Semua Bab The Waiting Lady's Affair.: Bab 1 - Bab 10

A week had passed since Lila first set foot in the Harrington manor, and already, the enormity of her responsibilities had begun to weigh on her. As Lady Victoria Harrington’s new lady-in-waiting, she was expected to cater to every whim, no matter how trivial or demanding. Victoria was a woman of impeccable taste but little patience, and her disdain for those beneath her social class was palpable. Lila had quickly learned that any misstep, no matter how small, could lead to swift and merciless retribution. Yet, despite the hardships, Lila couldn’t help but relish the small privileges that came with her position. Being the lady-in-waiting set her apart from the other servants; she was allowed access to parts of the manor that they could only dream of, and she received a slightly larger portion at meals. These little advantages filled her with a sense of pride and superiority, even if she was only a few rungs above the others on the social ladder. For once in her life, she felt like

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving only the soft glow of the lamp and the pounding of Lila’s heart filling the silence. Alexander stood there, his gaze locked on her, making the room feel even smaller. Lila’s breath hitched, her mind scrambling for answers. What was he doing here? At this hour? She’d expected him to be in his wife’s arms by now, but here he was, staring at her with an intensity that made her throat dry. His eyes roamed over her, drifting from her face down to her body. It was then that she remembered—she was standing in nothing but her petticoat. And a short, transparent one at that! Panic seized her, and she quickly crossed her arms over her chest, trying to cover herself. She didn’t dare move, afraid that any shift might reveal more than he’d already seen. The silence was thick, almost suffocating, so she decided to break it. “Mr. Harrington,” she squeaked, her voice trembling as one hand clutched at her bosom, the other pressed against her thigh.

The trip to the jewellery store felt surreal. She could hardly breathe as she walked into the most exclusive boutique in town, her eyes scanning displays of glittering gems. After what felt like hours, she settled on a stunning diamond necklace—delicate, shimmering stones that cascaded like droplets of water, each one catching the light in the most magnificent way. It was perfect, the kind of piece a woman like Mrs. Harrington should have.By the time Lila returned to the estate, her nerves were frayed. She had done everything right. The necklace was elegant, expensive, and flawless. Surely, this is what Mr. Harrington had in mind?Later that evening, Lila was summoned to Mrs. Harrington’s room. Stepping in, she immediately felt the tension in the air. Mrs. Harrington sat propped up on pillows, her face pale and flushed from the cold she’d caught. Despite her illness, her expression was as sharp as ever.“Well, if it isn’t the girl who probably gave me this cold,” Mrs. Harrington snee

Lila had spent the night crying. The humiliation of crawling on the floor, stripping for Alexander Harrington, and then being discarded afterward cut deep. She had let him touch her, had bared herself, and in the end, he tossed her away like Mrs. Harrington had discarded the expensive necklace. The memory twisted in her stomach as she woke up the next morning, eyes puffy from all the tears.As she adjusted her gown in the mirror, she could still feel the burning sensation on her behind. She couldn’t forget the sting of the belt. Lifting the hem of her dress, she lowered her undergarments and checked the marks. Her skin was still red, though not as much as it had been last night. The soreness lingered. Just grazing her fingers over the belt marks made her wince.How could Alexander treat her like that? After giving her these marks, did he expect her to just move on? But what had she expected from him? Did she think he would soothe the pain, apply ice to the wounds he’d inflicted? This

The day had finally come to an end, but it had dragged on painfully slow for Lila. She had kept out of everyone’s way, hiding herself in various corners of the house, doing whatever she could to avoid another run-in with Mrs. Harrington or the maids. She hadn’t seen Alexander in the hallways, not even once.Now, standing in front of the mirror, she adjusted her nightgown. It was a bit more revealing than she normally wore, but she couldn’t help herself. Alexander hadn’t called for her all evening, and she was starting to miss him—terribly. She wore the revealing gown in hopes that he would come for her. The fact that it hadn’t even been that long since she last saw him filled her with a sense of shame. What was wrong with her? He was someone else’s husband. She had no business missing him, let alone hoping he’d show up in her room. But that hope had crept in nonetheless.The longer she stared at herself, the more foolish she felt. Maybe it was time to stop waiting and just go to bed.