Baron Percival paced back and forth in his chamber, biting his nails in frustration. His thoughts were a ss, a whirlwind of anger and disbelief. His temper had been at an all-ti high ever since what happened between him and Lily. The re thought of it made his blood boil. His outbursts had beco so violent that even the servants refused to enter his room to clean. He had lashed out at too many of them, and now, even his presence sent them scurrying away.
But what truly rattled him was Cassandra.
"That woman... what is she thinking?" he muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth.
He still couldn’t believe she had the guts to take Lily back and make her work in the mansion again, as if nothing had happened. She knew very well that he had been sleeping with Lily behind her back. So why? Was she mocking him? Was this so kind of twisted revenge?
As if that wasn’t enough, another troubling rumor had reached his ears. Cassandra had been seen frequently with a young man who worked in the mansion. Baron squeezed his eyes shut, trying to recall what the man looked like. And then it hit him—the erald eyes, the black hair, and a face that, much to Baron’s irritation, had the regal features of a prince.
His hands clenched into fists as a sharp pain shot through his head. Too many problems. Too many things to deal with.
And to make matters worse, the mines had been suffering losses. A significant amount of ore had gone missing recently, and Baron had already ordered an investigation. But Sir Maron, the one responsible for handling it, had been running around the barony for so unknown reason instead of solving the issue.
Baron scowled. "That fool... Next ti I see him, he’s getting an earful."
Letting out a sigh, he moved toward the window. Night had already fallen. The mansion, though grand, felt suffocating. He needed fresh air. He needed to clear his mind. Maybe a walk around the mansion would help.
As he stepped out of his office, he muttered to himself. "Perhaps I should go to the capital. This place is nothing but a headache. At least if I continue my work there, I’ll get a promotion. That’s all that matters."
His thoughts drifted to his daughter. He hadn’t seen her since she graduated from her first year at the academy. "I hope she’s doing well..." he murmured, but his voice lacked warmth.
Walking through the dimly lit hallways, Baron found himself near Cassandra’s chambers. But sothing felt... odd. The door was shut, yet the room was unusually well-lit. A sweet fragrance drifted from within. And then—he heard it.
Laughter. A man’s laughter mixed with Cassandra’s.
Baron’s face turned deathly pale. His mind connected the pieces in an instant.
"That whore...!" he snarled, storming toward the door. His fists pounded against it furiously. "Open this damn door!"
No response.
His rage surged. "You filthy slut! Open this door right now!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the halls.
Then—click.
The door swung open.
Baron, caught off guard, stumbled back. His breath hitched as his eyes landed on the man standing in the doorway.
Shennong.
The younger man stood tall, exuding an aura of confidence, amusent flickering in his erald eyes. A smug smirk played on his lips as he looked down at Baron.
Baron’s nostrils flared. "You...!" he hissed, his fists trembling. "Guards! Arrest this man at once!"
Silence.
No one ca.
Baron’s heart pounded against his ribs. Where were the damn guards?!
Shennong chuckled. "Calling for your dogs? How pathetic."
Baron growled, but before he could react, Shennong stepped forward and planted his foot on Baron’s head, pushing him down.
A sharp pain shot through Baron’s skull as he struggled against the overwhelming force. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t lift himself up. It was as if a mountain had been placed on him.
"Damn you! Get off !" Baron spat, his fingers clawing at the floor.
Shennong’s voice was calm, yet laced with amusent. "You really are a hypocrite, aren’t you? Shouldn’t you be worrying about Lily instead of spying on Cassandra?"
Baron’s blood boiled. "I’ll kill you!" he snarled through gritted teeth.
Shennong tilted his head. "Feel free to try."
Then, just like that, he lifted his foot and stepped back into the room. Before closing the door, he cast one last glance at Baron, who was still on the floor, seething with fury.
"Stay there or go wherever you want," Shennong said, his voice casual. "But if you try to peek again... I’ll pluck those eyeballs right out of their sockets."
With that, he shut the door.
Baron lay there, fists clenched, body trembling with unfiltered rage.
His mansion. His rules. His authority.
And yet, he had just been humiliated like a worthless insect.
His vision blurred as he let out a guttural growl.
Shennong.
He would make him suffer.
No matter what it took.
***
Lily wandered through the mansion, her eyes darting from one corridor to another. She had been looking everywhere for Shennong, but there was no sign of him. Had he already left without finishing his work? The thought made her uneasy. She wondered why Lady Cassandra had summoned her. A heavy feeling settled in her chest. Knowing what she had done, the idea of facing Cassandra made her stomach churn with fear.
Ever since returning to the mansion, Lily had done her best to avoid Lady Cassandra and Baron Percival. The other maids and servants were unaware of what had truly happened, assuming she had simply made so small mistake. However, those who knew about her involvent with the Baron suspected the worst. They whispered among themselves, guessing that Lady Cassandra had discovered sothing, and that was the reason Lily had withdrawn into the kitchen, keeping herself occupied with chores.
Tonight, she busied herself thinking about what she should cook for Shennong. He had been visiting frequently, and she wanted to prepare sothing special. Lost in her thoughts, she made her way toward Cassandra’s chambers when she noticed sothing unusual. Right in front of Lady Cassandra’s door, Baron Percival was kneeling. The sight sent a shiver down her spine.
What is he doing?
Lily instinctively turned on her heel, ready to walk away, but then the door to Cassandra’s chamber opened, and Shennong stepped out. Her breath hitched. Her whole body froze as she watched in horror—Shennong had his foot pressed firmly against Baron Percival’s head, pinning him down. Lily’s face turned deathly pale, her hands trembling as an unbearable fear crept over her.
What is he doing? What is going to happen to him?
She couldn’t hear what was being said; she was too far away. But when Shennong spoke sothing to the Baron and stepped inside, Lily felt her legs go weak. She was about to turn and run when a strange sensation crawled up her spine. It felt like sothing was creeping behind her—sothing unnatural. Her vision blurred. A dizzying wave hit her, and before she could react, darkness montarily took over.
When Lily’s eyes fluttered open, she gasped in shock. She found herself face to face with Lady Cassandra, who stood before her with a smug smile, looking down at her as if she were a re plaything.
But it wasn’t just Cassandra that made Lily’s breath hitch—it was Cassandra who was in Shennong’s arms which Lily didn’texpect to see in her lifeti.
His strong arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close.
Lily’s breath ca out in short, shaky gasps. Her mind scread at her to move, to say sothing, but no words would co out. Her body refused to obey. The overwhelming fear made her feel like she was about to collapse again. Her knees buckled, and she stumbled backward until she hit the cold wall behind her.
Then, before she could even process what was happening, Lady Cassandra turned in Shennong’s hold, tilting her head up, and without hesitation, she kissed him.
A deep, passionate kiss.
Lily’s breath caught in her throat. Her body trembled violently as she watched Cassandra press herself against Shennong, her lips and tongue molding against his in a way that made Lily’s stomach churn. A searing heat crawled up her chest, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst.
At first, she thought Shennong was being forced to do this, but she was clearly able to see his smile and they way he looked at her, as if everything he was doing until now was a lie. Was he really just playing with her? She had lot of questions.
"Just stay there and watch," Cassandra whispered before closing her eyes and deepening the kiss.
Lily could barely hear her own heartbeat over the chaos in her mind. She couldn’t tear her gaze away, couldn’t even blink. Her fingers curled into fists, nails digging into her palms, but she felt utterly powerless.
She wanted to scream. She wanted to run. But all she could do was watch.
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