GENESIS
He stood up so abruptly from the chair that it startled me, and in an instant, all eyes turned to him.
"Excuse us, but we have to take our leave. So sorry about this," he said, and without waiting for a reply, he grabbed my hand.
His grip was firm but not painful as he pulled me along, weaving through the tables without slowing down. I stumbled to keep up, my heart racing and my face burning with embarrassment. The weight of curious, judgmental stares followed us, whispers brushing against my skin.
When we finally pushed through the large doors and into the empty hallway, he didn't stop. Not until we were outside the mansion, where the air was filled with blinding lights and flashes. Large men quickly surrounded us, ushering us into the car.
Only then did he release my hand.
He turned to face me, his jaw tight, his chest rising and falling just a little faster than normal. His eyes dropped to my body, lingering on the way I fidgeted, trying to pull my dress lower, even though it was already as long as it could go.
"You were dripping... with my cum," he muttered under his breath, his voice rough, like he was fighting with himself.
I looked down at my feet, feeling as though the ground might swallow me whole.
He took a step closer, then another, until my back hit the car door behind me.
"Genesis," he said my name like a warning, but also like a prayer.
I risked a glance up at him. His eyes were darker now, intense, almost wild.
"This is what you do to me," he whispered, his hands bracing the glass on either side of my head, trapping me there. "You can't even sit still without driving me crazy."
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.
He leaned down, his forehead pressing against mine, just like before in the bathroom.
"I wish you could say something," he said softly. "I want to hear your voice. I've never wanted to hear another person speak like I want to hear you speak."
I swallowed, my throat dry. Finally, I raised my trembling hands and signed, Sorry.
His breath hitched. His eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and when he opened them again, the fire within hadn't dimmed.
"Don't be sorry," he growled. "I should be the one saying sorry. I put you in a very uncomfortable situation, and I regret that."
Then, without giving me a chance to react, he captured my lips with his.
Two days later
"Someone's all smiles. You look so happy—Kier must be treating you well," Eliana, also known as Margaret, said with a teasing grin. My face immediately heated up, and the other helpers in the room glanced my way with smiles of their own.
Revelation added a mischievous smile to her face. "She's glowing," she said, tossing a piece of chicken into the pan. "I bet it's not just from getting extra sleep either."
The room erupted into soft laughter, and I felt like I might sink into the floor.
I quickly busied myself with my food, pretending not to hear them, but my cheeks burned even hotter.
I picked at the food on my plate. So far, I still hadn't been able to eat much, and the fact that my past life still had a few lingering clutches on me made my stomach turn.
Speaking of my past life, I wondered what Monica and my stepbrothers were doing. It had been weeks since my marriage—a month now—and Monica had yet to step foot in this place. I was extremely grateful for that.
As for my stepbrothers, since the day Jimmy came here and Kier had warned him, he never came back. I should've been relieved, and I was, but sometimes it felt like all this was just a dream. What if Kier suddenly changed his mind and sent me back there?
The thought alone raised bile in the back of my throat.
Suddenly, another voice broke the silence. "And are we not going to talk about the fact that Mrs. here looks like you, Revelation?"
My head snapped up, brow furrowing. I looked at Revelation, who had raised an eyebrow so high it almost disappeared into her bangs. She glanced at Katherine, the plump maid who had spoken.
"Is the mist from the beef messing with your eyes? How do I look like the Mrs.? I wouldn't dare to dream," she said, a smile on her face, seemingly unbothered.
But I didn't see any resemblance. Revelation had long, blonde hair that she always wore down her back. Since she was in the kitchen now, her hair was packed into a bun and covered with a hairnet. She had a round, lovely face, way too pretty—and I was just plain.
"I think it's you who needs to get your eyes checked," Bianca chimed in, glancing at both of us. "Isn't that right, Mrs. Margaret? Doesn't the Mrs. look a lot like her?"
I turned my head to Eliana, who squinted, like she was meticulously dissecting something.
"Katherine is right, and it's not the first time I've noticed it. There's a resemblance…"
The other maids nodded in agreement, and Revelation shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. I didn't blame her—of course, she wouldn't want to be likened to someone as plain and weird as me.
"Yes, and even their names," someone added.
"Just like the Bible," another maid chimed in.
"Genesis, the first book of the Bible, and Revelation was the last."
They continued, and I stared down at my thighs, trying to block out their words.
"Are you sure you're—"
Suddenly, something slammed onto the table, startling me.
"Will all of you just stop it?" Revelation snapped, her face set in a frown. "It's just a coincidence with me and the missus. My ma was a religious woman, and she named me after her favorite book of the Bible."
The others exchanged glances before nodding. "Oh yeah, it must just be a coincidence."
They went back to their duties, and I looked up. Revelation smiled at me briefly, then quickly looked away.
Just as I was about to stand up, another voice spoke.
"Genesis, Mother's here."
Immediately, the
plate of food slipped from my hand as I turned around, crashing to the floor.
That can't be.