LOGINI returned quickly to my room and the moment I walked through the door, Scott pulled me into a passionate embrace, kissing and caressing my body. I was so confused at his behavior especially since what happened few moments ago with my mum was enough to make him mad. But he wasn’t. He just couldn’t keep his hands off me. He took my hand, and we walked over to the bed where I sat at the edge of the bed while he crouched in front of me. I couldn’t let what happened in the dining room slid, so I spoke up. “Scott...” I said in a soft tone. “I’m sorry about what my mum did, and I know you’re not happy with her here and believe me, I never want to do anything to make you uncomfortable in your own house. I just—” He immediately cupped my face and pressed a kiss on my lips, cutting me short mid-sentence. I gave in and kissed him further. I shuddered as he ran his hands all over my body, looking into my eyes as he felt my breasts through my top, then down the sides of my waist, to my thighs
“I can imagine,” she said after a few minutes of silence, leaning slightly forward. “Sabrina was just telling me how involved you are. You’re such a dedicated man.” Scott nodded once, curtly. “Dedication is necessary.” “Still,” she continued, undeterred, “you should allow yourself to relax more. A man like you deserves some pampering. Don’t you think so, Sabrina?” Her gaze darted to me suddenly, and I froze mid-bite. “I—uh—yes, I suppose,” I muttered. “But Scott’s not really one for pampering.” “Every man needs it,” she said, smiling again. “I could make you some herbal tea later, Scott. It’s good for easing tension. My mother taught me the recipe. I’m sure you’ll love it.” Scott cleared his throat and set his fork down. “I’m fine, Mrs. Vernon. I don’t need tea.” “Oh, call me Claire Scott. You’ve always called me that,” she said quickly, almost too eagerly. “Mrs. Vernon sounds so formal. We’re family now.” I kept my head down, poking at my food. Ace, beside me, was dead silent
By the time I got upstairs, my mom was done in the kitchen. I shut the bedroom door behind me and leaned against it for a moment. Scott was in the bathroom. I could hear the sound of water pouring. I changed into something soft and simple. I brushed my hair out, tied it loosely, and forced a small smile in the mirror. “You’ll be fine,” I whispered to myself. “Just… breathe.” By the time I went back downstairs, the dining room lights were already on, and that’s when I saw them. Ace was already seated at his usual place, which was on the left-hand side of the table. He looked relaxed, his elbow propped on the table, his expression unreadable, which was typical of him. Across from him, on the right-hand side, sat my mother, the one beside Scott. The one I usually sit in. She sat there like she belonged there, her back straight, her hair styled high, wearing one of her old pearl necklaces and a fitted dress I hadn’t seen in years. Ace noticed me before she did, and the corner of his
It was late afternoon, and so far, my mother hadn’t been in much trouble. She’s kept to herself and hasn’t made any messes, creating less work for me and the staff to clean up. I had spent the last hours hidden inside my bedroom. Still, something was missing. “Mary,” I called as one of the housemaids passed by carrying a basket of folded linens. “Yes, ma’am?” I smiled. “How many times do I have to remind you that it’s Sabrina?” She chuckled. “I’m sorry. Sabrina.” “Have you seen Ace?” I asked. “Is he back yet?” Mary shook her head. “No, Sabrina. He hasn’t returned since he left this afternoon.” I frowned slightly. “He didn’t tell you where he was going?” “No, he didn’t.” “Alright. Thank you, Mary.” She nodded politely before disappearing toward the hallway. I leaned against the doorframe for a moment, rubbing the back of my neck. I sighed, then I walked downstairs to check on the kitchen staff and find out what we were having for dinner, but then, there she was. My mother.
By the time my mother finished her breakfast, the sun had risen high. I wanted her to feel comfortable, wanted her to see everything this life had to offer. So, I stood at the entrance of the east wing, watching her adjust her shawl. “Ready for your tour?” I asked, trying to sound cheerful. She turned to me, her expression was unreadable as usual. “Tour?” “Yes,” I said with a smile. “You haven’t seen the rest of the estate yet. It’s quite something.” She made a faint hum, somewhere between a sigh and a scoff. “If you insist.” I led the way as we passed through the long corridor. “This hallway alone could fit my entire house twice over,” my mother murmured. I chuckled. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” “It is,” she said curtly. “No one needs this much space. You could lose a child in here and not notice until dinner.” I decided not to comment on that. Instead, I pointed toward the double doors ahead. “This leads to the library.” When I opened them, the faint smell of aged
I had spent the morning hours with some of the housemaids preparing my mother’s new room for her. My sleeves were rolled up, my hair tied in a messy bun, and for the first time in a long while, I didn’t care that my manicured nails had smudges of dust on them. I wanted everything to be perfect. “This should go to the corner,” I said, pointing to the small vase filled with white lilies. One of the maids nodded, moving it obediently to the bedside table. “Will that be all, Mrs. Wendell?” she asked. “Yes, thank you,” I said, smiling faintly. “You’ve all done wonderfully today.” They curtsied slightly before exiting the room. As soon as the door clicked shut, I looked around at the now spotless guest bedroom that was soon to be her bedroom. My mother’s. Maybe now, she’d finally be proud of me. I was fluffing one of the pillows when a quiet knock came at the door. Before I could answer, Ace stepped inside. He leaned casually against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest, with







