Chapter 5
“What?”
“Please… help…”
She had to ask for help, quickly. But Grace was so flustered, the words wouldn’t come out. In desperation, she waved her arms and made a pleading expression.
“Sh-she’s sick… Emily…”
“Emily? You mean that mute maid?”
“Yeah. I think she’s saying that woman is sick.”
The man glanced at the woman beside him, who nodded.
“Really? And what are we supposed to do about it?”
He spoke with disinterest. Having long excluded Emily, neither of them cared whether she was sick or not. But Grace had no way of knowing that. All she could do was beg the only people in front of her.
“Let’s just go. No need to get involved.”
“Pl-please… help…”
“What’s wrong with this girl? Why’s she acting like this all of a sudden?”
“P-please… She needs treatment. Please…”
Grace grabbed the woman’s sleeve as she tried to walk away. The woman shot her a sharp glare, clearly annoyed. But Grace, entirely focused on Emily, clung to her and begged again.
“We’re busy. Let go, will you?”
“Ah—!”
The man smacked Grace’s hand away. A loud slap echoed as pain stung her skin.
“We’ve got work to do. That Emily or whoever—take care of her yourself. Don’t get in our way, got it?”
“She… Emily… might die…”
“What a crazy little brat, ruining my morning.”
The man spat on the ground and left with the woman. Grace stood there, rubbing her red, stinging hand, watching their backs until they disappeared. Then, she turned around.
She had to find someone else who would help Emily. Grace headed deeper into the mansion, where there were more people.
“E-Emily… she’s—”
“Ugh, don’t touch me!”
“She’s hurt… really sick… please…”
Grace pleaded with every servant she saw, begging them to help Emily. Normally, she would never dare approach the staff who ignored her. But now, the thought that Emily might die made her throw all caution aside. Still, everyone she approached rejected her with looks of annoyance or disgust.
“Emily…”
After being turned away dozens of times, Grace collapsed in the hallway. Tears streamed endlessly from her eyes. She was overwhelmed by the pain of being ignored, and terrified for Emily.
“She’s… hurting… huh?”
Through her tear-blurred vision, she saw a familiar figure. Grace quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
Sarah and Diana were walking down the hallway, deep in conversation. Grace glanced around to make sure Benjamin and Jeffrey weren’t nearby. Seeing that the two weren’t around, she hurried toward them.
“What the—?”
Sarah’s eyes widened in surprise when she saw Grace approaching. Usually, Grace ran in the opposite direction when she saw them.
“What’s she doing, coming up to us?”
“E… Emily…”
Standing in front of them, Grace finally managed to speak. Since it wasn’t Benjamin or Jeffrey, she mustered up her courage.
Sarah and Diana were intimidating too, but at the very least, she had to tell them about Emily and ask for help.
“She’s sick… she looks like she’s dying…”
“Who’s Emily?”
“No idea. Like I care.”
Diana scoffed. Sarah thought for a moment before chiming in.
“Oh, I think I know. Isn’t she the mute maid who takes care of this one?”
“Ah. That maid.”
Diana nodded as if she understood now. She looked at Grace with a cold smile.
“And why should we help?”
“Wh… what?”
“Why should we listen to you? If you tell us to help, are we supposed to obey?”
“Pl… please…”
Grace bowed her head, murmuring softly. She didn’t mean to sound disrespectful.
“P-please… help Emily…”
“And why should we care about her?”
Diana flicked Grace’s forehead with her finger.
“Don’t be annoying. Get lost. Or should I go get Benjamin?”
“……”
The mention of Benjamin—the one who hurt her the most—drained all the color from Grace’s face. She bit her lip, hesitating, then opened her mouth again.
“Still… just… treat Emily, please…”
“Ugh, you’re seriously getting on my nerves. I said get lost!”
Sarah shoved Grace hard, and she fell to the floor with a thud.
“E-Emily…”
“She’s really pathetic… Let’s go, Diana.”
Grace didn’t even notice the pain—she was only thinking of Emily. The two girls walked off, leaving her behind. Grace continued to plead with people for the rest of the day, but she found no help and returned empty-handed.
“Emily…”
“Haa…”
Emily’s fever hadn’t gone down. She seemed to recognize Grace, but that was all. Bright red rashes had started to appear on her neck and arms from the prolonged high fever.
Sniffle…
Grace sobbed quietly as she soaked a towel in cold water in the washroom.
She didn’t understand why no one would help. All she knew was that her only family—Emily—was sick, and she was terrified of what might happen.
“Em… Emily. Here, eat this…”
Grace brought over some potato soup that Emily had made the day before. Since she couldn’t move, Grace had to scoop it with a spoon and feed it to her. More than half of it spilled.
“……”
With soup around her lips, Emily reached out a trembling hand toward Grace. Grace held it and gently placed it against her cheek. Though Emily couldn’t speak, her gaze seemed to say, don’t worry about me.
“I-I’ll… make you better…”
“……”
“Emily… don’t be sick…”
Grace did everything she could to take care of her. She soaked bread in water and fed her small pieces, wiped her body constantly with cold towels to reduce her fever. She stayed up two full nights nursing her, until she eventually fell asleep from exhaustion.
“Mmm…”
When she woke up, her upper body was slumped over the bed, her knees on the floor. The sunlight hurt her eyes. She blinked and quickly straightened up to check on Emily.
“E-Emily. Emily?”
Something felt wrong. Emily’s once burning-hot hand was now ice cold. Her lips were blue, and the red flush on her face had turned pale. Grace leaned her ear close to her face.
No breathing. Nothing.
“E… Emily…”
She shook her, but her eyes remained shut.
“E-Emily. Open… open your eyes…”
Tears streamed down Grace’s face again. She begged over and over, asking Emily to wake up. The same Emily who always responded to her voice, even when feverish. But now, she didn’t move at all.
“Aah… aaah… AAAAAAH!”
A primal scream burst from Grace’s lips. She gripped Emily’s arms and cried like an animal in pain.
“AAAAAHHH!”
“Hey! What the hell? Can’t you be quiet?”
A loud bang echoed as the door slammed open. It was a servant from the room next door.
“What the hell are you screaming for at this hour? It’s not even time to be awake!”
Hic… hnnngh…!
The man shouted, but Grace didn’t respond. She just looked up at him, crying uncontrollably.
“What’s going on now?”
His eyes finally shifted to the bed—Emily lay still, eyes shut despite all the noise.
“What’s she doing, just lying there?”
“Hhhnn… snnnf…”
“She doesn’t look right.”
The man walked past Grace to the bed. He touched Emily’s hand, then placed his finger under her nose. His face immediately turned serious, and he left the room.
Moments later, a group of men burst in, including the one from before. A stranger lifted Emily’s body and laid her onto a stretcher. A white cloth was draped over her body and face. Two men picked her up from both ends and began to carry her out.
“E… Emily…! Emily… no… please!”
“Out of the way. We have to remove the body.”
