VII

Rebecca

As Artemy exited the room, a sigh of relief escaped me. Nona noticed my reaction and gave me an odd glance. "Is everything alright?" she inquired. I struggled to decide whether to burst into laughter or crumble into tears.

Clearly, everything was far from okay. Instead, I managed to muster a feeble voice and replied, "Yes."

Nona regarded me with suspicion but chose not to press further. Offering me a small smile, she turned her attention to the other two maids. "This is Bethany," she introduced, pointing to the blonde maid who stared back at me blankly.

I nodded in greeting.

"And this is Susan." The short woman with caramel skin and tightly bound black hair waved at me with a friendly smile. I returned the gesture, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.

"Welcome," Susan whispered softly. At least two people in the room didn't seem to harbor ill intentions towards me.

"Now that introductions have been made, Susan and Bethany, get back to work," Nona commanded sternly. Bot