Chapter 3

Grace’s POV

"That's the only way, ma’am."

Those were Lola’s last words before she walked out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I pressed my back against the wall, staring at the floor as her plan replayed in my head over and over.

Disguising as a maid wasn’t the problem, but how can I hide my identity? Lola had suggested a mask to cover my nose and mouth, but would that be enough? I bit my lips and shook my head as I stared blankly at the wall. It's indeed risky, but I didn't have any other option.

Days passed before I saw Lola again. When she finally returned, she only brought two things. Food in a flask and a folded maid’s uniform. My hands trembled as I took them. After eating, I put on the dress, and we sneaked out of the room quietly.

“Ready?” Lola whispered, glancing toward the door.

I nodded, and we moved through the corridor, careful with every step. “Where are we going?” I asked in curiosity, gazing at her.

“To the servants’ quarters, of course. Shh.” She replied and placed a finger to her lips. “There are guards. We have to be careful.”

I didn’t see any guards, but I trusted her word. They might be on the far side of the corridor. Each time we heard a voice or footsteps, we froze and pressed ourselves against the wall.

Finally, we left the forbidden area and went into the busy part of the house. The living room was beautifully decorated, and a few richly dressed people were in the room, alongside some servants who were moving from place to place.

Suddenly, a commanding voice echoed in my ears, and I turned to see my stepmother, dressed in a long blue gown.

"Get more drinks and chairs!" she said. ''This isn’t the kind of party you do in your stinky homes!"

Lola tugged my hand. “Come on.”

We moved away from our hiding place, but before we could take more than two steps, a familiar voice called out. “Hey! You two! Come over here. I have a little job for you.”

My blood turned cold. It's my stepbrother, Oliver. I knew that voice as well as my own heartbeat, and it had the same effect as poison.

I clenched my fist at my side, my heart beginning to beat rapidly. Lola being called over will leave me roaming about like a headless chicken, with no direction to go. I can't escape now either; she'd warned me against it. She had told me to be calm until the right time.

“Are you deaf?” Oliver barked. “Didn’t you hear me?”

Lola shot me a quick look and said in a hushed tone, tightening her grip. "We have to go to him. He's calling us, but don't act suspicious; they're very conscious.''

I swallowed hard and nodded. Together, we walked toward him like obedient servants. As we approached, Lola bent her head close to mine. "Remember these few things. You must bear a new name, you mustn't take off your mask, and you mustn't leave until the right time. Any mistake, everything is ruined.''

“What are you two whispering about?” Oliver snapped. He might have noticed Lola's lips moving, because the house was a bit noisy, and there's no way he could've heard the sound of Lola's voice.

We stopped in front of him, and he tilted his head and stared at us suspiciously. “What did I say about sluggishness?” He asked, but we both kept our eyes down, unable to say a word.

“And what did I say about answering me immediately?”

I saw Lola inch back slightly as Oliver stepped toward us. I followed her movement, but he closed the space between us in two strides. “Look at me,” he ordered.

My instinct told me to resist, but I forced my chin up. Without warning, his hand whipped across Lola’s face. The sound was sharp, the impact so hard that her nose began to bleed instantly. My breath ceased in my throat.

Before I could react, he turned to me instantly. I opened my mouth to speak, to defend her, but his palm connected with my cheek before a single word escaped. Pain exploded across my face, white spots flashing before my eyes.

Oliver smirked. “The next time you disobey my rules, you’ll regret the day you were born.”

He turned away as if nothing had happened, while I glared at him angrily. “You two will help carry trays to the east hall. Make sure the guests don’t wait for anything.”

We both muttered a quiet “Yes, sir,” and began to walk away. But then, his next words made us freeze immediately.

“You,” he called. “Why are you covering your face with that mask? Take it off immediately. I don’t want to see that again.”

My heart skipped a beat, and I glanced at Lola, whose eyes were wide with alarm, following my own fear. “Didn’t you hear me?” he demanded. “Turn around and let me see your face.”

“As for you,” he said to Lola, “you can go.”

Her hands gripped her dress tightly as she hesitated, looking between us. I wanted to scream for her not to leave me, but my voice wouldn’t come. She lowered her gaze and walked away, each step feeling like a betrayal, even though I knew she had no choice.

I was alone with him now, and one thing was clear. I mustn't allow it to happen. If Oliver recognized me, everything would unravel before it even began. But he was watching me closely, and there was no way to refuse without arousing suspicion.

Slowly, my fingers rose to the mask’s edge, and my heart tightened, while my breathing became shallow. Time felt distorted; seconds passed, yet I couldn't do anything.

“Hurry up,” Oliver said impatiently, and I pressed my lips together and began to pull down the mask.