“No, Head Maid. That’s not true.”
“……”
“There’s been a misunderstanding. If I had really done something so disgraceful… Lady Dianther wouldn’t have just let me be after seeing me yesterday.”
“What nonsense. Lady Dianther isn’t someone who acts impulsively on her emotions. Especially not yesterday—it wasn’t the kind of setting where she could have done something rash. So she might not have been able to do anything to you right there and then. But knowing that, you dare to spout such a ridiculous excuse?”
“But it’s the truth. Like I told you before, Young Lord Callinan and I only met occasionally because of errands Lady Dianther sent me on—”
“Silence, Amel. I can’t bear to hear another word. So, you’re insisting you’re innocent to the end, is that it?”
Meg’s sharp voice rose at the end, so cutting that I froze in place.
But if I showed any sign of weakness now, it would be worse than not having defended myself at all.
Whether Meg believed me or not no longer mattered. Whether she thought me shameless or believed me even a little—it was out of my hands.
I couldn’t tell anyone about the contract, not yet.
I lifted my chin and said firmly,
“I am innocent, Meg.”
“……”
My blunt insistence seemed to leave her speechless. She simply stared at me in silence.
Lowering my gaze, I slowly stood up. Meg’s eyes followed me as I did.
“If you’re done talking, I’ll be taking my leave now. I still have work to do.”
“You…”
Meg looked like she had a thousand things to say, but she soon shut her mouth, as if she’d run out of patience entirely.
Her expression showed nothing but disgust for my insolence. She waved me off dismissively, and I left her office.
I had used work as an excuse, but the truth was, I didn’t want to see anyone right now.
My heart pounded hard in my chest.
Just ten minutes alone in my room—that was all I wanted.
…Would this be enough to let me stay in the mansion for at least a few more days?
As I walked briskly through the familiar halls of the Aspania estate—so familiar I could walk them with my eyes closed—Meg’s cold gaze replayed in my mind.
Disappointment had filled her eyes.
I had thought, foolishly perhaps, that Meg and I had grown close over the years.
Seeing that look, I knew with certainty we had crossed a river we could never return from.
That everyone in the mansion knew about what had happened last night was entirely Emily’s doing. At the Callinan ball yesterday, it was Emily who had attended Lady Dianther in my place.
That was what gave me the time and opportunity to become “the maid who behaved improperly with her lady’s fiancé.”
If not for Emily, I would’ve been at Lady Dianther’s side all evening, never getting the chance to even meet Edward Callinan in the garden.
I wondered what exactly Emily had said to spread such rumors in a single night—but then again, I understood.
She must have been deeply shocked.
We’d never been enemies, not like Anne or Marie. That made it worse.
It was betrayal—that was the emotion consuming Emily now.
Still, if I wanted to remain in this mansion even for a few more days, I had to stop her.
I couldn’t control how far the gossip spread, but I had to deny everything to her face, just as I had done with Meg.
Since last night, I hadn’t seen Emily once.
We didn’t share a room, so I hadn’t seen her in the morning either.
Now that it was nearly lunchtime and she was still nowhere to be found, it was clear she was avoiding me.
I had to find her and talk to her before the day ended—but where could she be?
Before I knew it, I had reached the servants’ quarters.
Everyone was still busy with work, so the place was empty. I went straight to my room and quickly shut the door behind me. Sitting down on my small bed, I recalled all the looks that had been thrown my way since morning.
…This kind of act really does take nerve.
I wasn’t sure I had it in me. My heart was pounding already, and this was only the beginning.
I hated being disliked. Even if it was all an act, I hated doing things that would make people despise me.
I didn’t want to hurt anyone. And I didn’t want to be hurt either.
But right now, I was neither of those things.
I’m doing things that deserve hatred, yet I don’t want to be hated for them. How absurd.
Hadn’t I just chosen to be hated by Meg?
In the five years I’d worked here, never once had I walked out of her office like that.
Lady Hazel Luxan’s actions yesterday hadn’t frightened me at all. She was a stranger—someone who had nothing to do with me.
So it hadn’t mattered whether she poured champagne on me or anything else.
But when it came to people I liked or respected—seeing them grow to hate or even despise me—that was different.
Watching familiar gazes turn cold and unfamiliar overnight was harder than I’d ever imagined. I realized that only today.
The gossiping glances from the servants, Meg’s frosty stare—they replayed in my head over and over again.
When I came to, I realized I was already standing far from where I’d begun.
Everything felt strange—as if the person I’d been and the person I was now were two entirely different people.
But I haven’t changed at all, have I?
…Still, I couldn’t let myself dwell on these thoughts. That would be truly foolish. Brooding wouldn’t change anything.
I was an adult, and I had to take responsibility for the choices I made.
I chose to enter this contract with Lady Dianther and Edward Callinan, and I had to face the consequences.
It was difficult, yes—but not unbearable.
Just a few more days.
Once the engagement between those two was officially broken, I would finally be free.
So hold on a little longer, Amel.
What’s there to lose?
Whether I was branded the villainess of Lintz or of Martina, so be it.
Even if the world called me shameless for the rest of my life, I would see this through.
Resolving myself, I stood up and straightened my uniform.
I opened the window and let the cool air brush against my face—it helped clear my mind. Strength began to return to me.
I folded the blanket I’d pushed aside earlier and reached to smooth the wrinkled sheet when something caught my eye.
I hadn’t noticed it before.
…On one side of the mattress, the sheet was unusually tucked in.
As if someone’s hand had been there.
________✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧𓉞___________
“…Emily?”
When I left my room and headed toward Lady Dianther’s annex, I finally saw her standing by the front entrance.
Emily wasn’t alone. The other attendants of the annex, as well as the personal maids, were all there with her.
The atmosphere was… off.
As soon as I appeared, the group went still, their gazes turning toward me.
I walked toward them calmly, pretending not to notice.
“Where were you? I’ve been looking for you all morning.”
“…What?”
“There’s something I need to talk to you about, Emily.”
The mood grew heavier still.
My casual tone seemed to confuse everyone there.
‘What’s going on, Emily? Was it really Amel you saw? Why’s she acting like nothing happened?’
I could hear Julie, who stood beside Emily, whisper audibly.
Emily’s expression twisted in anger. I took another step closer.
“This isn’t the place. Can we talk somewhere private?”
“Ha. Amel, you’re unbelievable. You and I—what could we possibly have to talk about?”
Emily couldn’t hold back anymore. Her tone was sharp, her face contorted in disgust. She looked at me as if I were something vile.
Still, I asked, as if genuinely puzzled by her words,
“Unbelievable? What do you mean by that?”
“Do you really not understand what’s happening? Can’t you see no one here even wants to talk to you?”
“I don’t understand—that’s why I’m asking. The atmosphere’s been strange since morning. Everyone’s been whispering, and I keep hearing your name. So, if you know something, why don’t you explain it to me, Emily?”
I had hoped we could speak privately, but it was clear she wouldn’t allow that. The only choice now was to confront her head-on.
Whether people believed her or me, I just needed to buy some time.
Emily trembled with fury, glaring at me as if I were the shameless one. Her pale face tightened as she spoke.
“…You’re unbelievable. Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize you yesterday? Is that why you’re acting like this now? How shameless can you possibly be—!”
“Recognize me? What are you talking about? If you have something to say, then say it clearly.”
“…Fine.”
Emily let out a short, bitter laugh. Turning fully toward me, she spoke, her voice trembling slightly.
“Yesterday, in the Callinan garden—when Lady Dianther went out for a walk with the other young ladies—do you know what she saw?”
Her voice faltered for a moment, her brow furrowing before she forced herself to continue.
“She saw… her fiancé, the young lord of Callinan, kissing someone.”
