บท 54: Stronger Than Fear

The following day, Lila sat in her dimly lit room, her mind still clouded with confusion and unease. The pain from her injuries was a constant, dull throb, a reminder of the nightmare she was living. Her broken bones ached with every movement, but it was the uncertainty that weighed heaviest on her heart.

The door creaked open, and one of the maids entered, her expression twisted with disdain. She had been tasked with caring for Lila, but her patience had worn thin. The maid's eyes narrowed as she approached the bed, her tone sharp and condescending.

"Get up," the maid snapped, her voice filled with contempt. "You're nothing but a burden here, lying around all day. Do you think you can just be pampered while everyone else does the work?"

Lila flinched at the harsh words, her grip tightening on the bed's edge. The maid's hostility was palpable, and it made her feel even more vulnerable. But as the maid continued her tirade, something inside Lila snapped. The fear that had kept her compliant was slowly being replaced by a simmering anger.

The maid's insults grew more vicious, and she leaned in closer, her voice dripping with malice. "You're just a useless thing, not even worth the trouble. No wonder no one cares about you."

Lila's breath quickened, her vision blurring with tears of frustration. The vase on the bedside table caught her eye—a delicate, ornate piece that seemed out of place in the oppressive atmosphere of the room. The anger boiled over, and without thinking, she reached for the vase with trembling hands.

With a sudden surge of strength, Lila hurled the vase at the maid. It sailed through the air, smashing into the wall just inches from the maid's head. The sound of shattering porcelain echoed through the room, and for a moment, everything was still.

The maid froze, shock and fear flashing across her face. She hadn't expected such defiance from someone as weakened as Lila. Her eyes darted from the broken shards on the floor to Lila's fierce expression.

Lila, breathing heavily, stared at the maid with a newfound determination. "Don't ever talk to me like that again," she hissed, her voice low but filled with an edge that surprised even herself.

The maid hesitated at the doorway, her fear quickly giving way to anger. She spun around, her face twisted with rage, and took a step toward Lila, her hands clenched into fists.

"Just because you're Prince Mateo's filthy woman, you think you have the right to act like this?" the maid spat, her voice dripping with venom. "You think throwing a vase gives you power? You're nothing! You're just some broken thing he drags around!"

Lila's chest tightened at the words, but she refused to let the maid see her flinch. The pain in her body was nothing compared to the fear gnawing at her mind, but she wouldn't allow herself to cower. Not now.

The maid, emboldened by Lila's silence, stepped closer, her eyes blazing with contempt. "You're a disgrace. Do you think he cares about you? You're just another pawn, something to be used and discarded. The sooner you realize that, the better."

Lila clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. Despite the fog in her mind, one thought remained clear: she needed to protect herself, no matter what. She couldn't let this maid, or anyone else, see her as weak.

With a deliberate effort, Lila forced herself to sit up straighter, her gaze locking onto the maid's. "I don't care what you think," she said, her voice steady despite the trembling in her limbs. "But if you touch me again, you'll regret it."

The maid sneered, her eyes narrowing. "You're just full of empty threats. Without Prince Mateo, you're nothing but a helpless little girl."

But before the maid could say anything more, Lila reached for another object—a candlestick this time, heavy and cold in her hand. She lifted it, her expression fierce, and the maid faltered, taking an involuntary step back.

"Get out," Lila commanded, her voice low and firm. "Get out of my sight."

Mateo stood in the doorway, his eyes narrowed as he watched the scene unfold. The maid, upon realizing his presence, immediately paled and stumbled over her words, trying to explain herself.

"Your Highness, I—she—she attacked me first! I was only—"

Mateo's lips curled into a smile, one that didn't reach his eyes. "Attacked you?" he repeated, his tone almost mocking. "A woman with broken bones and no memory managed to overpower you? How interesting."

The maid stammered, desperate to defend herself. "I didn't mean any harm, Your Highness! She was being insolent, and I thought—"

"Enough." Mateo's smile vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating gaze. He took a step forward, his demeanor shifting from amused to dangerously calm. "You thought you could intimidate her because she's vulnerable. You thought you could assert your authority over her in my absence. But you forgot one crucial thing."

The maid's breath hitched, her eyes widening as she realized her mistake.

"You forgot that no one touches what belongs to me," Mateo continued, his voice deadly quiet. "No one."

The maid trembled, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape. "Please, Your Highness, I didn't mean—"

"Didn't mean to what?" Mateo snapped, his anger flaring. "Didn't mean to disrespect the woman I've claimed as my own? Or didn't mean to reveal your utter incompetence?"

"Your Highness, I—"

Before she could finish, Mateo raised his hand, silencing her. The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of Mateo's wrath pressing down on everyone present.

He stared at the maid for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sharp, dismissive gesture, he spoke, "Get out of my sight."

The maid didn't need to be told twice. She turned and fled from the room, her footsteps echoing down the hallway as she rushed to escape the prince's wrath.

Once she was gone, Mateo turned his gaze back to Lila. His anger seemed to dissipate as he approached her, though a dark edge remained in his eyes.

"You handled yourself well," he said, his voice softer but still laced with the remnants of his earlier fury.

Lila, still reeling from the confrontation, looked up at Mateo with a mixture of confusion and wariness. She couldn't shake the feeling that this man, despite his protective words, was still someone she needed to be careful around.

Mateo reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "Rest now," he murmured, his tone shifting to one of eerie tenderness. "You've been through enough today."

Lila nodded slowly, her unease growing as she watched Mateo's expression soften into something almost affectionate. Despite her lack of memory, the instinctual fear she felt toward him was impossible to ignore.

As Mateo left the room, Lila's thoughts raced. She knew she had to tread carefully, for this man—her so-called husband—was far more dangerous than he appeared.