All Chapters of The lords' maid: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Lucian’s POV ​I stood outside Genevieve’s guest chamber, my mind a chaotic storm. I told myself I didn't care about Eva—that she was merely a pawn in a larger game, a mouthy maid who happened to wear my ring. Yet, the thought of someone deliberately hurting her, of pushing her down those cold stone stairs to strip her of her memories, stirred a quiet, dangerous rage in my chest. ​I knocked sharply on the heavy oak door. ​Moments later, the door swung open. Genevieve stood there in a powder-blue silk gown, her eyes widening in genuine astonishment. "Lucian? I am surprised to see you here." ​"I need to speak with you privately," I said, stepping past her into the room without waiting for an invitation. ​Genevieve gestured toward a plush armchair, her tone cautious. "You may take a seat, though I doubt we will be here long. It sounds serious... is everything well?" ​"Did you push Eva?" I asked point-blank, ignoring the chair and fixing her with an icy stare. "Are you the reason for

Eva’s POV ​The hallway outside Lucian’s bedchamber was quiet, but a lingering sense of unease pulled me toward his door. After the humiliating chaos in the garden with Leo and Genevieve, I needed to face him—to ground myself, or perhaps just to prove that I wasn't losing my mind. ​I pushed the heavy oak door open and stepped inside. ​The room was pitch-black, swallowed entirely by shadows. The fireplace had died down to faint, glowing embers, leaving the chamber cold and oppressive. Reaching for a match, I lit the wall sconces, allowing soft, amber light to flood the room. ​My gaze swept across the floor—and my heart instantly stopped. ​"Lucian?" I gasped. ​He was collapsed on the hardwood floor beside the velvet armchair. He wasn't moving. His body was completely still, his eyes wide, fixed unblinkingly on the dark ceiling above. Beside him lay the shattered remains of a glass, water pooling around the broken shards. ​Panic seized my chest. "Lucian! Lucian!" ​I rushed to his

Genevieve’s POV ​I didn't bother knocking. I simply pushed open the heavy mahogany doors to Leo’s private study and strode inside like I owned the place. ​Leo was sitting at his easel, shirtless, a smudge of dark charcoal dusting his collarbone. He froze, paintbrush suspended in mid-air, and glared at me over his shoulder with sheer annoyance. ​"Have you no bloody manners, Genevieve?" he snapped, grabbing a discarded tunic off the back of his chair and throwing it over his head. ​I leaned against the doorframe, folding my arms with a sly, triumphant smile. "Well, I used to... until I saw what you were trying to do with your brother's wife in the garden yesterday." ​Leo’s jaw tightened, his hazel eyes darkening instantly. "Are you going to keep dragging that out?" ​"I need a favor from you," I said, dropping the smug act and taking a step toward his desk. ​Leo let out a dry, bitter laugh, adjusting his shirt. "A favor? And why on earth would I do you a favor?" ​"Because you hav

Eva’s POV ​I pressed my back flat against the cool stone wall of the alcove, holding my breath as Laura passed by. Her heavy silk skirts rustled against the floorboards before her footsteps finally faded down the corridor. ​Once the coast was clear, I looked down at the velvet cushion and parchment ledgers in my arms—the preparations for the gala would simply have to wait. I dropped the stack onto a nearby side table, turned on my heel, and quietly trailed after the guard Laura had instructed. ​I kept a discreet distance, watching him navigate the long passage toward the courtyard doors. I needed those letters. If Laura was plotting something against me—or against the family—I couldn't afford to remain in the dark. ​"You there! Halt," I called out, keeping my voice authoritative yet calm as I closed the distance between us. ​The guard stopped immediately, turning around and bowing his head. "My Lady? How may I assist you?" ​"I need your help with an urgent matter regarding

Eva’s POV ​The silence in the bedchamber was absolute, heavy with the weight of my confession. Lucian stood before me, the usual mocking glint in his dark eyes completely extinguished, replaced by a cold, sobering gravity. ​"I am sorry, Eva," he said softly, his voice lower than usual. "I had no idea the Sterlings were capable of such filth. To shoot a man down over property... I did not know that was the kind of blood on their hands." He took a slow breath, stepping closer. "If that is the case, what are you waiting for? Expose them." ​I let out a bitter, lifeless laugh. "Expose them with what, Lucian? Look at me. To everyone in Valenridge, I am a nobody—a former servant with no fortune, no title, and no influence. If I walk into a magistrate's office and throw accusations at Lord Sterling, they will laugh me out of the room before the day is out. He is wealthy, powerful, and deeply entrenched with the nobility." ​"There must be proof," Lucian insisted, watching me intently.