I found myself trailing behind Cynthia to what I thought was my room. Her expression remained icy, as though she could snap at any moment.
"Here's your room." She halted and gestured towards a grand door.
With that, she bowed slightly and walked away.
*Seriously? How am I supposed to locate my belongings? And why is she acting so unfriendly? I haven't done anything to deserve this kind of treatment.*
*Well, it's not really her fault. I wouldn't even be her concern if Vincent hadn't brought me here.*
I pushed the door open and was greeted by a spacious room that screamed femininity.
*Ugh, I have to make some changes. It's like an eighteen-year-old's project in here.*
I scanned the area for my suitcase but found nothing, so I started checking the drawers.
*Looks like my stuff is already put away.*
I decided to remove the sparkly decorations and the unappealing photos.
Once I finished, the room felt significantly improved.
*If I'm going to be here for a while, I might as well make it feel like my own.*
I scanned the room and discovered an unoccupied drawer beneath the massive bed; I chose to stash the decorations inside.
Just as I was about to place them in, something dark caught my eye.
I reached in and pulled it out.
It was a small knife.
I took it from its ornate sheath, noting its entirely black color, including the blade.
As I flipped it around, I spotted an engraving.
"Little d-de?!!" I muttered softly.
"Huhhhhhhh!" I exclaimed.
*What's it doing here?
There's only one person who calls me that, and I seriously doubt he's the one who left this behind...
Oh, he's the only one who'd leave something like this.
What am I supposed to do with it?!
I'm not a serial killer or anything. I'll just set it back where I found it, as if I never noticed it.*
I placed it back in the same position and piled the things on top of it.
*At last, that's sorted.*
I jumped onto the large bed, arms outstretched.
"I peered through the window and noticed that nightfall was already approaching.
It was just about the first day of signing the agreement.
Who knows what else could be on the horizon?
"How did I actually conclude..."
*Knock*
"Who is it?" I inquired.
"It's Lily," came her response.
"Oh, please come in!" I exclaimed as I instantly sat up.
"Ma'am, Master will return shortly and he wishes for you to join him for dinner. I believe it would be wise for you to freshen up," she said while bowing.
*She's far more courteous than Cynthia.*
"Thanks! But please, you don't need to call me Ma'am; we're nearly the same age," I replied, smiling at her.
"Alright, just let me know if you need anything," she responded with a smile of her own.
*A truly heartfelt smile.*
"Definitely, by the way, I really like your name," I commented.
As she turned to leave, I noticed her smile grow wider.
After taking a shower, I changed into my sweatpants and hoodie since it was quite chilly.
I reclined on my bed while scrolling through my phone.
*Knock*
"Ummm, dinner is ready; you should come down," Lily said.
I quickly hopped off the bed and followed her, fully aware that I'd feel lost if left by myself.
The dining room featured two tables—one large and one medium-sized.
I could already see the trays beautifully arranged on the medium table.
"You should sit here; the master will join you shortly," she said, pointing to the table.
*Oh boy.*
"Thanks," I replied as I pulled out the chair at the far end and took a seat.
I waited for a few minutes, but no one arrived, so I decided to entertain myself with my phone.
Eventually, Lily returned and informed me that Vincent had been caught up in an emergency but would be arriving soon.
After what felt like an hour, Lily told me to go ahead and start dinner without him since he was still going to be delayed.
All the dishes looked exquisite, but I had already lost my appetite, being new to this lifestyle.
Food just didn't seem that interesting anymore.
I scanned the table for something small and spotted an apple, which I promptly grabbed.
I felt a twinge of guilt about what Lily might think since I hadn't touched any of the food, but I was too immersed in this new chapter of my life to worry about eating.
Once I finished the apple, I let Lily know before heading to my room.
Sleep eluded me as my body struggled to adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings. Thoughts of someone sneaking in to harm me filled my mind.
I couldn't help but question why my body was reacting this way now.
I plugged in my ear pods, opting to listen to music.
Within ten minutes, I drifted off to sleep.
✿✿✿✿✿
*Tap tap.*
A figure loomed over me, and instinctively, I balled up my fists and struck out with force.
I shot up from the bed and darted to the corner to switch on the lights.
As I approached the person I had struck...
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, extending my hands to help her up as she writhed on the floor in pain.
She swiftly pushed my hands away and wobbled to her feet.
"Master's asked for you," she managed to say while glancing at me before departing.
*Wow! I just unintentionally hit Cynthia. She's definitely not going to let that slide.*
I walked around the room for a bit to gather my thoughts.
*Oh, Vincent's the reason for this!
Wait!
I haven't left yet.*
I rushed out of the room, but as soon as I exited, I wasn't sure where to head next.
The only place that came to mind was the dining area.
I made my way there and, fortunately, found Lily tidying up.
*Thank goodness.*
"Hey Lily, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I really need your help locating Vincent," I said.
Without hesitation, she set aside her task and guided me.
"Let me guess, Cynthia didn't give you any directions," she remarked as we walked.
"Yeah," I replied.
"I apologize on her behalf. She really isn't aware of what she's doing," Lily said apologetically.
"No need to apologize; it's really not her fault. I reacted instinctively when she tried to wake me up," I said softly.
"Wait, you did what?" Lily exclaimed, bursting into laughter.
"I'm genuinely sorry for laughing; it's just too funny," she admitted.
"Don't worry about it; go ahead," I responded.
"It's no surprise she seemed angrier than usual," Lily observed.
"What's her deal, though? Why is she always so rude to me?" I inquired.
"She behaves like that with certain people," she explained.
"Does Vincent know about this?" I asked her.
"Master doesn't, and he'd definitely let her go if he did. Please keep this to yourself," she urged.
"Relax, I won't say anything," I assured her as we arrived at a large door.
Lily knocked and said, "Master..." Then she turned to me and added, "Oh, I forgot to ask, what's your name?"
"It's Blossom," I replied with a smile.
"Master Blossom is here to see you," she announced.
"Tell her to come in," Vincent commanded.