Chapter 18
Clara’s eyes widened in disbelief. She had defied my orders before and had never faced any real consequences. But now, it seemed the game had changed. Panic set in, and her voice rose in a shrill plea. “Sophia, you can’t do this! Ryan won’t forgive you!”
I felt a surge of satisfaction as I looked her in the eye, unbothered by her threats. “I don’t care. I don’t
want to see you again.”
Ethan signaled the warriors standing nearby, and within moments, they moved to escort Clara out. She screamed and struggled, but they took her away, her voice fading as they dragged her out of the packhouse.
As soon as she was gone, I slumped slightly against Ethan’s side. My eyes were still red and puffy from crying. Ethan looked down at me, concern creasing his brow.
“Are you hungry?” he asked gently. “We can have dinner together.”
A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “Of course I am,” I replied, the warmth returning to my voice. “Let’s eat now.”
Ethan blinked, clearly caught off guard by my response. But he wasn’t the only one. The other servants in the packhouse, who had been watching the scene unfold, exchanged surprised glances. One of them, a hesitant young girl, stepped forward and spoke softly.
“But… Young Master Ryan hasn’t returned today.”
Ryan was never treated well at Stardust Pack. Often overlooked and belittled by the other pack members, he’d retreat to my house to escape. There were many nights when he’d come back late, after spending hours at the training grounds or trying to impress the pack leadership. In those days, I’d wait for him–no matter how hungry I was. Ethan, of course, would eat earlier, unwilling to play into Ryan’s schedule, but I’d always hold off until Ryan came home, no matter how long it took,
The maids were used to it by now, accustomed to seeing me wait patiently, my empty plate in front of me, until Ryan arrived. So, when I told them I wanted to eat early today, they exchanged puzzled glances. Before I could say anything more, Ethan spoke up, his voice firm and decisive, almost as if he was afraid I’d change my mind.
“What’s the point of waiting for him? Let’s eat now,” he said.
The maids didn’t ask further questions. They shuffled about, quickly preparing the table. The clattering of plates and the scent of warm food filled the dining room. I could see a flicker of
1925
hapter 18
curiosity in Ethan’s eyes. He wasn’t used to seeing me make decisions like this–he wasn’t used to Seeing me put myself first.
I leaned back in my chair and said calmly, “By the way, make sure to pack up all of Clara’s and Ryan’s things. They don’t need to come back here.”
Ethan looked at me, astonished. His brows furrowed slightly, as though trying to understand why I had changed so much overnight. But he didn’t question me–at least, not right away.
As we sat at the table, a quiet yet comfortable atmosphere settled between us. It had been so long since I had shared a meal with Ethan like this, without Ryan looming over our thoughts. The food was rich and savory, but there was a tension in the air that even I couldn’t quite shake.
“How’s school?” Ethan asked, breaking the silence. He forked a piece of meat but paused before eating it, his eyes fixed on me with concern.
I forced a smile, trying to appear relaxed. My heart clenched as I thought about the academy–about the way Ryan had treated me there. He had made me do his errands, clean up after him, and all the while, I was treated like his personal maid, not like his partner. But I couldn’t bring myself to tell Ethan that. I didn’t want him to worry, not now. So, I kept my tone light.
“School’s… fine,” I said, though my voice wavered slightly.
Ethan’s frown deepened, and he leaned closer, eyes searching my face. “Is everything alright? You don’t seem yourself.”
I swallowed hard, not wanting to burden him with the truth. “It’s nothing. Just a few things I can handle on my own.”
I didn’t want to involve Ethan in the small, everyday struggles that I had foolishly let Ryan bring into my life. Instead, I shifted the conversation.
“Actually, I’ve been thinking,” I said, “maybe you could help me find a tutor for my studies?”
Ethan blinked, surprised by the sudden change of subject. “A tutor? I thought Ryan was helping you
with that.”
I bit my lip, fighting back the bitterness. “He was supposed to. But he… well, he didn’t really care. All that money I gave him to be my tutor? He used it to buy luxury items–jewelry, clothes, things for
himself.”
Ethan’s face hardened. His hand tightened around his fork. “He what?”
