“Good morning, ma’am.” Thea startled awake to find a maid already standing in her room.
The curtains had been drawn open, and the sunlight pouring in forced her to raise a hand to shield her eyes.
Thea still looked disoriented, her mind not yet fully awake.
The maid stepped closer and stood beside the bed, smiling.
“Did you sleep well last night, ma’am?” the maid asked, making polite conversation.
“Hm. What time is it?” Thea rubbed her still drowsy eyes.
Sleeping well had been the last thing on her mind; she’d been too afraid to even close her eyes properly.
She’d stayed awake nearly the entire night, terrified that Dashiell might come home in the middle of the night while she was fast asleep.
What if that actually happened?
If she was honest, the thought terrified her, not because she was scared of him exactly, but because she feared what might happen if he did something, and even more, she feared her whole act being exposed.
“It’s eight in the morning, still quite early. What would ma’am like for breakfast?” The maid walked toward the closet and opened several of its doors.
“Everything ma’am might need is already here. The young master said there’s no need to hesitate to use any of it, since it’s all yours now,” she added, relaying the instructions she’d been given.
“Eight o’clock?!” Thea shot upright, ignoring everything else the maid had just said.
She bolted upright, sitting rigidly straight.
This was bad.
“It’s still fairly early, ma’am. I’ll have someone prepare whatever breakfast you’d like.”
“Oh no, I don’t have time, I have a class I can’t miss!” She threw off the blanket and scrambled out of bed, dashing straight for the bathroom.
“Ma’am, you still haven’t told me. What would you like for breakfast?” the maid called after her, still waiting for an answer.
Since Thea had only just moved in, none of the staff yet knew her preferences.
“Just toast. I really don’t have time for a proper breakfast!” The shower was already running; she needed to hurry.
“I’ll have your driver get ready,” the maid said, stepping out to arrange the toast Thea had asked for.
Thea was no longer listening.
She showered in record time and changed into her clothes just as quickly.
She glanced toward the closet, packed full of luxurious items.
It was almost unbelievable, but she couldn’t bring herself to touch any of it.
None of it belonged to her, and she refused to use things that were Saphira’s; she had no right to them.
Thea rushed out of the room in a hurry.
The maid assigned to look after her caught up, wanting her to eat breakfast first.
“Ma’am, your driver is ready, and your food is already laid out on the table. Please eat something before you leave.”
“I really don’t have time, I’m sorry. I can’t risk being penalized, this is very important to me.”
“The young master will be upset with us if you leave without eating first.”
“All right, fine.” Thea hurried toward the kitchen and grabbed a piece of toast.
“Thank you for breakfast, I need to go now.” She took a bite as she rushed out the door, struggling slightly under the weight of her bag.
She asked the driver to take her straight to campus.
Next time, she told herself, she needed to lock her door so she’d at least know if anyone came into her room.
She had to stay careful, to make sure nothing unwanted happened.
Once she’d left, the maid called Dashiell to let him know his wife had gone to campus.
Hearing this struck him as odd; he’d always heard that Saphira wasn’t exactly a dedicated student, so why did what his maid was telling him sound so different from what he’d heard?
Suddenly, he found himself curious about the woman he’d just married.
Could it be that his grandfather was right, that everything he’d heard was nothing but baseless gossip?
After finishing the call with his housekeeper, Dashiell called his assistant.
He supposed he really did need to go home and see his wife for himself.
He suspected Saphira might just be putting on an act to win his sympathy.
***
Thea barely made it in time for a class she absolutely couldn’t afford to miss.
She’d worked incredibly hard to earn her place at that university, and she wasn’t about to waste the opportunity, even though sometimes she couldn’t help envying her best friend, who could take a leave of absence and fly off abroad whenever she pleased.
There were moments she genuinely wished for a life like that; it looked so effortless and fun.
Once class ended, Thea headed to the cafeteria to grab something to eat.
After this, she still had to head to work at a café; she couldn’t afford to rely on her parents for everything.
“Saphira, do you have a minute?” She called Saphira while eating her lunch.
“Of course, but I don’t have much time. Tell me, Thea. No one suspects anything, right?”
“Relax, everything’s fine. Your husband doesn’t suspect a thing!”
“Shh, keep your voice down. No one can know I’m married. Understand?”
“Wait, why not?”
“Oh my god, Thea. You know I’m seeing Jordan. If he found out I was married, he’d drop me in a heartbeat, and I really don’t want that to happen.”
“But you’re already married, Saphira. You shouldn’t be seeing anyone else. You should end things with Jordan. What if your husband finds out?”
“I know what you’re getting at, but I can’t just end things with him like that.”
“It’s a huge risk, and I hope you’re not playing games here. I’m worried your husband might catch you eventually.”
“You don’t need to worry about that, Thea. Jordan already knows I’m abroad right now, so he won’t suspect anything. Once I’m back, I’ll sort everything out.”
“Fine. I just hope you’re making a wise decision, and for what it’s worth, the man you married is not just some ordinary guy.”
“Don’t tell me you want me to choose him instead.”
“Hey, he’s rich and successful. He’s also incredibly handsome. Honestly, I can’t find a single flaw in him. Meanwhile, Jordan?” Thea glanced around nervously, half afraid Jordan might somehow overhear.
“He’s just some guy coasting on his looks, and from what I can tell, his future isn’t exactly promising. So think carefully about who you pick.”
“Don’t make me laugh, you don’t even know Jordan. My business with him is none of your concern. Just play your part until I get back. As long as everything goes smoothly, you’ll get paid what we agreed, and I’ll throw in a bonus for you.”
“Fine, okay.”
“Good. Just make sure you play your part well!” Thea supposed it wasn’t her place to interfere any further; she’d only meant to offer a bit of friendly advice.
She also decided she didn’t care who Saphira ultimately chose, since once her role in all this was over, none of it would have anything to do with her anymore.