Lord Wei's grip on the knife pressed cold and steady against Liana's back, a silent promise of danger. She didn't dare flinch. With every step he took away from the chaos, she followed, each breath caught halfway in her throat. He didn't say a word. Just led her deeper into the palace, where velvet silence and carved pillars whispered secrets.
They stopped at a heavy door. His chamber.
Of course.
He opened it with a flick of his wrist, revealing a space that was both lavish and lifeless. Gold trim, silk cushions, dark wood and yet, everything in it looked untouched, like a stage for a scene no one dared to perform.
He motioned her inside. She obeyed, her heart pounding against her ribs like it wanted out.
He sat on the edge of the bed with a predator's ease, posture relaxed but coiled, like a lion lounging before a strike. His gaze found her and didn't move. It felt like he was dissecting her layer by layer, peeling her down to the raw truth she didn't even admit to herself.
"You really think I'm a fool, girl?" he said softly.
His voice was silk dipped in steel. Charming. Deadly. And utterly untrusting.
"Your entrance, your timing… too perfect to be coincidence. Speak. What game are you playing? Because if you don't, I'll take your lies straight to Lord Kieran. And trust me his version of mercy doesn't involve second chances."
Liana's stomach dropped.
Her mouth went dry. Her mind spun. Panic clawed at her chest like a drowning woman, but beneath it a sliver of steel held.
She had one chance.
A breath.
A choice.
Her eyes welled with tears not from fear, not quite. But from the story she was about to sell like it was scripture.
"Lord Wei…" she began, letting her voice tremble just enough. "I didn't mean to cause a scene. I… I only spoke the truth. The Sixth Lady… she's hiding something. She's been with someone. Someone she shouldn't."
She dropped her gaze, fists clenched at her sides. "I found out by accident. She caught me. Threatened me. Said she'd accuse me of stealing, sabotage...anything to ruin me. I...I panicked. I thought if I exposed it first, I'd be safe."
She lifted her eyes again, glassy with unshed tears.
Not real ones. But convincing.
"I'm just a servant. If Lord Kieran thinks I'm more than that..." Her voice broke, soft and small, "...he'll kill me."
Silence. Heavy and sharp.
Lord Wei didn't blink. He didn't speak. Just watched her with those calculating eyes. The tension stretched so tight, it felt like the air itself might snap.
And then, he smiled.
It was slow. Barely there. And deeply, deeply unsettling.
"Very well," he said. "I'll spare you. But only on one condition, from this moment, you obey me. Unconditionally. No questions. No hesitation. You are mine to command. Do you understand?"
Liana swallowed.
"Yes, my lord," she murmured, calm on the outside, but inside her pulse thundered. This was a dangerous game, and she had just bet everything on her ability to bluff.
Then, a knock.
Sharp. Too well timed to be anything but a twist of fate.
"Lord Wei? Are you there? May I come in?"
Kieran's voice. Casual, curious.
Liana froze.
Lord Wei didn't.
He stood. And before she could even think to move, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him. The bed. The covers. His body beside hers, far too close, far too warm.
Liana stiffened, lips parting in shock.
What the hell was he?
But she got it. She got it instantly.
The door opened.
Kieran's eyes scanned the room and stopped on them.
One heartbeat.
Then two.
A slow smirk curled on his lips.
"Oh," Kieran said, voice full of mock apology. "Forgive me. I didn't realize you were… busy. I'll return later."
And then he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.
Silence again.
Liana exhaled barely. Her whole body was buzzing, muscles tight, nerves sparking like a fire on the edge of catching.
Lord Wei rose, calm as ever, adjusting his robe like nothing had happened.
His gaze flicked back to her now sharp, no longer playful.
"Listen carefully," he said. "There will come a time when you'll do things that defy Kieran's plans. If a single word of what happened tonight leaves your lips... your life is forfeit."
Liana looked up, still sitting among the tangled sheets. The weight of his words hit her but beneath the fear, something else bloomed.
Not safety.
Not relief.
But the faint, dizzying thrill of power.
"Yes, my lord," she said, her voice soft but sure.
Then, slowly, deliberately, she smiled.
Not the naive, helpless smile of before.
This one had teeth.
Lord Wei's eyes lingered on her for a moment longer, studying her face as if trying to read what lay beneath the surface. Then, with a flick of his hand and a voice that was calm, yet edged with finality, he said,
"You may leave now."
Liana bowed, her expression composed but her mind still racing. She turned and walked out with measured grace, the door clicking softly shut behind her.
As Liana stepped out of the room, her steps careful, deliberate, she didn't dare look back. Her palms were damp. Her heart still beat a little too fast. But her face is calm. Controlled. She had played her part. For now.
Inside, the silence lingered for a beat before a shadow emerged from the far side of the chamber.
A tall man, cloaked in muted tones, stepped out from behind one of the ornate carved panels.
"Your Highness," he said quietly, bowing his head slightly. His voice was low and smooth, but laced with caution. "Can we trust her? She's just a maid. And clearly a very clever one."
Lord Wei didn't look surprised. He moved toward a decanter of wine, pouring himself a glass with measured elegance.
"We don't trust her, Chan," he said coolly, swirling the liquid. "We watch her."
Chan tilted his head slightly. "You believe she's lying?"
Lord Wei took a sip, his eyes fixed on the door Liana had walked through. The smirk that touched his lips wasn't amusement, it was calculation.
"She's not innocent. That much is certain. But innocence is overrated. What matters is usefulness."
He paused. "And desperation… makes people very useful."
Chan nodded, eyes sharp. "Then shall I—"
"No," Wei interrupted, setting the glass down. "Not yet. Let her think she's winning. People like her reveal their truest selves when they believe they're safe."
A faint smile curled at the corner of Chan's mouth. "Yes, my lord."
As the bodyguard left, Lord Wei took a slow sip, his gaze fixed once more on the door Liana had disappeared through.
"Let's see how deep this rabbit hole really goes," he whispered to no one.