Nighttime Encounters - Chapter 34
Kaiden let out a ragged breath and set the glass down. He glared at the closet through deepening green eyes and strode toward it in one swift motion.
“I must have missed a laundry request.”
The maid turned white as Kaiden strode past her, blowing a gust of cold air.
“I apologize, sir. I’ll be more careful in the future.”
The maid bowed deeply, apologizing for something she hadn’t done. Kaiden didn’t have time to correct her. In one swift motion, he opened the wardrobe. The clothes hung in their usual neat rows. As the maid had said, none of the clothes had been sent to the cleaners. An eerie shiver ran down his spine.
“No way.” Kaiden reached into the pocket of a black jacket hanging on the rack, rummaging through it. But what should have been there wasn’t there—the long, purple ribbon.
Trinity’s hair tie was missing.
There was no sign of Trinity, no sign that she’d been here last night. He covered his face with his hand, trying to mask his crestfallen expression.
“I came here to find my hair ribbon.”
But even the voice ringing inside his head wasn’t clear. It distorted and dispersed like an echo, blurred by the effects of alcohol. However, the maid’s words rang clear and distinct in his mind.
“I’m actually not a maid but Trinity.”
Kaiden’s face contorted in raw frustration as he swore under his breath. “Damn it.”
Unable to contain his anger, Kaiden forcefully slammed the wardrobe door shut. He stared at the closet door, his eyes burning with rage.
Last night, he had sensed something furtive moving in front of the wardrobe, instinctively pushing and locking it shut. But the faint trembling sensation he felt through the contact was oddly familiar. She was like a bird trapped in a snare, struggling to escape. No, more like she was a rogue caught and squirming. The slender hands clawing at the closet, struggling to free themselves, felt just like her.
Amidst the haze of confusion and Rosiana’s vivid image surfacing in his mind, Kaiden, overwhelmed by the unexpected surge of emotions, inadvertently released the intruder.
Despite the overwhelming regret, he managed to mumble an apology in his discomfort…
But that was as far as his thoughts led. Kaiden cursed under his breath. “This is insane.”
As eerie memories erupted from the darkness like a volatile volcano, his brain seethed. Mistaking Rosiana for the maid disguised as Trinity… How could he have been so deluded? It was evident he hadn’t been in his right mind due to the alcohol. The more he thought about his fatal mistake, the more he resented Trinity.
As he rinsed his face with lukewarm water, Kaiden grumbled under his breath, “Dare she invade my bedroom and toy with me?”
He knew she was bold, but he didn’t expect her to be this fearless.
“Once I catch her, I won’t let her get away,” Kaiden declared vehemently, his anger permeating the room, blazing hotter than the morning sun.
The maid trembled, as she stared at Kaiden, son of the Duke Calskronin, unaware of what he was muttering and unable to say a word.
* * *
On the western outskirts of the capital, atop a rugged hill, stood a quaint two-story house that had weathered the passage of time. The ivy vines grew thickly, tightly veiling the white walls. Weeds thrived in the yard, and the swing hanging from the tree had its rope severed.
Once inhabited by a renowned mage couple, the house suddenly stood deserted after their mysterious disappearance, remaining empty for over a decade. Among the locals, it became known as the “White House on the Hill.”
However, at some point, the door began to open intermittently, and a sleek black cat sauntered in. Gradually, warmth returned to the desolate abandoned house. Today, even the sounds of a song drifted out through the open window.
“Today, I’m feeling so good, lalala lalalala,” the hummed melody echoed through the brightly lit room as Rosia, holding a broomstick, briskly strode around.
Her steps were vibrant, dancing with enthusiasm as she traversed the room. A cat’s thin meow pierced through the upbeat rhythm of her steps.
“Meooww.”
The black cat, Luperne’s hazel eyes seemed to say, “What is that crazy maid doing? However, undeterred, Rasha continued sweeping the room with her broom.
She swirled the broom around like a partner in a ballroom dance, gracefully twirling it away only to pull it back in a sweeping arc. The beige skirt billowed softly like creamy folds, mirroring her bouncing steps. Her high ponytail bounced with each step. The purple braids stood out against her platinum hair that resembled sunlight.
[Feeling that good?]
Rosia smirked at Luperne’s question.
“Of course.”
She had finally recovered the memento of her parents she had feared she would never find. There was no reason not to feel good.
Although she did feel a little sorry for the man she had drugged…
Feeling a bit discomforted, she ran a hand through her hair and asked, “And that guy?”
