“Here.” He handed her his gun when he came back out. “If anyone comes in here, shoot them.”
She looked up at the weapon in confusion but took it anyway.
“You know how to use it?”
She nodded and he smiled as he dropped a kiss on her lips.
“Good girl.”
He left the room after that, closing the door behind him. Celine listened to his footsteps as he walked down the hall and out the front door. She heard the sound of his car driving away and then the house went quiet.
She was alone in the house now. Alone with nothing but her thoughts.
Her mind went back to what she had learned that day. The truth about her father and Armand.
How could it be true? She knew her father was a good man. He wouldn’t let her live with someone who was evil.
But...maybe he didn’t know what Armand was. Maybe he didn’t know what he had become.
That could be true, she thought. That could be why her father had left her with him in the first place.
Her mind turned to thoughts of her father and the hell she had gone through. She couldn’t believe it had all been a lie.
She couldn’t believe she was a pawn in all that.
She felt a tear roll down her cheek as she thought about it all. All that time, all the years, everything had been a lie.
But the only thing that wasn’t a lie was Armand. He loved her and he wanted her. And she wanted him just as much.
She thought about his words from that morning. The words about them getting married again. She thought about his proposal.
Was he really going to keep her now? Was she really going to be his wife?
A smile pulled at her mouth as she thought about it. She wanted it to be true. She really did want to be his wife and spend the rest of her life with him.
A knock on the door made her head jerk up.
“Hello?” She called out, her voice shaking a little.
“Miss Gillies, the Chef asked for me to give you this.”
Celine frowned, wondering who was speaking to her through the door. She knew none of the guards would ever talk to her, so it had to be someone else.
But who?
She got off the bed and walked towards the door.
“Who are you?” She asked.
“It’s me, miss. It’s Victoria.”
Celine stopped in her tracks as she heard her name, her heart starting to pound.
“V...Victoria?” She called out again. “Is that you?”
“Yes, miss.” The voice came through the door again. “I have a basket here for you.”
“Come in.” Celine pulled the gun to her side and stepped away as she spoke.
There was a sound of a key being inserted into the lock and then the door creaked open. The young woman who came in had short hair and a smile on her face.
She looked a lot different than she did when they had first met. Back then, she had long hair and big brown eyes. But now, her hair was short and her eyes were blue.
“Hello, miss,” she smiled as she put down the basket on the bed. “Chef sent this for you. Some fruit and some milk.”
“Thank you,” Celine said back. “Can you close the door?”
The maid nodded and closed the door before turning back to her.
Celine watched her with wide eyes as she came towards her, her mind turning to the voice she had heard that day in the kitchen.
“Do you need something else, miss?” The maid was looking at her with a confused frown on her face.
“No,” Celine shook her head. “I don’t need anything else.”
The maid turned to leave then but stopped when Celine called out her name.
“Victoria,” Celine spoke through a dry throat.
“Yes?”
“I have to ask you something.”
The maid stopped in her tracks again, her eyes coming back to hers. “Yes?”
“You’re not who you say you are, are you?” Celine stared at her.
The maid blinked. “What do you mean, miss?”
Celine pointed at the gun. “That night, when I was in the kitchen,” she spoke through a dry throat. “Who was I talking to?”
The maid stared at her for a second before she spoke. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, miss.” But Celine could see the lie in her eyes.
“You know.” Celine spoke again. “You were talking to me that day, weren’t you?” The maid stayed silent and Celine frowned. “You told me about what happened to my father.”
The maid stayed silent for another long second before she spoke again.
“Who told you my name, miss?”
“No one,” Celine whispered. “I just knew.”
“How?” She asked. “How do you know my name?”
“I don’t know.” Celine shook her head, feeling confused. “But I know it. I know your name.”
The maid stared at her in silence and then nodded.
“You’re right, miss.” She cocked her head. “And you’re also right about me not being who I say I am.” Celine stayed silent and the maid continued.
“I’m sorry.” She stared back at her, a smile pulling on her mouth. “For everything.”
“For everything?” Celine asked, her chest tightening with anger. “For lying to me? For making me think my father was dead and Armand hated me?”
“Yes,” the maid nodded. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you, miss. I didn’t.”