Chapter Seven
1358 Words
After Amelia leaves the office, she walks down the stairs and goes to the entrance.
There was something about that man from earlier that made her feel uneasy.
The look he gave her was as if it was meant for her. So she figured there was a high chance he would be waiting for her nearby. Besides, she also wanted to check how much farther she could go with the level of freedom Luca had given her. She didn’t bother to check her surroundings because she felt like she was being watched either way.
Walking past the estate, her nose twitched at the strange scent that filled the air. She decided to pay it no mind, as there was something more important she had to do.
Walking further, she saw that same man standing at the edge of the road, as if he was certain she would come.
Amelia watched as he kept shifting his weight from foot to foot and uncannily biting his nails.
“Excuse me?”
He jolted.
He swiftly turned his head towards her and raised a finger at her.
“You’re her, aren’t you? The slave he bought. You must hate him, don’t you? For the degrading and humiliation?” he said, speaking a little too fast.
Searching his face, she asked, “Who are you? Is there anything you want with me?”
He looked around him and went close to her, whispering, “I know how we can get rid of him.”
Amelia looked at him, eyes widened. The man then proceeded.
“But I need you to do something for me first.”
She stepped away from him slowly.
“Why are you telling me this? What if I tell Luca?”
He smirked.
“You won’t. Even if you do, I’ll know.”
She stepped a little closer.
“What do you mean?”
He tsked. A sound she knew all too well.
“Before you came here, you were poisoned.”
“What do you mean I was-”
Oh no. That strange smell I sensed earlier.
He snickered.
“Clever girl.”
She paused.
“What do you want?”
“I want the blueprint. I know you saw it, so don’t try to deny it.”
Tapping her index finger on her hand, she asked, “What if I don’t do as you asked?”
His brows furrowed.
“If I don’t get that blueprint, you won’t get the antidote. Even if you tell him, he can’t help you. Which I doubt he would anyway. Because there is only one antidote, and only I have it.”
She studies his face and watches his posture.
He’s breathing normally. It doesn’t make any sense. I’m not feeling any discomfort. Did he really poison me?
“If you’re wondering about the effect, don’t worry, it’ll kick in soon. When you least expect it.”
“When do you need it?”
“Tomorrow.”
Tomorrow?! “That’s too soon. How do you expect me to take it from him? It’s not like I can just go to his and grab it.”
He clenched his jaw.
“Look, I don’t care how you do it. Seduce him, drug him, just do whatever you have to as long as you get that blueprint. Then I will give you the antidote. And don’t even think about being sneaky and bringing anyone with you. If I notice something off, both you and whoever it is you, none of you would leave alive. Do we have an agreement?”
She tapped her finger.
“Of course.”
“Humph. A pleasure working with you.”
He walked away without looking back. While Amelia, lost in thought, looked up at Luca’s office. After a while, she let out a huge sigh and went back into the mansion.
Going back, she hesitated in front of Luca’s door. She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and let it out. She then knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
She opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind her.
“Amelia, what can I do for you? It wasn’t that long since you left my office.”
She stood before his table, her hands laid on her stomach, her fingers tapping on her hand while she watched him.
The same went for him. Luca saw her expression and stood up from his chair. He strode up to her, but still kept a respectful distance.
“Amelia. Relax.”
Her body sagged down a bit, and she let her hands fall to her side.
“What happened, Amelia?”
She began to tell him about her encounter with that man from earlier, and Luca watched, not once straying from her face as she talked.
“Give him the blueprint.”
Amelia furrowed her eyebrows and blinked repeatedly.
“I should...just give him the blueprint? Why, Luca?”
He strolled over to his desk, took out the blueprint from his drawer, and handed it to her. She looked at him, then at the blueprint, before she took it from his hands. Luca smirked at her expression.
“Do you think it’s real, Amelia?”
Amelia sighed. It’s like he’s playing a game with me. An annoying one at that.
“That depends, Luca.”
“Oh. On what?”
“On what you’re thinking. Luca, if this blueprint is real, why are you giving it to him?”
He stood next to the window, looking out before replying to her.
“The blueprint is real, principessa, but at the same time, it does not exist.”
The shocking words repeated over and over in her head, sounding distant, like they were spoken underwater. So, you mean to tell me that I was poisoned for something that doesn’t even exist? Wait a minute, it all makes sense now. He deliberately made me go to his office, see that blueprint, and lure out the rat just how he wanted. Due to the lack of silence, Luca turned his head away from the view and looked at Amelia.
“What’s wrong, Amelia? Is everything alright?”
She let out a forced smile.
“No. No, not really. It’s just that I was poisoned for going along with your plan.”
His lips pursed into a thin line, but it was gone just as quickly. Amelia raised a brow at the foreign emotion but quickly pretended she didn’t notice.
“So he was actually desperate enough to think of poison?” he muttered.
“How are you feeling?”
“Nothing. I don’t feel anything,” he hummed, placing his hand on his chin.
“Knowing him, the poison is probably harmless. He’s too stupid to come up with anything dangerous.”
He looked at her. “Rest for now. I’ll call a doctor for you to get checked up tomorrow.”
She nodded, then turned to leave.
“Words, Amelia.”
She halted when her hand was already on the handle. She turned her head sideways and looked over her shoulder to meet his gaze.
“Yes, Luca.”
Then she left. Returning to her room, she washed up and lay on her bed. Something about his gaze was unsettling. Maybe I’m just overthinking it.
She closed her eyes, wanting the darkness to overtake her, when a sharp sensation flared behind them, embedding itself in her skull.
Her vision doubled. Her jaw tightened as she struggled to breathe. Every pulse was a heavy throb that seemed to vibrate through her entire head, making the room tilt and spin in the darkness.
Then she felt the warmth.
It slipped out of her nostril. A slow, heavy trickle ran down her upper lip. The sudden metallic tang filled her senses. She lifted a trembling hand to her face. Her fingertip met a warm wetness. She tried to focus on her hand, but the room began to blur into shadows.
"Shit...he knew...all along."
The weight in her head suddenly gave way to a cold void that pulled her under before her hand could even fall back to bed.
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