pte
as hopeless as I
to the fullest, no matter what it took. I promised I w
n't a reason to give up on life. Slowly, I picked mys
e had only b
left me lying on that
n a situation I couldn't
bout to bec
not to me. Deep down, I had been wishing for
a world I knew nothing ab
ing at all. The room was small, with a single door and a tiny w
s right... thi
else, I sat in the corner and
his?" I heard Oscar ask, hi
a exclaimed. "Get her out o
ack. "And can you stay out of this? It's none of your business. She's my slav
ept my head down. I couldn't bring myself to
the intense hatred boiling inside me,
o understand what happens to those who disobey me. I don't care if she's transit
lt under the sun was gone. Now
because of the cold, the fe
t was a
were a com
her voice rising in panic. "Oh, my poor feelings! Look at her skin! I can't watch
the clicking of her stil
fixed on the marble floor. I knew Brixton and Oscar were
tra
lled with concern. I even he
fer anymore. I promise. No one will ever be able to hurt you a
ok my
o
ne superior to others. No matter how they tried to exp
ad dragged me into their m
was unf
's not a
is myself. She's my slave, after all. You already have your own Celeste. You dumbass don'
ntered the room,
r like this," Oscar retorted. "I won her over
sco
ucky, it's not you. St
alk too much
re grumpier than Mr.
footsteps fade i
he atmosphere in th
think I'm evil? Hate to break it to
away, only to stop
olerate your disobedience. Th
lifted
he wasn't even looking at me, as if his mind wer
if I did
read mine. I wanted to understand why he was lik
irk tugged
you'll never get
ow exactly what
I'm not. You're just a human. Emotional, pre
ed out and shut th
ched m
frustration building inside me, but som
aring blankly at the light fil
completely o
hen I noticed the
r cheeks. There was something haunting about the way she look
en she raised the blade and
op
ldn't breathe when she
es were unraveling. My eyes burned, and
r blood was dri
the lump i
feet. I was losing control, and I couldn'
i
choed somewhere
I pleaded desperately.
ean you'll be linked forever. Someday, that bond will break. If there's
oving before I
se. Think of it as a gift. As long as you have this gift, you have a ch
ts tig
e echoed thr
on Ca
to me. If he could hear my thoughts at that very
m to know I
that he had gravely under
uck, A
last words I he
me. She was staring blankly at me, s
dripped onto t
cent
xica
fallen asleep until a knock
ng fully. From the expression on her
to take your time,
ther outfit, and, o
his woman change clo
get ready before he arrives. H
o
ke meeting
st take a show
s even more beautiful now!" Sh
sed the door
myself before grabbing a towel to dr
led divine. My skin had never felt
t my reflection until a s
to meet th
of Brixto
arker, more terrifyin
bab
where Brix had inhe
eet another character
I sc
hy wou
and I'd probably
l around my body a
olling through her phone. The moment
me
and made me sit in front of the mirror. Then
long, silky black hair. I suggest we simply dry i
t dry it,"
rfe
y hair. Her touch was surprisingly gentle, as if
mes, Astra. Pick whichev
perfumes. I preferred mild scents because th
d styled, Nathalia help
tightened the bodi
it a little loos
better this way. Yo
she seemed determined
front of the mirror and
ll
oked
asn't particularly interested in dressing up like this. Sure, it felt nice to loo
wasn't co
," Nathalia mutter
ed tow
n idea of what you
arms and appeared t
w Brixto
ed hard a
ust him. All of us are practically pets to that man, too. He's strict and manipulative. E
ered dram
tra: just do what Brix tells you. He
led f
question about why Brix tre
we
and humans were practical
t it felt like to be powerles
fa
nd together we walked d
r hanging overhead. Now that I was feeling better, I
d at every corner, sile
athalia mumbled. "I just ho
ngs that I failed to notice the man
do paired with perfe
etter, I could finally t
d with his hands tucked into his pockets made it seem as thou
ia was
ess, he could easily pas
e wasn't
thalia announced as
ss on my cheek and walked away as tho
barely walk in heel
s throat, drawi
led from my ch
't make this difficult for both of
few seconds before b
fro
too much from me," I said sarcastically. "But don't worry. Consider this a f
longer hu
be one. A pathetic
s head, clea
He loved belittling others but couldn't
ge of his nose and
e faint scent of alcohol on his breat
before extending
red a
doing that? We're not in
hut, clearly strugglin
's called formality," he whispered sharply
t eventually hooked
ow firm his muscles w
demon smell
the same path Nathal
e food?"
cour
take so
. I had left without telling her anythi
her I had go
hy
o bring s
t to you afterward. Now, don't do anything stupid.
row
sed to eat with
dn't
ng he was about to explode before
e one who called out to m
e snapped, clearly irritated. "My fat
I broke Tita Ophelia's glass because of you. My allowan
on money, and now I
pesos?
all the insults you've thrown at me. I'm your slave, right? Then you
s later," he interrupted. "Her
I was immediately greeted by a m
eated beside Oscar, wh
ally need to dress
" Brix muttere
ing my attention toward the man s
ating while read
t curse
her, then the univers
he was around
mustache. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows,
ake a seat when
Nathalia. She smiled an
ward the man who
" I c
ything else, Brix pul
nd mine. Her name is Astralla Martin. She's willing to serve n
es wi
use
for a moment, I thought
hand slid d
n he gently
s warm agai
hell was
er finally
t, it felt as though m
s ice-cold
one behaved like a pack of
and introduce yours
red my
ends call me Astra. I'm nineteen years old.
im my brigh
ound like you were old, grumpy, and hated the
aug
ing on his food. He quickly reached for h
ned his gri
noticed that his face
o
uldn't have
me to introduce
y instructed me to spe
ducing mysel
a faked
g happened so quickly. But don't worry. I'll make sure she learns everyt
brow at me before
cow
hat suppos
d Se
toward the
e. He poured some into Severo's glass, bowing respec
ttention back
absolutely
" I blurted out
choked
mself, claiming he ne
ng to suppress his laughter, I sus
nding beside me,
l his hand tremb
de
having
xton
vero spoke, the at
ately close
orry,
him in utt
he apo
e somethi
the one
t was happening, Lord Severo
/1/131104/coverbig.jpg?v=75934bfe0d30400a75e12af43711ce36&imageMogr2/format/webp)