AVERY POV

The resounding loud buzz from the alarm snapped back to the real world from my deep sleep. I had a stressful day the previous day and crashed out.

“5:00am? " What!!!” I said, groaning while blinking my eyes at the faint light that accessed my room through the tiny window above my bed. I could feel the body pains radiating through my body from the stiff mattress and the super-thin blanket was not helping at all. All I knew was that I had exactly fifteen minutes to be ready before Mrs. Meyers will be in the corridors to start the roll call, so I can't afford to waste any time.

Besides, it would be too early to be on her bad side. Not again!

I jumped off my bed, covering up with my blanket to the shared bathroom. Between the cold water greeting my face with shivers and seeing stares from other workers, I really could not tell which left me more uncomfortable, but in times like this, all I do is reassure myself.

“Just survive today! Just survive today!!” I muttered under my breath.

After showering, I jumped into my gray uniform, which was two sizes bigger than mine, tied my hair into a sleek bun and walked out to the laundry room for my first task of the day.

As my hands moved automatically, frantically folding the clothes, my mind was still heavy from last night's sleeplessness.

Something about this house definitely felt like she'd been watched.

MEETING OTHER IN-HOUSE STAFFS

After I had concluded her breakfast duties, cleaning and tidying up the kitchen. I was assigned to another cleaning job alongside Lizzie, a red-haired girl with hazel-brown eyes with a sharp tongue that definitely does not understand the concept of ‘minding your business’.

“You must be the new girl, right?” Lizzie said as they dusted the long corridor near the east wing of the mansion.

“You resemble a rabbit.

"Nervous and twitchy,” she added.

“I am not scared,” I responded, stiffly looking into her eyes.

My mother would say that if you do not want to show any sign of fear, look directly into the eyes of whoever you are attacking.

You could actually be powerless, but your eye contact will command enough power for you.

Maybe I resemble a rabbit. Maybe not, but I will not let it slide.

Lizzie smirked. “You honestly should be.”

“Why?” I asked, frowning.

Lizzie leaned in towards me, “Because people do not last long here. " Do you think this place is normal?”

“And oh, if you think Mr. Stalwart is just the regular rich guy, then you are in for a big shock”, Lizzie added.

Not the name again. I have heard the name “Mr. Stalwart” more times than I’ve probably since the sunrise. Like a ghost that lurks in every room.

“Well, I have not even met him yet” I said, trying to push down the unease I felt from what Lizzie said.

“You will”, Lizzie scoffs.

“But trust me, you will not forget it when you do,” she added.

I stood lost for a minute wondering what I had gotten myself into, but again, my mother’s words were my consolation.

THE FIRST ENCOUNTER

Later in the afternoon, I was assigned to clean the library on the second floor. A super-stunning room with high windows allowing enough sunlight and brightening the whole room, a spiral staircase to the left of the room and the walls lined with dark wooden shelves carefully with books. It was beautiful.

As I moved slowly, carefully cleaning the tables, dusting the lower shelves, inhaling the scent of those old leather-covered books and moving towards the bay window to clean the glass, I heard a soft click of the door behind her.

Immediately, I turned around and who she saw made her freeze.

There he stood, a man in a clean tailored gray shirt, no tie, with the sleeves rolled up slightly. He definitely was not who I was expecting to see.

Lucas Stalwart was way younger than she expected. She had thought that he should be in his late thirties or early forties, but he was most like him in his late twenties or early thirties at most, tall, lean, and with a quiet depth in his sharp gray eyes that made her speechless.

I stepped back a bit. “I’m sorry, I did not know anyone was —-”

Lucas interrupted her. “You missed a corner here to be cleaned.” He said, casually pointing towards the lower windowpane.

“I…yes, I will fix it” I said, blinking.

As I moved to correct it, he stepped forward, moving further into the room.

“You are the new maid, right?” he asked.

Yes, Sir.. I said, standing still while responding.

Lucas walked to the shelf on the left side of the room and reached out for a book without looking specifically while flipping it open.

“You do not sound like a local,” Lucas said while stealing glances at Avery.

“ Oh, I am not. I just came in from the city after my mother passed

“But I did not ask for your history,” Lucas said with authority.

“Oh, of course, I am sorry” I said, dropping her gaze.

Lucas closes the book and returns it to the shelf.

“Do not come into this room again without my permission” he said as he turned and left the room.

I stood there with the piece of cloth used to clean glass in my hand, confused and out of words.

THE LOCKED DOOR

On her way back from the laundry where I went to drop off today’s laundry so it could be washed tomorrow, I passed by the dark hallway again. The same black door I saw on the first day was still there, looking grand in appearance.

I slowed down and walked towards it.

As I approached the door, I heard a faint sound like a click. Like a whisper of sound from behind it.

Curiously, I reached forward and touched the cold door knob, but before she could turn it…

“Mrs. Meyers”

The voice behind her made her jump around. It was Mr. Lucas Stalwart stood a few feet away in a black coat with his glasses on.

“I thought you were told that the wing of the chambers is off-limits?” His expression, cold

“I’m sorry… I was just curious”

“Have you heard that curiosity can kill a cat?” His tone dropped by an octave, not exactly threatening but not friendly either.

“It won’t happen again,” I swallowed hard.

Lucas stepped closer, took his glasses off and his gaze hard on her face. “No, it better not.”

For a moment, they stood and stared at each other until he turned and left her dumbfounded.

Back in my room, I laid down on my bed thinking of what had just happened, with my heart pounding.

While Lucas watches her from his device again, a voice behind him whispers.

“She looks just like her”

Lucas did not answer, but she did.