Chapter 21
Evelyn forced a small smile as she leaned on Lophy and followed her toward the bathroom.
It’s huge.
The bath was just as large and luxurious as the bedroom.
While Evelyn stood in quiet awe, she was quickly and smoothly changed into a thin robe, barely noticing it.
“Be careful. It might be hot,” Lophy said with a bright smile, guiding her to the tub.
The elegant tub, decorated with angel designs, was filled with warm, pale green water, and gentle steam rose from its surface.
Maya checked the water temperature and nodded, satisfied.
Evelyn, shivering slightly in the thin, nearly transparent robe, stepped into the bath without hesitation.
The warmth surrounded her, soothing her body instantly. A subtle floral fragrance rose with the steam, and even though she had only just immersed herself, she felt her exhaustion begin to fade.
“Is the water comfortable?” Maya asked.
“Yes, it’s perfect,” Evelyn answered softly.
She rested her head against the edge of the tub and closed her eyes.
“I’ll wash your hair now,” Maya said.
As Maya gently washed her body with a soft towel, Lophy moved behind her and began to comb through her hair carefully.
I thought it would feel awkward.
But their touch was gentle, and their movements careful. Despite her initial embarrassment, she found herself relaxing.
“Your skin is so soft. Your fingertips are a little dry, probably from the cold air. Don’t worry. The rose cream will help with that.”
“I’ve never seen such beautiful hair before,” Lophy said. “It’s so bright and golden. It looks like melted starlight. Honestly, when I first saw you, I thought an angel had come down from the sky.”
The compliments felt too much, and Evelyn gave an awkward smile.
“Ha. Is that so?”
Even though it was her natural hair color, the golden strands felt unfamiliar as they clung wet to her shoulders.
I must have lost the necklace.
That chaotic night explained it well enough.
“Oh, we should change your bandages too. I’ll call the doctor after your bath.”
“Bandages?”
Evelyn looked at her right wrist, still wrapped in gauze.
Now that I think about it, I was bitten on the inside of my wrist when I grabbed Jerry. In stories like this, bites usually mean infection. Could I be infected?
The thought made her shiver slightly, remembering scenes from zombie movies in her previous life.
“Do you know how long I’ve been here?” she asked.
“You arrived a week ago,” Maya answered. “You’ve been sick the whole time. We were so worried about you.”
A week without any symptoms. Maybe I’m not infected.
The girls continued to praise her appearance, but Evelyn barely heard them.
Would Chaser know? If I am infected, I’ll only cause more harm.
Not knowing anything about this disease left her feeling anxious and helpless.
Eventually, the heat from the water made her dizzy, and the two women helped her out of the bath.
Lophy carefully dried her with a large towel, and Maya dressed her in a fresh robe.
“I’ll apply the cream outside. Let’s dry your hair first before you catch a cold.”
Just as they were about to leave the bathroom, Maya suddenly stopped.
“What is it?” Evelyn asked.
“My lady, please wait. You shouldn’t go out just yet.”
Before Maya could stop her, Evelyn stepped outside.
And she immediately came face to face with someone she wasn’t ready to see.
“Chaser?”
It had only been a few hours, yet it felt like days since she last saw him.
He looked different. He wore his formal uniform, sharp and elegant, and it made him appear even more striking than usual.
“My lady, you need to change first,” Maya said urgently, rushing to block his view.
“Ah.”
Realizing her appearance, Evelyn’s face turned bright red. She clutched her robe tightly, afraid it might slip.
Seeing her discomfort, Maya called out quickly.
“I’ll help her change right away. Just give us a moment.”
Before Maya could finish, Chaser stepped forward.
He took off his coat and gently placed it around Evelyn’s shoulders.
“Were you startled? I didn’t think you’d be up so early.”
“I just happened to wake up earlier today,” she replied, flustered.
Something about her response made him smile.
“This place must feel unfamiliar. That’s probably why you couldn’t sleep in.”
The warmth in his voice made her even more nervous. Evelyn instinctively wrapped her right hand around her wrist.
Her shoulders drew in, and her posture stiffened. From a distance, it looked like she was shivering from the cold.
Chaser noticed.
“I told you to be careful. You’re still weak.”
Even though his voice wasn’t raised, and there was no anger in his tone, it sent a chill down Evelyn’s spine.
It was hard to believe that just moments ago, Chaser had spoken with a hint of amusement. Now, his voice was cold and sharp, making Evelyn’s shoulders twitch again.
Under his piercing gaze, both Maya and Lophy lowered their heads respectfully.
“We’re sorry, my lord,” Maya said quickly.
The air in the room felt heavy. It wouldn’t have been surprising if he’d started scolding them right then.
“We’d like to talk privately. Could you step outside for a moment?” Evelyn asked, hoping to ease the tension.
Chaser sighed, then gave a small wave of his hand.
Without hesitation, the two maids bowed deeply and left the room.
As the door closed, silence returned.
“Do you want me to assign different maids?” Chaser asked calmly.
Evelyn tightened her grip on the coat draped over her shoulders and shook her head.
“No, it’s alright. I was just startled. I heard you were too busy to stop by for a while, so I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
She didn’t need to ask why he was here—he already seemed to know what she was thinking.
“I wanted to check on you before heading out. You’ve been ill for quite some time,” he replied.
“Oh. I’m feeling much better now. Thanks to the maids, I had a warm bath and feel much more refreshed.”
“Really? They didn’t seem very capable of caring for someone in your condition.”
From his expression, it was clear Chaser didn’t tolerate incompetence lightly.
Sensing this, Evelyn quickly defended them.
“That’s not true. If you hadn’t assigned them to help me, I wouldn’t have managed. I’m very grateful.”
“Grateful, huh?” he repeated, though his tone had softened. A faint smile returned to his lips.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to replace them?”
“Yes. They’re both kind and attentive.”
That part was honest. She hadn’t known them long, and maybe their kindness was just part of their job, but she appreciated being treated without suspicion or judgment.
It meant something, being seen as a person, not a burden.
“That’s good to hear,” Chaser said. “Then I suppose you won’t try to run away again. If you disappear like last time, I’ll hold them responsible for not keeping you safe.”
At those words, someone outside the room let out a sharp breath.
Evelyn opened her mouth to promise she wouldn’t, but stopped when she saw the way Chaser was looking at her—cold, quiet, and cautious.
He doesn’t trust me. And he has every reason not to.
How could she convince him otherwise?
Carefully, Evelyn spoke in a quiet voice.
“I’m sorry for worrying you.”
Was he really worried? she wondered. Still, she chose to believe the gentleness she’d seen in him wasn’t just a mistake.
“I won’t do anything to trouble you again,” she added.
“That’s all?”
“Oh. And thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to recover safely.”
But the faint smile on his face slowly disappeared. It wasn’t the answer he had wanted.
Did I say something wrong again? Evelyn hesitated, then tried to shift the topic.
“Actually, I was wondering, how long will I be staying here? I’m feeling better now, so I thought I should return soon.”
At that question, the last trace of warmth vanished from Chaser’s expression. His brows drew together in a subtle frown.
“Oh, of course, I’ll repay you somehow,” Evelyn added quickly, waving her hands. “I just don’t want to overstay—”
Before she could finish, Chaser let out a quiet sigh.
“You’ll stay until I say otherwise.”
“What? But—”
“You don’t really have anywhere else to go, do you?”
She knew he was right. But the thought of being a burden weighed heavily on her.
“Why? Do I still make you uncomfortable?” he asked suddenly.
His question caught her off guard. Her eyes filled with emotion, and she pressed her lips together, unable to respond.
Chaser looked at her red, tearful eyes, then reached out and gently brushed beneath them with his fingers.
She flinched slightly but didn’t pull away.
Of course she’s still hurting.
Evelyn was someone who loved deeply. It wouldn’t be easy for her to move on after losing her family.
Even if she told herself, it wasn’t Chaser’s fault, being around him would remind her of that moment.
But she’ll have to get used to it.
Chaser had no plans to let her go. He would make her accept the pain until she could bear it.
It’s for her own good. If she breaks down again, I’ll find another use for her.
But he didn’t think she would.
Not Evelyn.
Not the girl he had come to understand.