The word echoed loudly in her mind, but she couldn't bring herself to say it out loud. Instead, she swallowed hard, her hands balling into fists at her sides.
"Your only responsibilities here," Damien continued, adjusting his cuffs with a calm, almost indifferent expression, "are to help me get dressed, assist with my bath, and serve me my morning and night tea."
He paused briefly.
"…And you'll be sleeping in my room."
The last statement sent a wave of shock and unease crashing through her.
"Sleep in your room?" Aria repeated, her brows furrowing deeply as she looked at him. "What for?"
At the very least, she expected a separate space.
Even when she had given Damien a room back then...though it was nothing luxurious, just something fit for a servant...she had still given him his own space.
So why…?
"Don't get the wrong idea," Damien said with a scoff, clearly reading her thoughts. "You'll be sleeping in my room because I may need you for something in the middle of the night."
He moved toward the mirror, adjusting his collar.
"Another bed will be brought in this evening. That will be yours. Along with a wardrobe, a dressing table, and anything else you might need."
Aria blinked, stunned.
What the heck…?
"There won't be any privacy," she said finally, her voice firm despite the emotions threatening to spill over. Anger, discomfort, humiliation....they all tangled together in her chest. "I'm a woman, and you're a man."
But Damien refused to say a word more.
Am I really going to stay here? Aria's thoughts spiraled. What about the baby growing inside me? There's no way I'll be able to hide it once my stomach starts showing…
Her fingers tightened slightly against the fabric of the bed.
Never! I'll definitely run away from here. It might really be hard since this bastard wants me to stay in his room but I'll definitely succeed with my plans. Aria thought Inwardly with determination.
After what feel like forever, Damien's gaze finally slowly traveled over her.
From her face…
…to her neck…
…then lower.
It lingered unknown to Aria not until she broke out of her desk thought.
Aria stiffened as she followed his line of sight and realized exactly where he was looking.
Her cleavage.
Pervert!
I'm not your type, yet you can't take your eyes off me?! Is that statement even real?!
Flustered and irritated, she quickly pulled the blanket up to cover herself, her cheeks burning with a mix of anger and embarrassment.
"This maid uniform you're wearing," Damien said, his tone returning to that same composed authority, "is only to be worn when you're attending to me."
He turned slightly, glancing at her again.
"Once you're outside this room or when you're done with your duties...you're free to change into whatever you like."
Aria blinked, caught off guard.
"And one more thing," he added, his voice firm. "That uniform is strictly for my bedroom. You will not wear it anywhere else. When you step out, you change. Understood?"
"What…?" she muttered under her breath, still trying to process everything.
A brief silence followed.
Then....
"Now," Damien said after a pause, his tone shifting slightly, "you're free to make your own requests."
Aria looked up at him, confused.
"Three requests," he clarified. "You can ask for anything within reason… and I'll grant them."
Her eyes widened instantly.
Three requests…?
"Three requests?" Aria raised an eyebrow as she swallowed hard, her throat dry with tension. "Will you allow me to leave here then? I mean, since you said you'll fulfill my requests… I guess that counts too, doesn't it?"
Silence.
The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, filling the space between them. Damien didn't respond, and the longer he remained quiet, the more Aria felt her impatience creeping in. Still, she forced herself to stay composed, her lips pressed tightly together.
"You can ask for anything else except that, Aria," Damien finally replied, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. His tone was calm, but there was an unmistakable edge beneath it. "And I think you should stop trying to escape from here, because it's not going to work." He took a slow step closer, his gaze locking onto hers. "You can never escape from me, Aria… unless I want you to."
"Fuck…" Aria cursed under her breath, biting down on her lower lip so hard she tasted blood. She exhaled shakily, trying to steady herself before continuing.
"Since I'm not your type, then it's settled that anything sexual will never happen between us," she said firmly, lifting her chin despite the fear coiling in her chest. "So, my first request is…" She hesitated for only a moment. "Can I have my phone, please? I haven't been able to check it since I got here."
"Are you sure that's your first request?" Damien raised an eyebrow, letting out a soft scoff. His eyes studied her carefully, as though trying to peel back her thoughts.
You could have asked for something better, he thought, his smirk deepening slightly. A different role in the mansion… something more comfortable. Even if you can't leave, you could at least try to gain some advantage.
"Yes," Aria replied, her voice steady despite the storm inside her. "That's my first request."
Damien nodded slowly. Without wasting any time, he turned and walked toward a nearby shelf. Pulling open a drawer, he retrieved a sleek, expensive touchscreen phone. He returned to her with unhurried steps and held it out.
Aria snatched it almost instantly, clutching it tightly in her hands as if it were her lifeline.
With my phone, escaping will be much easier, she thought, her pulse quickening. I can contact someone… someone will help me. Someone has to.
"You have just two wishes left," Damien said, his voice cutting through her thoughts and pulling her back to reality. His eyes lingered on her, sharp and calculating. "You should think very carefully before you use them."