I calmly turned around and folded my hands in front, hiding my bloodied hands. 

"Good evening, milady. I apologize for the disturbance I caused." 

I cast my gaze on the wet ground and felt my hair stick to my face. The rain had stopped, leaving behind only a light mist hanging in the air.

Charlotte stared straight into my eyes, her orbs piercing.

She frowned in confusion. "What are you doing out here?" she asked in a whisper.

"I came to meet my lover, milady." I lied.

 I didn't know why I said that. She must be able to feel my nervousness radiating off of me.

"Your... lover?" Charlotte questioned, narrowing her eyes, but then her expression softened. "Did something happen?"

I shook my head with a tight smile, "Nothing happened, milady."

A snort came from the gentleman, and my hands tightened. 

Is he... Is he... I need to leave.

"I shall take my leave. I apologize."  I bowed and quickly started backing away.

Charlotte grabbed hold of my elbow.

"Wait! Did anything happen?" she pleaded. Her voice sounded desperate and she was trying to hide her concern.

I swallowed hard, pretending to fight off the panic starting to invade me again. "N... Nothing," I managed to say.

I removed her hand from my elbow and, bowed. I took a glance at the gentleman behind, and surely his face was filled with contempt, I turned, briskly walking back to the mansion.  Charlotte watched me go, her expression unchanged.

The rain hadn't completely cleared yet, so when I entered the large building I found myself immediately engulfed in warmth. Warmth spread through my body, calming me. I looked at dark hallways lit by candles on the wall, absentmindedly I started moving, my feet automatically taking me to the stairs leading up to the second floor.

I walked up the steps, taking them three at a time, not even bothering to look down when the wooden boards creaked from my weight. I was already soaked through, but I didn't even care. I mindlessly walked around the dimly lit hallways.

An unknown feeling pricked at my heart. Why? Why am I feeling like this?

I had long known that those two were having an affair, but why am I feeling like this then? 

Lucia..? She...is Charlotte Edenshire. Not my Lucia. 

Why... have I been calling her that? 

I slumped on the ground. 

What in the world, Mercy? Just what have you been doing all this time?

Tears began stinging at the corner of my eyes and my breaths became short as I tried my best to suppress them.

Anger surged up inside me. If she is not Lucia, then why have I been protecting her all this while?

Protecting her? From what, Mercy? She has killed dozens of maids, she can protect herself. Did you forget your original objective?

When did I even think of her as my Lucia? She isn't my Lucia...

My stomach churned and nausea rose within me. This cannot be right. This simply can't be. 

Lucia is...

Soft whimpers broke me out of my thoughts, I lifted my teary gaze to find myself in an unfamiliar place.

Where am I? I frowned.

I stood up and looked around. 

 My eyes rested on a pair of black doors. How odd, all the doors of the mansion were made of Mahogany. This is out of place. 

I moved closer to the doors. Was this door always here? I do not know this mansion as thoroughly as the one in the marquessate.

I took a step closer and started at the midnight black doors.  They stood before me, unmoving. 

I slowly reached out, my trembling hand raised above the door. What am I going to do once I open it...?

My hand returned to my sides at that thought. 

Why must I open it? Would it not bring me unnecessary trouble?

I took a step back. A whimper called me from behind the doors.

Hm? I tilted my head and stepped forward once more.

I stopped just before reaching them and listened carefully. The cry of pain was still there. It's coming from behind those doors. 

No, I must not.

I turned back and started walking away. 

"Cry more, you filthy wench. Your cries only amuse me." marquess's voice penetrated the silent night.

My eyes widened, and a shiver ran through me. 

This is bad. I need to get away! Right now!

I turned sharply on my heel and ran as fast as my legs could carry me. Just four steps in and I dashed into someone. 

It hurt when they stumbled against me.

But, I couldn't help being thankful that they were there. My chest heaved up and down rapidly, my eyes wide open with fear.

"Ms Allen, where are you off to in the middle of the night?" The Head Butler's voice.

I regained my composure and smiled, signalling at my wet stature, "I was out for a walk, but it began pouring and I got lost." 

He won't believe me.

"I see. You should dry yourself lest you catch a cold." 

"Thank you, Mr Walker,"  I bowed slightly and continued walking away as fast as possible. My wet dress clung to me. There was no way in hell that I would be caught dead in this attire. 

After several minutes of running, I heard footsteps following me.

I bit my lip and then, pain shot through the back of my skull as a blunt object collided with the top of my head. 

Dark spots danced in front of my eyes.

I fell to the ground, unconscious. 

***

Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, pain...

Every part of my head hurt. I slowly opened my eyes. 

Everything blurred until everything disappeared except for black dots. 

Black dots everywhere.

I blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. Five times. Six times.

There are so many black spots.

I sat up and felt dizziness overwhelm me as the room around me spun, making it harder to focus on my surroundings.

I rubbed my temple and tried to ignore the ringing in my ears and the pounding headache that pulsated through my head. Slowly, I pushed myself to stand. I wobbled a little and fell back down.

"Seems like Thomas hit you quite hard, Myra." I heard the marquess's voice say with amusement. 

"Yes..." I mumbled, unsure of where my voice was coming from.

Suddenly, I felt an arm wrap gently around my waist and a warm body pull me close. My eyes widened and I tried to push the marquess away.

I winced from the pain in my head. With all the strength I had left, I kicked his crotch.  His grasp loosened and I stumbled away from him.

I stumbled to the other side of the room and collapsed, panting heavily, waiting for the spinning in my head to die down.

The marquess chuckled. "So feisty, aren't we, Myra?"

What in the balls of God is this? Why is he acting like this?

My vision cleared and I noticed the marquess standing a few meters away from me. In his hand a white cloth.

Seeing my gaze on it, he brought it to his face and took a long sniff. "I must say, you have a lovely scent."

 he licked his lips seductively and a sinister grin appeared on his face. 

He held the cloth over his nose and took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He let out a soft sigh and took another whiff, closing his eyes once again. When he opened his eyes, he grinned at me evilly.

My face distorted with horror as I realized... Those were my drawers. Right in the queue, I felt a  wave of nausea pass over me.

I took a step backwards and stumbled on something. I looked below and my face morphed into shock. 

It was the naked body of a woman. Precisely, of Lina, a maid of the mansion.

So this is why so many maids "quit". I thought it was because of Charlotte's violent tendencies.

I need to get out. Now!

I looked around the room. It was dark and dingy. 

 There were no windows and the only light sources were a few candelabras, which were placed on the walls and table.

I glanced to my left. A door was hidden behind one of the bookshelves near the corner of the room.

" Forget it, you cannot escape, Myra."

 I jumped when I felt the marquess's voice, looking towards him he smirked. I glared at him, he smirked wider, his eyes glittered. My breathing quickened. "You will stay here forever." He said, his voice low.

I stared at him in disbelief. He couldn't possibly mean this. Could he?

I started running towards the door, an idiotic move to him. But I had a plan. One that would undoubtedly fail.

The marquess ran towards me and grasped my wrist. I fell back and hit the edge of the table. I moved my hands and made the candelabra fall to the ground. 

Next, I fell. Right next to it. I turned back and stared at the marquess above me. 

"Do you think that I would ever let you run away?"

He laughed as if amused by my attempt. I tried my best to scramble away, but I knew that it was useless. His body was too large to escape.

As he loomed over me with amusement in his icy blue eyes, I struggled to breathe.

"Oh, come now, don't look so scared, Myra."

He violently ripped my nightgown apart, leaving my bare breast vulnerable to the world.  I watched as his fingers grazed over my exposed flesh greedily. I shut my eyes tight.

The burning sensation caused by his touch was unbearable. My skin crawled in revulsion. My hands clawed desperately at the floor as memories threatened to overtake my consciousness. Finally, my hand grabbed the candelabra and I swung it as hard as I could towards him.

A scream filled my mind and my entire body shook with tremors. A loud crash echoed and his body went limp on me. I pushed it off to the side with disgust. 

I lifted my head and saw blood seeping out from his wound, pooling onto the wooden floor. I crawled near and kept my fingers underneath his nose, there was a movement of air. He was alive.

It's all because of him. I searched the marquess' body and found a knife. I grabbed it with both hands and brought it down to his chest.  I stabbed the blade into his stomach and dragged it upwards until it was buried inside his torso. Blood poured out from it.

He screamed and tried to reach for the knife that was lodged into his chest, but he can't seem to find it. He was gasping for air in a desperate attempt to get the sharp tip out. 

I pulled out the dagger and shoved it deeper and deeper, pushing the point under his ribcage. 

He shrieked again and grabbed my shoulder and forced it away. The dagger pierced him. Again and again.

I cried, my tears mingling with the red liquid flowing out of his body. My chest heaved up and down and I fought the urge to vomit.

When he finally stopped struggling, his eyes rolled up and his mouth opened, his hands falling limply beside him.

That was the last sight I ever saw of the marquess.

I wiped my nose. My body trembled violently. I stood up shakily. I was drenched in sweat and the floor beneath me was slick with blood. 

I looked around the room and saw Lina's dead body lying a few feet away. And then looked back at the bloody mess near my feet.

My face paled as realisation struck.  

Bollocks. I'm dead! I'm dead!!

They will find it was me. I will be killed. What of the promise?

I looked at the marquess's body again and… laughed. An empty sound. I laughed and laughed until my stomach hurt.

I stood up, ran past the lifeless body and reached the door. I opened it and quickly walked outside and leaned against the wall, clutching my stomach tightly.  I took deep breaths trying to calm myself down. But I couldn't.

 Not with the image still fresh in my mind.

I looked towards the manor. The house was completely dark and silent. Everyone had either gone back or had already left.

I closed my eyes as tears streamed down my cheeks and I began trembling uncontrollably.

I sobbed silently, tears running down my cheeks freely.

Lucia, I'm sorry.