Chapter 7

Ezebel's pov

The room was dark, but sleep refused to come.

I lay on the cold mattress, eyes wide open, staring at the cracked ceiling like it held answers. My hands clutched the thin blanket, but it did nothing to warm the heaviness inside me.

Dario's words from earlier echoed again in my head-"She was in my room last night."

Like I was some object. A thing to be claimed, shown off, owned.

Tears welled in my eyes, but I blinked them away.

No. I wasn't going to cry.Not tonight.Not again.

My life... What was left of it? A maid. A prisoner in silk sheets. Trapped in a house of shadows. Surrounded by guards, walls, locked doors.Powerless. Alone.

Will I spend the rest of my life like this?

Dusting furniture, cleaning after his affairs, swallowing his cruelty just to survive?No. No, I won't.

I sat up suddenly, heart pounding like a drum. My fists clenched around the blanket. I'd rather die than live like this.

I didn't care if it was dangerous. I didn't care if they caught me. I couldn't stay like this-waiting for kindness from a monster or hoping Marta's warnings would save me.

If I couldn't escape, then I'd burn this cage down.

Whatever it took.

Soon ,sleep wash over me.

*

Morning came too quickly. I forced myself out of bed, dressed, and returned to the routine. Another day of work. Another day pretending I wasn't breaking inside.

As I entered the kitchen, I felt it before I even heard it -the whispering.They didn't bother lowering their voices.

"She's just a slut!

"Imagine-going to the boss's room to be f**ked."

"What do you expect from the child of a betrayer?"

"Bitch."

Each word sliced through me like glass, but I kept my head high. I wouldn't let them see me crack.

Then, unexpectedly, i heard a soft voice near my side.

"Hi Ezebel" she said with a small, genuine smile. "My name is Bianca.Can I be your friend?".

I blinked, unsure if I heard her right.A friend? After everything-the stares, the insults, the venom dripping from the maids' mouths-Bianca's voice felt.gentle. Real.

She didn't look away. She didn't flinch like the others. Her eyes were soft, her smile small but honest." | know what they say, she added, her voice quieter now. "But I don't believe everything people whisper.

For a second, I didn't know how to respond. I just stared at her, unsure if this was a setup-some cruel joke.But Bianca didn't press. She just handed me a tray of bread and fruit.

"'ve been here a while," she said, brushing her apron down. "If you ever want to talk, or... need help with the work, I'm usually in the back prepping the herbs."

I took the tray without a word, my fingers brushing hers for a second.Warm. Not fake."Thank you," I finally muttered.She smiled again. "Don't let them break you. You're stronger than you look."

She walked off before I could answer.I stood still, tray in hand, the voices of the other maids still murmuring like shadows. But they didn't feel as sharp now. Not with Bianca's kindness lingering like a thread I could hold on to.

As I moved to set the tray on the counter, I caught a glimpse of myself in the shiny surface of the pot-tired eyes, messy hair, a hollow look behind the stare.But under it all... something else.A flicker.

Hope? Or defiance?

Maybe both. For the first time in days, I didn't feel entirely alone.Maybe this place still had a few cracks of light left in it.And maybe... I'd find a way through.

Even if I had to crawl through fire.