Chapter 2 The Exiled Prince

 

Being in a new place made it impossible for Elsa to sleep. When the sun began to rise, she was stunned by the view outside her window. The darkness she had seen the night before had apparently concealed a breathtakingly beautiful landscape.

“Elsa, come with me for a moment,” said the middle-aged woman who had escorted Elsa to her room the previous night.

Obediently, Elsa followed her.

The house turned out to be enormous and spacious. Once the sky grew bright, the furnishings became more visible, revealing just how luxurious the place was. Elsa could not deny that she was captivated by the house.

“From now on, you’ll be responsible for cleaning the right side of the house. There aren’t many servants here, and if you happen to see anything you shouldn’t, pretend you know nothing.”

Elsa looked around. The right side of the house included the owner’s bedroom. She studied the layout of the house that the woman named Marley showed her. How could a house this enormous be occupied by so few people?

“Excuse me, ma’am. If you don’t mind me asking, who is the master of this house?”

“His name is...”

“My house has a new servant today?”

The voice made Elsa turn around. The heavy sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the hall. From behind the long corridor, a tall, broad-shouldered man appeared.

Elsa’s eyes widened in shock.

“Deon Dawson?” she whispered, stunned.

The man walked closer, his gaze fixed directly on Elsa until only two meters separated them.

“What did you just say?” the man asked.

“Deon, aren’t you Deon? The only son of the Dawson family. But why are you here?” Elsa asked.

The man gave her a faint smile.

“Deon? You’re calling me Deon as if you know me.”

Elsa immediately realized the situation and lowered her head, feeling that she had been disrespectful.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to address you that way. I was being too presumptuous.”

Elsa remembered that whenever Deon became angry, he would immediately issue a harsh warning. But it was strange that the man standing before her did not seem to know her. After all, Elsa worked as a receptionist at the Dawson company.

The man stepped even closer and ordered Marley, the middle-aged woman, to leave. Then he lifted Elsa’s chin with one finger, forcing her to look directly at him. His large frame bent slightly because Elsa was much shorter than him.

“What is your relationship with Deon?” he asked, his cold voice sending a shiver through her.

The question naturally made Elsa furrow her brow.

“You don’t know me? I’m...”

“You’re mistaken if you think I’m Deon. I’m not Deon. Do I really look that much like him?”

Elsa instinctively stepped backward, covering her lips in shock as she suddenly understood what was happening.

So this was the exiled prince of the Dawson family? He was Deon’s twin brother, a man who had a certain illness and had been exiled to a remote place that very few people knew about.

“Why are you so surprised? I’m asking you, how much do I resemble Deon?” he said in a demanding tone.

They looked incredibly similar, almost indistinguishable. Their physiques and facial features were practically identical. The only difference was the color of their irises. Deon had blue eyes, while the man standing before her had hazel eyes.

Elsa was at a loss for words. They looked so much alike. But why had Deon’s twin been exiled? Physically, the man looked incredibly fit and healthy. And judging from the question he had just asked, it seemed that Deon and this man had never met before.

“ANSWER ME!” he snapped.

Elsa flinched in shock at the sudden shout.

“I’m sorry. I spoke without thinking. I guess I’ve been reading too many comics and imagined that you were one of the characters,” Elsa said, making up an excuse.

The man raised one eyebrow, appearing to believe her.

“Now introduce yourself. Since you’re the new servant in this house, I need to know who you are.”

“My name is Elsa Lenora. I arrived at this house last night. If I make any mistakes, please forgive me.”

The man stared deeply into her eyes. Elsa’s heart began pounding uncontrollably. She could not hide her fear. It was the first time she had ever come face-to-face with Deon’s twin.

“Then, good luck with your work. Remember your boundaries,” he said in a warning tone before leaving without introducing himself.

Even so, Elsa was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Facing that man had left her feeling suffocated. Not long after, the middle-aged woman approached her again.

“Are you all right?” she asked worriedly.

“I’m fine,” Elsa replied without suspicion. “What is that man’s name?”

“His name is Dustin. You’ll be working for him starting today. Oh, and you’re lucky today because he didn’t do anything to you,” the middle-aged woman named Marley said.

But those words immediately raised another question in Elsa’s mind. What exactly was wrong with Dustin? Like Deon, he seemed to have a quick temper. Back in New York, Elsa had been able to handle Deon’s anger. Perhaps she could handle Dustin’s temper as well.

“But this man seems very different,” Elsa thought, suddenly feeling uneasy.