章節 7: A familiar encounter

Amelia's heart was racing against her chest as she went down the hall, still reeling from her encounter with Enzo. The air was heavier now, thick with tension. She wanted to retire into the privacy of her room-to hide away from the world, from him-but somehow her legs continued to move her forward.

She rounded a bend, finding Lily standing some feet away from her with her arms crossed and leaning casually against the wall. A small smirk played upon her lips, her eyes gleaming with almost a mischievous glint. She had been in the mansion long enough to know everyone's business, and Amelia could already tell that Lily had something to say.

"Well, well…" Lily's voice came razor-sharp and amused. "Had fun with our master?" From nowhere, Amelia came to a full stop as the color rose to her cheeks. The mocking tone in Lily's voice churned her inside. She tried to calm herself, but then Lily just wouldn't let her be.

What do you mean?" Amelia asked low, though already her pulse quickened; she had enough on edge, and now this?

Lily raised an eyebrow, smirk burgeoning. "Oh, don't act like you don't know exactly what I mean," she said, stepping forward in deliberate, slow pace. "Mr. Romano doesn't keep secrets well, you know? It doesn't take long to figure out who's his favorite toy.

Amelia's throat dried. Toy? The word slapped her, stinging more than it should. She didn't want to think about Enzo in control of her, touching her, whispering in her ear. She hadn't asked for it. She didn't want to be part of his games.

But Lily's words hit close enough to home, and she wasn't quite sure how to defend herself against them.

"I-I'm not his toy," Amelia stuttered, attempting a confident tone, but it came out weak. She couldn't even convince herself, let alone Lily.

Lily laughed, the sound sharp and heavy with sarcasm. "Of course, you're not. I forgot, you're just a poor little innocent maid trying to get her job done." She rolled her eyes, making it quite apparent she didn't buy it. "Look, I am saying you will get used to it; all this 'chasing after power' thing, but do not act like you are some kind of damn exception. You are no different than the rest of us."

Amelia's stomach twisted, but her face didn't betray her. "I'm not like you," she said with an assurance that sounded false even to her ears, since she had a feeling she was trying to convince either Lily or herself, she wasn't quite sure.

Lily's smile never wavered, except that her eyes remained cold, calculating. "You can pretend all you want, Amelia. But the fact of the matter is, you are going to be just another one of his conquests. That's the game you're playing now.

The chill ran down Amelia's spine as that one word echoed in her head. Was she nothing but that to Enzo? Was she no more than a notch on his bedpost, another mark of conquest? She thought of his touch, the possessiveness of it all, the way his eyes roamed over her as if she belonged to him already. That made her stomach turn, yet at the same time, something inside of her wasn't able to deny quite well the pull toward him.

But she wouldn't give Lily the satisfaction of seeing her falter. "You don't know anything about me," Amelia replied, her voice firm. "And you don't know anything about him either."

Lily shrugged, her expression still mocking. "Maybe. But it doesn't take a genius to figure out who Mr. Romano is. He gets what he wants. And right now, that's you.

Amelia's fists clenched as the weight of Lily's words bore down on her. She didn't want to admit it, but a part of her feared Lily was right. She could feel Enzo's presence, an invisible force tugging her closer. There was no escaping it.

Lily's eyes had softened just slightly as she took a step back. "Don't get too comfortable. You'll learn soon enough how this place works. And when you do, don't say I didn't warn you.".

Amelia watched her turn and then walk away, her footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway. A weird mix of frustration and confusion settled into her chest. She wanted to argue, to tell Lily off, but it felt pointless. Lily was right about one thing: Amelia had already entered a dangerous game, one that she didn't yet fully understand.

She continued slowly to her room, her mind racing all over the place. Had Enzo really regarded her as just another notch on his bedpost?

It haunted her: the connection that had abided between them was undeniable, yet neither did she want to be swept into some twisted game he could be playing. She'd lost too much already, and wasn't sure she was strong enough for whatever was coming next.