Chapter 17

MARIA

“Here’s your drink,” a maid pushed a cup of juice in front of me abruptly.

I turned toward her, eyebrows furrowed. “A drink? I didn’t ask for anything,” I said, shaking my head slowly and shrugging.

“Take your drink,” the young woman with dark hair and a scowl, a mole close to her nose, snapped.

I couldn’t fathom her hostile demeanor and sharp tone.

“Okay, thank you,” I managed a strained smile.

She huffed and made a face as she walked away. I held the juice, watching her until she left the room. Looking back at the cup filled with Mango juice, I felt uneasy. My heart raced, and my eyes broadened at the thought that Dante might have sent it. Quickly, I placed it on the balcony chair beside me. My heart fluttered in my chest, rising to my throat before sinking back to my stomach.

Since that odd breakfast with Dante, where he had fed me despite my discomfort with deadly words, I’d felt unsettled. I wondered about his intentions, what he might have planned. I paced the balcony, cl