silencing him effortlessly.

“Good. Because you see, Velita is very dear to me.”

Velita’s breath caught in her throat. She stared at Jeremy, her mind spinning. Dear?

Jeremy continued, his voice as smooth as silk but with an underlying edge.

“And I don’t take kindly to anyone mistreating what’s mine.”

The words hung heavily in the air. Killian swallowed hard, his bravado crumbling under Jeremy’s piercing gaze.

“Now.”

Jeremy added, his smile returning as if nothing had happened.

“I’d suggest you leave before this misunderstanding escalates.”

Killian, caught between anger and fear, finally relented. He took a step back, his eyes darting between Velita and Jeremy.

“Fine. But this isn’t over.”

“Oh, I assure you,” Jeremy said with a mockingly pleasant tone, “it is.”

Killian hesitated for a moment longer before turning on his heel and walking away, disappearing into the night. The sound of his retreating footsteps faded into silence.

Jeremy finally turned back to Velita, who stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. He tilted his head, his expression softening.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice gentle again.

Velita could only nod, her throat too tight to speak. The weight of what had just transpired left her dizzy.

“Good.”

Jeremy said, releasing her hand carefully. He took a step back, his demeanor suddenly lighter.

“Next time, just call for me sooner, hmm? I won’t always show up in the nick of time.”

Velita stared at him, a mixture of gratitude, confusion, and something unnameable swirling in her chest. Jeremy’s smile softened as he gave her one last glance before turning toward the mansion.

“Let’s go.”

He said over his shoulder, as if the scene that had just unfolded was no more significant than a casual stroll in the garden.

Velita hesitated, then followed him. Though her wrist throbbed and her heart was heavy with unanswered questions, one thing was certain—she was no longer alone.