Bake Me a Mate

Chapter 4：Tower Cage

"Wait... is this really where I'm going to live?"

Elise said, her voice trailing off. She sounded a little unsure and a lot... unbelievable.

She slowly walked over to the window, which went from the floor to the ceiling, and gently touched the cold glass with her fingertips.

Outside, the traffic was loud and people were rushing around. But Elise felt like she was sealed up in a fancy glass jar, far away from the real world.

She thought about her little bakery, her cozy, lived-in shop, the roses with the morning dew on them, the lush green potted plants, and the satisfied smiles of her regulars. That was her little corner of the world.

But now, this fancy, extravagant "birdcage" could hold her. And for how long? Could she handle it? Elise felt worried and upset.

She tried her best to get used to her new life. She started learning how to act like a "contract wife," taking care of Lucien's food and drinks and making sure he was comfortable.

She had a million questions and, let's be honest, she was a little reluctant. After all, who wants to be treated like a decoration?

She found out that Lucien was like a walking mystery. He had a fever almost all the time, about 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Elise accidentally touched him a few times and practically yelped, pulling her hand back like she'd been shocked.

"Mr. Black, are you sure you don't need to see a doctor? You're burning up like a furnace!" Elise finally couldn't hold it in anymore and asked him, her voice full of worry, like a mother hen.

Lucien would always reply calmly, "I'm fine, Ms.Elise. It's just my... unique constitution." His voice was cold, and it made her shiver.

Lucien was very sensitive to noise. One time, Elise accidentally dropped a glass, and it shattered with a loud "CRASH!"

Lucien practically teleported out of his study, moving as fast as a cheetah. His face looked dark and angry, like he was very upset.

"What was that?!" he roared, his voice much deeper than usual, like it came from the depths of hell. His eyes were like knives as he looked at Elise from head to toe, as if he wanted to eat her alive.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Black. I didn't mean to..." Elise stammered, her tongue felt thick and stiff. She had never seen Lucien so out of control. He looked like a completely different person.

Lucien took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, the wild look in them had calmed down a little. His voice was low and raspy, like he was struggling to speak. "Be more careful in the future."

Lucien's schedule was very strict and precise. It was so precise that it covered every detail of his day, including the exact times he woke up, ate, worked, and went to bed. Elise even thought he probably breathed at a set rate, like a robot.

One morning, Lucien gave Elise a piece of paper covered in tiny writing, like some ancient scroll.

"Ms. Elise, memorize everything on this list. Not a single word can be missed!" His voice was low and cold, leaving no room for argument, like he was giving a military order. Elise took the list and carefully read each word, terrified of missing even a comma.

"Keep the room tidy, put everything back in its place."

(That's normal, Elise thought. After all, she wasn't a slob.)

"Don't touch or move any items in the room without permission."

(Okay, that's fair, Elise thought, rolling her eyes a little. She wasn't the type to snoop through other people's stuff.)

"Don't make noise after 10 p.m."

(Elise couldn't help but roll her eyes again. She was a night owl! Ten o'clock? That's when the night really gets started!")

"Every month..." Elise's eyes widened suddenly as she stared intently at one particular line. "On the night of the full moon, you are not allowed to leave the apartment or go near the windows."

Elise felt a sense of foreboding wash over her. The full moon? What was that rule? She looked at Lucien, her eyes full of questions.

Lucien's eyes were deep, as if they held a secret or unspoken pain. She couldn't read him at all.

"Mr. Black, what's with the full moon? Are you... going to turn into something?" Elise's voice trembled with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

Lucien didn't respond, just said in a stiff voice, "Just do it! Don't ask!"

Elise was about to ask more questions when he added another rule, his tone warning and threatening. "Remember, you are not allowed to enter the study. That's the rule!" His voice was now even colder, and he sounded very angry.

Elise felt even more suffocated. She felt like a canary, well-fed but definitely not free. She missed her flower shop and her old life of freedom.

One afternoon, Elise was tidying up Lucien's bedroom. In the very back of a drawer, she found an old, dark wooden box, beautifully made.

The box wasn't locked. Elise stopped for a second, then opened it.

Inside, there was a soft silk lining, and on top of it lay a hairpin shaped like a cherry blossom. The pink and white petals were delicately crafted, and Elise looked at it, feeling like she'd seen it somewhere before.

"This hairpin..." she said to herself, trying to remember. She had a vague memory of another hairpin that looked the same, sparkling in the sunlight.

She picked up the hairpin, wanting to take a closer look. At that moment, the bedroom door opened.

Lucien walked in and immediately saw the hairpin in her hand. His face went completely white, as if he had seen a ghost.

He quickly moved forward and grabbed the hairpin from her hand. "Who said you can touch my things?"

Lucien's voice was low and hoarse, and every word was spoken forcefully, with anger and a hint of sadness. It was as if she had touched a raw nerve.

Elise stepped back quickly, almost falling. She'd never seen Lucien like this, like he'd completely changed. She tried to say something, but she could barely make a sound.

"Mr. Black... I..." Elise's voice shook. She stared at Lucien, thinking about everything that had happened.

What secret did this hairpin hold? Why did Lucien have a hairpin that looked so much like the one she remembered seeing? What was the connection between them? Could this hairpin be related to the dream she kept having?