20

Jade’s POV

"Wake up! Get up right now!"

A heavy, rough hand grabbed my shoulder, shaking my body back and forth until my eyes fluttered open. Pale morning light filtered through the tall, arched windows, illuminating the dust motes dancing softly in the cold air.

I blinked repeatedly, rubbing my eyes as my mind tried to catch up with my surroundings. Wait... when on earth did I fall asleep? I couldn't remember dropping off to sleep at all. My last memory was sitting on the edge of the velvet mattress beside Bakito, whispering promises of escape into the dark room. I must have been so exhausted from the sheer stress, fear, and long travel that my body simply shut down, plunging me into a deep, dreamless sleep without my even realizing it.

I pushed myself up onto my elbows, turning my head to look around the vast bedchamber. Everyone else was already out of bed, standing near the foot of their mattresses in a silent, tense line.

My eyes settled on Bakito. She was standing there rubbing her sleepy eyes with her small fists, her dark hair messy and sticking out in all directions. She looked so tiny, carrying an innocent, fragile expression that made my heart ache with overwhelming pity. Her wrists were thin, her shoulders narrow, and her frame so slender that she looked as if a strong gust of wind could knock her over and break her bones.

At the front of the room, standing right beside the open oak doors, stood a stern-faced head servant woman. She wore a crisp, ironed uniform, her posture rigid as she held a thick sheet of paper in her hand. Her sharp eyes swept across the four of us, assessing our tired faces with zero warmth.

"Listen up, all of you," the woman projected her loud, authoritative voice across the room, her fingers tapping against the edge of her clipboard. "Work begins right now. You are going to be divided into pairs for today's duties. One pair will be assigned to the main kitchen and the Alpha's personal laundry, while the second pair will be responsible for cleaning the Alpha's bedchamber."

She raised the paper closer to her face, clearing her dry throat as she read off the official list. "Abigail and Jade—you two will be cleaning the Alpha's bedchamber today. Rita and Bakito—you two will be handling the laundry and assisting with the Alpha's meals throughout the day."

The moment the words left her mouth, Abigail’s face transformed completely.

She twisted her features into an exaggerated, pouty expression, her lower lip trembling as if she were on the verge of bursting into heavy tears. She clasped her hands together in a dramatic gesture of despair, taking a swift step toward the head servant.

"Oh, please, ma'am! I beg of you, please don't make me work with that dangerous girl!" Abigail cried out, her voice dripping with artificial distress.

She quickly pulled back the fabric of her sleeve, thrusting her forearm forward to show the woman a faint, reddish bruise on her skin—a mark she had likely given herself.

"Look at what she did to me yesterday!" Abigail whimpered, shaking her head in tragic sorrow. "We only arrived here yesterday, and she is already causing so much violent trouble in the room! Please, ma'am, I am terrified of her! I can't possibly work alongside her! Please let me work with my best friend instead!"

Without waiting for permission, Abigail reached out and snatched Rita, throwing her arms around the quiet girl and pulling her tightly into a suffocating hug. Rita stood frozen, blinking behind her thick eyeglasses, completely bewildered and confused by the sudden affection.

The head servant woman didn't even blink. Her face remained cold and unbothered as she stared at Abigail's pathetic performance. "No. The assignments are already finalized on this list, and I do not care about your personal feelings. Get to work."

Refusing to give up, Abigail squeezed Rita even tighter, dropping her tone into a desperate, theatrical whine. "Please, ma'am! I am telling the absolute truth! You don't have to take my word for it—you can ask my friend right here! Jade caused so much trouble for all of us yesterday, didn't she?"

Abigail dug her fingers into Rita's shoulder, pressing the quiet girl hard against her side. Her voice took on a sharp, silent threat as she hissed, "Right, Rita? Tell her!"

Rita swallowed hard, her eyes darting nervously between Abigail's tight grip and the stern face of the head servant. Fear washed over her pale face. Trembling under the intense pressure, Rita gave a hesitant, timid nod. "Y-yeah... that's true..."

I stood near my mattress, watching the entire pathetic display in absolute silence. I didn't say a single word. I didn't raise my voice, nor did I bother to defend myself against Abigail's lies. I simply didn't have the energy or the desire to engage in a petty argument so early in the morning. Besides, I had no interest in spending my entire day trapped in a room with a toxic bully anyway.

The head servant woman shifted her cold, calculating gaze away from Abigail and locked her eyes squarely on me. Her lips pressed into a thin, tight line as she took in my calm, unbothered posture.

"So... you are the troublemaker around here, are you?" the woman growled, her voice laced with sharp disapproval as she made a quick mark on her paper.

She tapped her clipboard against her hip, making an immediate executive decision on the spot. "Fine. If you want to cause trouble, then I will make sure you are kept where someone can keep an eye on you. You and Bakito will be cleaning the Alpha's bedchamber today."