Harry returned with Ana asleep against his shoulder, her head resting trustingly on him. She had dozed off on the long drive home, lulled by the hum of the engine and the gentle sway of the car. He didn't have the heart to wake her.
In silence, he carried her to her room, her weight light in his arms. He laid her gently on the bed, adjusting the sheets around her. His gaze lingered on her face, so peaceful, so unguarded. Something stirred in him, something he didn't often allow himself to feel.
He traced a finger down her cheek, then along her lips, captivated. Just as his thumb brushed against her lower lip, she stirred, and without warning bit down on his finger.
He winced, jerking his hand back. "Wild cat," he chuckled under his breath, watching as she turned in her sleep and resumed her slumber.
Just as he bent down, tempted to kiss her, a knock at the door shattered the moment. His face darkened.
"Come in," he called sharply.
Nina peeked in, holding a large teddy bear. "I thought she might want this," she said nervously. Harry had won the bear for Ana at the fairground shooting contest.
He stepped aside. "Take care of her," he ordered, brushing past Nina with cold detachment and disappearing into the hallway.
Nina approached the bed, her expression softening as she looked down at Ana. She gently placed the plush bear beside her and tucked the blankets around her.
The Next Morning…
Ana blinked awake, sunlight filtering through her window. She sat up with a start, surprised to find herself in bed, fully dressed, and with a massive teddy bear tucked beside her. Nina sat nearby, already waiting.
"How did I get here?" Ana asked groggily.
Nina beamed. "You don't remember? Mr. Harry carried you in. You were asleep. Like a real princess," she said, clasping her hands together in excitement.
Ana touched her face, recalling faint memories of Harry's arms around her. Her lips curved into a soft smile as she hugged the teddy bear.
Nina couldn't help but tease. "Miss Ana… are you falling for him?"
Ana flushed and looked away. "Don't be ridiculous," she muttered, though her eyes betrayed her.
Nina grinned wider. "Too late."
For the first time in a long while, she felt… happy.
A sharp knock at the door pulled her out of her reverie.
Before she could respond, the door opened.
Sasha.
Poised in a sleek white blouse tucked into high-waisted black pants, not a single hair out of place. She wore that ever-so-slight smile, the kind that looked friendly to anyone watching but always carried a bite.
"Good morning, Ana," Sasha said sweetly, stepping in as if she owned the room. "Did you sleep well?"
Ana nodded slowly. "I... did, thank you."
"Oh, how lovely," Sasha said with a glint in her eyes. "You look much more rested than usual. It suits you."
Ana forced a smile. She could already feel the tension creeping up her spine. Sasha never visited without a reason and it was never good.
"Actually," Sasha continued as she sat gracefully on the armchair by the window, "I was just with Kimberly earlier. She asked about you."
"She... did?" Ana asked, brows raised.
"Yes. She's been rather bored lately. Being bedridden is quite frustrating for someone like her. She needs some cheer." Sasha tilted her head, her voice honeyed. "She said you amused her the last time."
Ana flinched inwardly. She hadn't forgotten that visit. Kimberly's sharp and ruthless jabs, her passive-aggressive remarks.
"I... don't think she likes me very much," Ana replied gently.
Sasha laughed. "Oh, don't be so dramatic. Giselle can be... direct, but she's harmless. And you're part of the household now. It would be rude to ignore her."
Ana didn't respond.
Then Sasha stood, her tone shifting just slightly.
"You wouldn't want to appear ungrateful, would you?" she said quietly, a shadow flickering beneath her eyes. "After all Harry's done for you. Surely, visiting Giselle is a small thing to ask."
Ana looked down, feeling the familiar weight of manipulation pressing against her chest. She didn't want to go but saying no would only make things harder. Sasha had a way of making even refusal look like disrespect.
Ana nodded slowly. "Alright... I'll go with you."
Sasha smiled, victorious. "Wonderful."
As they walked side by side down the long hallway, Ana's stomach turned with unease. The warmth of last night had faded, replaced by cold dread and the feeling of being a pawn in someone else's game once again.
Kimberly was yelling at the top of her voice as always, her rage echoing down the grand hallway of the east wing.
"No one dares enter! I'll destroy anyone who steps into my room!" she screamed.
Outside the heavy double doors, Sasha rolled her eyes dramatically. "Drama queen," she muttered under her breath before grabbing Reina's wrist. "Come on," she said with a smirk.
"Wait...." Ana began, hesitant, but Sasha had already pushed open the door and dragged her inside.
An overpowering stench hit them immediately.
Ana's brows furrowed in discomfort while Sasha recoiled and pinched her nose. "Ugh! What on earth...."
Kimberly's eyes, piercing, red, and furious locked onto them like daggers.
"GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" she shrieked, her voice thunderous and sharp, startling Ana into a step back.
Sasha, unfazed, inspected her nails. "Oh, what's that awful smell? Did you... poop on yourself again?" Her tone dripped with contempt.
Kimberly's face turned red from a cocktail of rage and shame. Tears pricked her eyes, but she bit her lip, hard, refusing to let them fall. Every word Sasha spoke sliced through her like broken glass. She hated herself for her helplessness, her useless body, her prison-like life.
"Get the fuck out of here, bitch," she snarled through gritted teeth.
Sasha turned to leave. "Gladly. This place is disgusting anyway," she scoffed. "Oh, and before I forget....I brought you a companion." She gestured at Ana, smirking. "You remember her, right? I brought her here the last time. Don't scare her off again with your charming personality."
With a cruel laugh, Sasha swept out of the room, leaving Ana behind in stunned silence.
"GET OUT!" Kimberly screamed again, her furious glare now aimed at Reina. "I SAID GET OUT!"
"Should I call a maid to help you change?" Ana asked gently, her voice calm.
"I said GET OUT! Are you DEAF?!" Kimberly shouted.
But Ana didn't move.
Instead, she stepped forward, one bold step at a time.
Kimberly blinked, shocked. "What the fuck are you doing? Who said you could come closer?! Who gave you the right to touch me?!"
Ana reached for the nearby wheelchair and calmly pushed it toward the bed. "If you don't want the maids to see, then let me help. You shouldn't have to sit in this all day," she said quietly.
Kimberly could only glare at her with disbelief and humiliation. This girl...this stranger was breaking every rule.
"Don't look at me like that," Ana continued as she began to remove the soiled sheets. "You don't want the maids, but you can't stay like this. So what if you shit your pants? It's not a big deal. You don't have to feel ashamed. It's not your fault."
Her tone was so sincere, so unapologetically human, that Kimberly fell speechless. No one had ever spoken to her like this before. Not the nurses. Not her family. No one.
She had been raised as the prized daughter of a prestigious family, groomed to exude elegance. Yet here was this girl, calmly speaking of bowel accidents like it was nothing and treating her with dignity all the same.
Before she realized it, Ana had already summoned a maid. The sheets were changed, and Kimberly was lifted into her wheelchair and wheeled into the attached marble bathroom. She sat silently in the tub as Ana rolled up her sleeves and carefully washed her body. No words were exchanged.
Tears began to fall.
They weren't loud or bitter. They were soft. Heavy. Silent sobs of a broken girl who, for the first time in years, felt human again.
By the time she was wheeled back into the room, everything had changed. The room had been cleaned spotless. The bed was made with fresh linen. The air no longer stank. And Kimberly was bathed, clean, her hair braided into a simple yet elegant style looked like herself again.
As Ana turned to leave, a soft voice stopped her.
"Wait."
Ana turned.
"What's your name?" Kimberly asked quietly. Sasha had introduced her once but back then she hadn't paid any attention
Smiling, Ana replied, "Ana Lyle."
There was a pause. Then, nervously, Kimberly added, "Can... can you come back tomorrow?"
Ana's smile widened. "Of course."
As she stepped out of the room, Kimberly sat quietly, watching the door close behind her, still feeling the warmth of kindness Ana had left in her wake.
The matter quickly reached the ears of the Old Madame.
Upon hearing how Ana had handled Kimberly when even the doctors and nurses had failed to reach the girl, the matriarch's impression of Ana shifted, if only slightly, toward favor.
But Sasha?
She was livid.
The whole plan had been to humiliate Ana, to watch Kimberly tear her to shreds. Instead, Ana had been befriended?