It’d been three days since that fateful night, a turning point that profoundly altered both Chloe’s and Lloyd’s lives and their relationship. Reflecting on it, Chloe realized just how tumultuous that day had been.
On that day, Chloe’d had a harrowing encounter. Her sister, Lily, having traveled from Shadaf to attend a soiree in the capital, had found her. Lily kidnapped Chloe, dragging her to a hotel room, where she subjected her to a brutal assault. The mark on Chloe’s right cheek was a grim souvenir from that cruel episode. Chloe was moments away from being dragged back to Shadaf when Lloyd intervened, rescuing her in the nick of time.
Later that same evening, amid the emotional upheaval, Chloe and Lloyd had confessed their feelings to each other. “I’m in love with you, Lloyd,” Chloe had admitted, her heart laid bare. To her relief and joy, Lloyd had reciprocated. “I’m in love with you too, Chloe.” Their mutual confessions had unlocked something profound between them. Words long unspoken had been shared, and from them, a conjoined love blossomed.
Now, they were lovers.
“That was all well and good, but...” Chloe mumbled on the living room sofa, a cushion clutched tightly in her embrace. “Now that we’re a couple, what are we supposed to...”
The thought was too much for her. With a soft poomf, Chloe’s face once again disappeared into the cushion, her mind a whirl of emotions and uncertainties about this new chapter in their relationship.
Ever since she arrived, Chloe’s relationship with Lloyd had been strictly professional. He was her employer, and she was his devoted servant. This clear distinction had allowed Chloe to control the feelings she harbored for Lloyd. But now, with the boundaries blurred, her mind was constantly caught in a whirlwind of thoughts about him. The mere sight of his face, the sound of his voice, and even the lightest touch all sent her heart racing and a warm flush to her cheeks. Alas, what was a girl to do? Chloe’s past in Shadaf had offered her no opportunities to explore romance. Lloyd was her first love, and with that came a flurry of uncertainties and dilemmas. How should she behave around him now?
“No, Chloe, focus!” she admonished herself, vigorously shaking her head to clear the distracting thoughts. Despite their newfound relationship, she was still Lloyd’s housekeeper. She couldn’t allow her romantic daydreams to interfere with her duties—not any more than they already had.
Her late rise this morning hadn’t solely been due to staying up late reading. After closing the pages, Chloe had found herself restless, unable to sleep. She’d tossed and turned, the image of Lloyd engrossed in his reading lingering in her mind, disrupting her peace. Just thinking about it now made her face burn up again.
Sitting up straight, Chloe gave her cheeks a light clap. “This won’t do,” she whispered to herself. Then she stood up and took a deep breath. After coaxing her heart to slow, Chloe set her mind to the tasks at hand: sweeping, laundry, a trip to the market, and preparing dinner. Today, she would focus on her work, her way of showing love in the life they shared.
✦ ✦ ✦
Chloe managed to finish all her chores before noon, and soon she was out the door, heading towards a familiar market square. Today, besides procuring ingredients for dinner, she had one other important mission to complete.
As she navigated through the bustling market, a familiar voice called out to her. “Chloe, dear, it’s so good to see you!”
Chloe turned, a smile touching her lips. “Hello, Miss Ciel!” she greeted, bowing her head respectfully. It was her first visit to Ciel’s stall since the harrowing incident, and the familiarity of it brought a sense of comfort.
Ciel’s face, however, clouded with concern as her eyes found the mark on Chloe’s cheek. “Oh, Chloe!” Hurriedly, she asked someone to take over the register as she rushed out from behind the counter to Chloe’s side. She peered closely at the wound, her expression conveying deep sympathy. “Look what happened to your pretty face. Does it hurt much?”
“I’m fine, really,” Chloe reassured her quickly. “It’s a bit tender, but it’s healing well. The doctor believes it won’t leave a scar.”
Chloe recalled the day after the ordeal when Lloyd had insisted on taking her to a doctor. Thankfully, the treatment she received had been effective, and her wounds were healing steadily.
Ciel let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, Chloe. You have no idea how glad I am to hear that.”
Chloe chose that moment to bow her head deeply. “Miss Ciel, I wanted to thank you sooner but hadn’t had the chance. Lloyd told me how you and the townspeople helped find me. I owe you so much.”
Three days earlier, in this very market square, Lloyd had frantically sought information on Chloe’s whereabouts. It was Ciel’s initiative that had rallied the community, leading to the swift gathering of clues about Chloe’s location. Their collective effort had pinpointed the hotel where Lily was staying, setting the stage for Chloe’s dramatic rescue.
“Ah, so the young man’s name is Lloyd,” Ciel murmured to herself, her lips curling into a knowing smile. “A fine name indeed.”
Chloe, undeterred by Ciel’s musings, pressed on earnestly, “If it hadn’t been for you, Miss Ciel, who knows where I would be right now. Truly, I am in your debt.”
Indeed, that other “important mission” for visiting the market this afternoon had been to convey her heartfelt gratitude to Ciel. However, Ciel, ever humble, dismissed Chloe’s thanks with a gentle wave. “Nonsense, dear. You’d do the same for me. I’m just glad to see you safe.”
Then, with a cautious glance around, Ciel leaned closer, ensuring their conversation remained private. “By the way, Chloe, a little birdie told me you’ve got noble blood in your veins.”
Chloe’s heart skipped a beat. “Wh-Where did you hear that?!”
“Don’t be counting ol’ Ciel out yet, my dear. I’ve got my sources,” Ciel replied knowingly. “With everything that’s happened, I’m not exactly an unrelated third party anymore. I thought it prudent to do a little bit of digging.”
Kidnapping, wrongful confinement, battery, not to mention obstruction of a knight from the famed First Order in the line of duty—Lily’s actions had attracted considerable attention. In the aftermath, even the details of Chloe’s abuse at the hands of her family had come to light, kicking off an official investigation into the matter. Currently, a hearing with both Lily and their mother, Isabella, was scheduled to take place—though at an indeterminate date, as they yet awaited a response to the summons sent to Shadaf.
“And that lady, Lily. She’s your sister?” Ciel inquired further.
It seemed Ciel had left no stone unturned. Right, she’s the director of a top trading firm, Chloe reminded herself wryly. Realizing the extent of Ciel’s knowledge, she gave a resigned nod.
“Aha!” Ciel said with a look of satisfaction. “I’d always thought you were more than just a common girl. Too pretty for that.”
“M-Me?” Chloe stammered, her gaze dropping. “Not at all...” she said, her eyes falling to the ground. Though Lloyd had worked hard to boost her self-esteem, she was still unaccustomed to such compliments.
A moment of silence followed, during which Chloe’s expression softened into one of apology. “I didn’t mean to keep it a secret from you,” she said quietly, still not meeting Ciel’s eyes.
“Oh, nonsense, sweetie!” Ciel said, emphatically dismissing her apology. “With that piece of work as your sister, I can understand why you’d be cautious. People don’t just flee to the capital for a fresh start without good reason.”
Chloe hesitantly nodded again. She had valid reasons for her secrecy; she knew she did, but the weight of her past—the abuse, the life-threatening encounter with her own mother—it all felt too burdensome for casual conversation.
Picking up on her discomfort, Ciel smoothly steered the conversation down a new path. “Well, we all have our secrets. We wouldn’t truly be us without them, am I right?” she said with a big smile. The smile slowly slid off her face, and Ciel’s gaze fell to the floor as well. “Chloe, I’m truly sorry, I really am. If it weren’t for me and my big mouth, none of this would have happened to ya.”
At this, Chloe’s eyes shot up. “Oh, no, no, no, Miss Ciel, please don’t think that way!” she implored, fervently waving her arms dismissively in front of her. “You couldn’t have known about me or my sister, and even if you had, considering the circumstances, I don’t think you could’ve done anything differently, even if you wanted to! This is not your fault nor mine! It’s just something that happened!”
Ciel looked at Chloe with deep appreciation. “Oh, what did I do to deserve you? You’re too kind, Chloe. But my pride just won’t accept that. I’m a merchant, and us merchants believe in making things right! Today, whatever you need from my stall is on me. Take your time—pick out anything and everything you want!”
Chloe was mortified. “No, no! Absolutely not!” She was being a little harsh, but she knew that if she failed to show a little teeth and put her foot down here, Ciel would no doubt insist on giving away too much.
After a brief but spirited haggling, Chloe managed to argue it down to just a few complimentary items. “All right, now that’s settled, what do you have for me today, Miss Ciel?”
“Why, I’d never thought you’d ask! Today, we got in the most amazing...”