CHAPTER 1: MURDER

CRYSTAL'S POV

"Crystal!" 

"Crystal!!"

"Cry~stal Shawn!!!"

My body shivered as I was startled awake by a yell into my ears. Opening my eyes, I took in the familiar face of the person who woke me up, feeling disgruntled. 

My head ached badly, and my eyes were a bit hazy. "Lyn? What's going on? What's with the..." My words stopped as my brain finally registered something strange.  

It wasn't very dark, making it easy for me to see that I wasn't in my room but a dilapidated building that had a scary feeling. "Why..." I mumbled and looked around the space, but my heart stopped the next moment, and a scream escaped my mouth. 

"Shut up," Lyn scolded, covering my mouth. "What are you doing?" Her eyes danced around, showing her nervousness, but she tried hard to keep her cool. 

I shook my head, holding her hand firmly while sweat formed on my forehead. "Lyn... Lyn... What... what is that? Isn't..." I closed my eyes, unable to continue looking at what was before me. 

It was scary...

Too scary...

"It's a dead body," Lyn's voice was like a bowl of cold water that drenched me from my head to my toes, and my body shivered involuntarily. 

Dead... Dead body?

"Who... Why? How... Lyn..." I cried, feeling both scared and confused. 

A strange feeling slowly made its way into my heart, and my teeth wouldn't stop chattering. 

"You've killed someone, Crystal. You stabbed him yourself," Lyn took my hand, moved her face closer to mine, and said to my face. "He tried to harass you when you got drunk. He brought you here to rape you, but you killed him instead. This isn't wrong, Crystal. No one's going to blame you, and no one will know about it either..." Lyn continued, but no...

She wasn't talking to me. 

She can't be_

I removed my hands from hers, and what came to my view were hands filled with dried blood... A cut was even on my thumb... I... I...

No!

I grabbed my head, closed my eyes, and screamed. "I didn't... I didn't..." I denied it vehemently. No way would I kill someone!

I couldn't even remember what happened anymore. I had no idea how I got to the building or how it came to this. The last thing I remembered was drinking with Lyn and our other friends on my 19th birthday, which was arranged by Lyn. How did I get here?

"You didn't, Crystal. You didn't. We need to leave here right away," Lyn stood up and grabbed my hand. "We can't continue staying here any longer. This will have to be between you and me. No one else will know about this. Let's quickly leave," Before I could grasp what was going on, Lyn dragged me out of the building.

*************

"Crystal, did you receive a call from the AD-AN groups?" Lyn asked, throwing her bag on the couch while breathing hard. She seemed tired as she had just returned from work. 

I sighed and shook my head, "They didn't. I've been waiting for my admission, too," I replied, feeling frustrated. 

As an orphan, apart from the feeding I got from Lyn, there was no other source of income, and I needed to study, too. I'd been looking for work as a cleaner in big companies, but none of them ever got back to me, which was sad. 

"Yes, I heard from a friend this morning that the Frost's mansion needs a cleaner. Will you go?" Lyn suggested, and my eyes widened. 

Frost mansion? The Frosts?!

"The... the Frosts need a cleaner?" I couldn't believe my ears. 

How could that be? The Frost... This is the most influential family in the country. So rich and noble, making others feel envious. Madam Frost lost her husband a few years back and only had a son who was said to be extremely handsome, but that isn't any of my business. What matters is the work!

I stood up and grabbed Lyn's hand, "Quickly, take me there," I pleaded, making a puppy face at her. 

Lyn yawned and rolled her eyes, "I'm too tired. This is the address. You should meet them here," She threw a paper at me and closed her eyes directly. 

Pursing my lips, I looked at the paper in my hand, and a very big smile surfaced on my face. If I could get this job...

I sucked in a deep breath to control my excitement and quickly made my way out of the room. There was no need to stay any longer. 

The journey to the Frost mansion was... slow. Too slow, but I finally got there, and I practically ran toward the building. "I'm Crystal Shawn. I'm referred by Lady Clara. I want to be a cleaner here," I introduced myself to the lady who came to welcome me. It was written in the paper that I should say that. 

The lady smiled beautifully and nodded at me, "Nice to meet you, Miss Crystal Shawn. I'm Kate, Madam Frost' assistant. Come with me, please," She led the way, and I followed after her. 

My heart wouldn't stop racing. Arriving at a mansion that could have only appeared in my dreams on normal days made my nerves tense, and I couldn't help but swallow hard a million times. 

This feeling... Ugh!

"Madam, this is Miss Crystal Shawn. She's the one Lady Clara said her friend introduced," Miss Kate told Madam Frost, whose back was turned to us. 

With that back alone... God! I already knew she was going to be a beauty, and... she didn't disappoint. 

When she turned around, I felt like everything else had turned dimmer, and she was the only glistening star around~

She smiled beautifully and walked over, standing in front of me. "How old are you?" She asked. Her voice was calm and amicable. Making me feel at home. 

"I'm 19," I replied, lowering my head a little. 

"19... Such a young and beautiful girl. Can you cook?" 

"I can. I can cook all delicacies," I wasn't lying. 

"Good. Kate will ask the remaining questions to know more about you. But before then, would you mind being a stay-in cook?" 

A Stay-in Cook?

Really? 

My breathing turned haggard, and I quickly lowered my eyes even more, "I... Yes... I will," Tell me, who will say no to that? 

"Good!" Her sweet voice rang with a giggle. "Welcome to the house, Crystal. Oh?" Her gaze went past me, and she had a surprised expression on her face. "You're back?" She asked. 

Hearing her words, I felt curious and turned around to see who she was talking to, but what stood in front of me cost me my breath for a few moments. 

He... He... was so damn handsome!

The handsome statue... I mean, cold Prince lowered his eyes to look at me, and astonishment covered his face, "You, what are you doing here?!" He asked, his tone filled with shock and... disgust. 

Disgust?