Chapter 7: Just When I Thought I Was Safe

Elena's POV

It had been a week since Damien came back, and life was nowhere near as peaceful as it had been without him.

Honestly, I wished he had never returned.

Since the day he arrived, I'd made it my mission to stay out of his sight. I buried myself in my duties, steered clear of his usual spots, and made sure I was never anywhere near him.

It wasn't easy, though.

Living under the same roof as someone you're desperate to avoid is almost impossible.

I pushed my mop along the polished marble of the second-floor hallway, past the endless rooms and corners.

Sometimes I wondered just how rich the Blackwoods really were.

Who changes the entire interior of a mansion every two weeks?

I looked at the paintings lining the walls. Every one of them looked expensive, with elegant frames and colours that blended perfectly with the mansion's luxury.

One of them stopped me in my tracks.

I glanced down both ends of the hallway to make sure nobody was watching, then stretched out my hand and gently touched its frame.

Damien had always forbidden me from touching his expensive things.

According to him, someone like me wasn't worthy of laying a finger on anything that belonged to him.

I pulled my hand back and sighed.

Huh... I wish Dad were still alive.

Maybe my life would have turned out differently if he were.

I shook my head, picked up my mop, pushed my empty bucket ahead of me and headed downstairs.

As I turned into the right corridor, I crashed into someone.

"Hey, girl! Watch where you're going!"

I looked up quickly.

It was Elsa.

She was of average height, with black wavy hair that rested on her shoulders and dark brown eyes. Her face was naturally expressive, and her playful nature often made the mansion feel a little less gloomy.

She'd been a wonderful friend to me since the day I arrived.

Actually, she was more than a friend.

I still remembered how it all began.

When I first came to this mansion, Damien made my life unbearable. He tortured me, starved me, refused to give me a proper room and ordered me to stay in the basement.

There were nights I cried myself to sleep.

Some days I went without a single meal because he'd told the chef not to give me anything.

One night in particular, I truly believed I wouldn't survive another day without food.

Then Elsa appeared.

She crept into the basement with food and water, even though she knew how dangerous it was to disobey Damien.

And she didn't stop there.

I barely had any clothes to change into, so she secretly brought me some of hers. Whenever Damien tore them with his whips, she stitched them back together. She even tended to the bruises he left on me.

She'd risked trouble more times than I could count just to make my life a little easier.

I would never forget that.

Back to the present.

"Sorry, Elsa. My mind was somewhere else," I apologised, dropping my mop into the bucket.

Elsa folded her arms and eyed me suspiciously.

"Your mind was somewhere else? You? The same Elena who overthinks everything?"

I rolled my eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She chuckled and leaned closer.

"Anyway, I came to tell you the young master wants you to do his laundry."

I sighed at once.

"Not again," I muttered, hanging my head.

Elsa noticed.

"Why the long face?"

I sighed again.

"Elsa, do you remember what happened two years ago when I washed his clothes?"

Her expression softened.

"Yeah, I remember."

Then she burst out laughing.

"He almost turned you into a Popsicle!"

"What's so funny?" I grumbled, glaring at her. "I didn't do anything wrong. I still don't understand what I did to deserve that."

Elsa stopped laughing and shook her head.

"Why are you acting so surprised? Have you forgotten those bullies who set you up? You ruined his clothes by mistake, remember? And they were the same people who reported you to him."

I fell quiet for a moment.

Thinking about it now, everything finally started to add up.

"Huh! Seraphina!" I said, rolling my eyes. "That witch has hated me since the day I stepped into this hellhole."

Elsa leaned against the wall and watched me.

"Well, you should probably get going before he..."

"Who should get going? Me?" I cut in, shaking my head hard. "No way! I'm not going into his room!"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?"

Oh, God!

I looked at her pleadingly.

"I'll do the laundry, I promise. But can you please help me get his clothes out of his room?"

Elsa straightened up and looked me right in the eye.

"Elena..."

"What?"

"You've been avoiding the boss."

My eyes widened.

For a second, I thought she'd somehow found out my little secret.

But I pulled myself together fast.

"No, I haven't!" I protested.

Elsa gave me a knowing look.

"Yes, you have! Don't even try to deny it. Whenever he's in the dining room or anywhere near the living room, you suddenly remember something important you have to do out the back door."

I looked away.

She wasn't completely wrong.

"And you've been letting that bully, what's her name again... Seraphina, clean his room. Don't you realise she can easily take something from there and blame it on you? You know she wouldn't think twice."

I rubbed my forehead.

"Elsa, please. Just help me this once."

She sighed.

"I really don't get why you're so scared of going into his room."

I ignored the question.

"By the way, is he around?"

"No. He left about an hour ago. I think he has a meeting."

A small smile crept onto my lips.

Good for me!

At least I wouldn't have to face his intimidating presence.

"Perfect! I'll grab his laundry before he gets back."

Elsa laughed at my sudden excitement.

"Okay, I'm heading to the quarters now. Have you had lunch?"

Typical Elsa.

Even with her own work to do, she never forgot to check whether I'd eaten.

"Not yet, but I'll eat after the laundry."

She shook her head in disapproval.

"Elena, and your stubbornness."

She turned and started up the stairs.

"Don't forget to eat!" she called over her shoulder.

"I won't!"

I watched her disappear, then picked up my bucket and mop.

After putting them back where they belonged, I started up the stairs to the third floor.

"Ugh, how I hate climbing stairs," I complained, tightening my grip on the railing.

"Well, you'll have to, especially this one."

I froze.

That voice.

I knew it.

Slowly, I turned toward the sound.

A few steps above me, with a nasty smile spreading across her face, stood Seraphina.

My heart sank.

Oh no. Not her again.

She tilted her head and looked down at me in a way that instantly made my skin crawl.

And judging by that smile, my peaceful afternoon was officially over.