Chapter 40: If

Lyra's POV

If I had been born in his world, I could have had a nightstand beside my bed with golden telephones for calling the maids for assistance. If I were Watson, I could have had a mini fridge in my room, full of water bottles that could cover at least one full meal, and a good one at that. I could have had indoor slippers that had logos of brands that I never learned to pronounce. I would have had this entire room to myself—a room that is bigger than my very first apartment. But I wasn't.

I bet my mother would've hated the fact that I am here in his mansion, staying in a room that he said he carefully prepared for me. Did he really believe that he tricked me into believing that lie? How would he carefully prepare something for me when he knows nothing about me at all? I think he truly believes that I am unable to think for myself.

In this house, even if I stay inside my room alone, I can't breathe properly. I swear, every time I looked at the walls, they were slowly closing i