Chapter 22 I woke up to the constant burring of my alarm clock . " Five more minutes , " I muttered groggily , smacking the off button with more force than necessary . With a frustrated groan , sat up and rubbed the deep Dragging myself out of bed , I shuffled toward the bathroom . The cold tiles sent a chill through my feet , but the warm water from the shower quickly chased away the lingering sleep . I let the water ton over me for a few minutes , savoring the moment of peace before the chaos of the day began . Once I was done , I wrapped myself in a towel and stepped out , quickly drying off before pulling on my stand and maid uniform - a crisp black dress with a white apron and matching flats . 1 bed my hair up in a neat bun , checking my reflection one last time in the mirror is fills . Just how it had to be . By the time I made it downstairs , the kitchen was already buzzing with activity . The other maids were moving around swiftly chopping wetables , mixing batter , and setting out trays . Hook a deep breath and joined them , slipping into my usual role like second natur " Moming , Raven , " one of the girls greeted without looking up from her chopping board . " Moming " I replied , grabbing an apron and tying it around my waist . Time to get to work . I moved to my usual station at the far end of the kitchen , rolling up the sleeves of my uniform as I began preparing the ingredients for the morning meat . The scent of sizzling bacon and baked bread waited through the air , mixing with the sharp tang of citrus from the freshly squeezed orange juice someone was working on nearby . It was comforting in a strange way - this rhythm of the kitchen . Predictable . Controlled I cracked a dozen eggs into a bowl and whisked them quickly , adding in a pinch of salt and herbs before pouring them into the pan . The soft sizzle was oddly satisfying , a small distraction from the weight in my chest that never seemed to lift these days . As I flipped the eggs with practiced ease , my thoughts began to drift again - back to him . Alpha Ethan . His voice echoed in my head like a curse I couldn't outrun . " You have three days , Raven . Three days to undo what you've done or suffer the consequences " Now , there were only two days left . The problem was - I hadn't done anything . Not the way he thought . And that was t the cruelest part of it all Being punished for something I didn't do . Being expected to fix something I didn't break I didn't even understand how I was supposed to undo it . The memory of that moment played over in my head like a broken record. The way his eyes burned with anger the way his voice dropped with deadly calm . I could still feel the sting of his gaze like line against my skin . I swallowed hard , trying to shake off the growing tension in my chest as I slid the eggs onto a platter and moved on to the next task - stacking plates of freshly buttered toast and arranging fruit neatly on the trays . My hands moved on autopilot , performing every action without thought , but my mind .... my mind was far from here When I was done preparing the breakfast I arranged the Luna's meals even though I did want to I have to for me to remain here have a riff over meand also have a perfect revenge 1 thought as a small smile appeared on my lips I grabbed the tray of food and made my way to the room the hallway was very busy with maids moving around when i got to the room I stood outside took in a deep breath , and knocked , but there was no response , so I knocked again when you are done knocking you can come in she said from inside I took in a deep breath and opened the door and stepped inside good morning i murted as I dropped the tray of food on the table and turned to leave when she called me back " What does she want this time I mutter under my breath as turned to lace her . Olivia was lounging on the couch , her robe draped loosely around her as if she had no care in the world . Her long blonde hair cascaded overber 1/2 Chapter 22 shoulders in soft waves , clearly styled , even at this early hour . Her eyes met mine with that same smugglint that made my stomach turn , She didn't speak at first . Instead , she stood up slowly , as if savoring the moment , and crossed the room with an elegant sway of her hips . My followed her reluctantly , warily , knowing she was never one for idle chatter especially not with me " I almost forgot , " she said sweetly , a tone laced with mock innocence . She reached into the corner of the room and pulled out a small , ornate jewelry box . With a little flourish , she opened it , revealing a glittering necklace nestled inside - diamonds , from the look of it , and certainly nothing a maid like me would ever touch . " Isn't it beautiful ? " she cooed , holding it up , so the morning light caught the stones " Alpha Ethan gave it to me yesterday " My chest tightened , but I said nothing . She walked slowly toward the mirror , admiring the necklace against her neck before adding casually , " He said he couldn't wait to see it on me during the grand birthday he's organizing . " She turned then , her smile sharp . " It's in two days , you know . My birthday I kept my expression blank , though it took effort . Two days . The same deadline Alpha Ethan had given me . And in all this chaos I forgot my own birthday not that I ever celebrated it but ... " As his Luna , " she said snapping me out of my thoughts she added , savoring the title like honey on her tongue , " he wants to make it unforgettable . " My fists clenched at my sides , this was supposed to me my birthday as well but I stayed silent . Then she laughed - a soft , cruel laugh that prickled my skin . " I'm glad I took him from you , " she said , her voice low and mocking . " Honestly , I didn't think it would be that easy . But men like him ? They're not that hard to steal when they realize what they really deserve . " I felt something cold settle inside me . Not sadness . Not anger . Something sharper . I took a slow breath and forced a tight smile onto my face . " I'm sure you'll enjoy every second of it , " I said softly , turning on my heel before she could see the storm gathering behind my eyes . " Happy early birthday , Luna Olivia , " And with that , I walked out of the room , every step firm , controlled - but inside , I burned . 曲 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!