Chapter 34: She thinks she can fool me
Anna’s eyes followed the girl from the side, her gaze cool and unwavering as she scanned Kira’s unusual action. It was absurd—downright unsettling—to see her stepping out of Daniel’s room.
Everyone in the estate knew the rule: only Mariam had access to Daniel’s space. He hated intrusions and valued his privacy with an iron hand. Even back then, when Anna had been his wife in name and title, she’d hesitated a hundred times before daring to step foot into his room if he was present.
And yet here was Kira.
Anna’s stare lingered, heavy, as though she could peel back the layers of the girl’s façade with just her eyes.
Finally, after a few long seconds, she spoke, her tone calm but edged.
"Go get me a fresh glass of orange juice."
The simple command struck like a whip.
Kira jolted, eyes widening as though caught red-handed. She frantically bobbed her head, muttering a quick, "Yes, Madam," before hurrying away.
Anna’s gaze tracked her until she disappeared down the hallway. Only then did she turn toward her own room, her expression unreadable but her thoughts sharp and restless.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Kira released a shaky breath, her grip on the counter tightening.
Of all people—why did it have to be Anna who caught her today?
She’d been careful. Calculated. Choosing moments when Daniel wasn’t around to sneak a little closer, to touch the spaces he touched, to dream about a future that wasn’t hers. But now...
"Did she get suspicious of me?" Kira whispered under her breath, unease crawling down her spine.
For the first time since stepping into this mansion, she realized—Anna Clafford was far more dangerous than she had thought.
Kira lingered at the counter, her hands trembling slightly as her mind replayed the weight of Anna’s stare. It wasn’t just a look—it was as if Anna had seen straight through her.
But almost as quickly as the unease came, Kira forced it away, clinging to the excuse she’d already crafted.
"I can tell her I was there to clean the room," she muttered under her breath, her voice barely steady. ’She won’t question it further. She can’t.’
Still, doubt gnawed at her. Anna hadn’t looked convinced—she hadn’t even asked why. She’d simply given an order, her tone calm, but her eyes... sharp enough to slice through Kira’s lie before she even spoke it.
Grinding her teeth, Kira poured the juice with exaggerated care, steadying her breath. By the time she placed the glass neatly on a tray, she had schooled her expression into calmness, the perfect mask of a dutiful maid.
With slow, deliberate steps, she picked up the tray and began walking toward Anna’s room—her face serene, her heart pounding.
***
Meanwhile, inside her room, Anna couldn’t shake off her encounter with Kira.
Back in her past life, she had noticed the way the young girl lingered, her eyes always darting toward Daniel when she thought no one else was watching. She knew exactly what that look meant—yearning, foolish infatuation. But back then, blinded by her own desperate efforts to win Daniel’s heart, she had brushed it aside.
Now... it was different.
Anna wasn’t the same naïve woman anymore. She had died once for her blindness, and she refused to repeat that mistake. Mariam, of all people, would never have allowed someone of Kira’s position to cross such a line. She would have warned her, laid down the rules clearly. Which meant...
Kira wasn’t ignorant. She was deliberate.
And yet, despite the rules, despite her place, the girl had still dared to set foot inside Daniel’s room.
Anna’s brows furrowed as she sank deeper into thought. ’What exactly are you up to, Kira?’
A sudden knock on the door pulled Anna from her thoughts. Quickly composing herself, she straightened on the couch, masking the storm behind her eyes.
"Come in," she called evenly.
The door opened, and Kira walked in with a tray balanced carefully in her hands.
"Madam, your juice," she said, her voice polite, her head bowed just enough to appear respectful.
But Anna wasn’t fooled. Her eyes tracked the girl’s every move, and the truth was clear as day—Kira was pretending. Pretending calm. Pretending innocence. Pretending she hadn’t just been caught in a place she didn’t belong.
The corner of Anna’s lips curved ever so slightly, a smile sharp and knowing. She lifted her hand lazily and gestured toward the table.
"Set it there," she said.
Kira obeyed without hesitation, but Anna didn’t miss the faint stiffness in her shoulders or the way her fingers tightened on the tray before releasing it.
Anna leaned back, eyes narrowing slightly as she studied her. She would lie if she said she hadn’t noticed it—the way Kira’s mask wavered, the way her composure cracked for the briefest moment.
’She thinks she can fool me.’
Anna didn’t care what Daniel did in his life—not anymore. But since he refused to grant her a divorce and instead forced her to play the role of his wife, then fine. She would play it—but on her terms.
Her eyes narrowed on Kira. "What were you doing in Daniel’s room?"
The question landed like a stone in still water. Kira froze, her hand hovering just a second too long over the tray before she pulled back. Her lashes fluttered nervously, her throat bobbing as she swallowed.
"Huh?" she said, feigning confusion, tilting her head as if she hadn’t heard correctly.
Anna’s lips curled into a cold, sarcastic smile. How predictable. She said nothing, only waited, her silence heavier than words.
Finally, Kira straightened, her hands clasped before her, her voice steady but her eyes betraying her unease.
"I came to clean the room, Madam."
The lie was smooth, practiced even but to Anna, it was as clear as glass.
"Liar."
The single word cracked through the air, sharp and unforgiving.
Kira’s lips parted in disbelief, her composure slipping as Anna’s expression turned grim.
"I know the rules of this house," Anna continued, her tone calm but edged with steel. "Apart from Mariam, no one is allowed to touch Daniel’s belongings. Not the staff. Not even you."
Kira stood there, rooted, her face paling. She hadn’t expected Anna to know that.
Anna leaned back against the couch, crossing her arms, her gaze never leaving the trembling girl. In her past life, she might have overlooked this. She might have brushed it aside as harmless. But not anymore. Now, her suspicions only grew sharper.
’What are you really doing, Kira?’
"But if you say so, then fine." Anna’s tone softened suddenly, almost casual. She leaned back, lifting her glass with ease. "I’m glad Daniel is finally letting someone into his room."
Kira: "..."
The silence that followed was deafening. Kira’s brows knitted together, her lips twitching as though she wanted to speak but couldn’t.
A moment ago, Anna had cornered her with a sharp truth—and now, in the blink of an eye, she seemed to have let it go.
’Did I mishear her? Or... is she mocking me?’
Kira’s thoughts tangled, her confusion flashing plainly across her face.
Anna caught the look and sighed, playing her part perfectly. With an air of nonchalance, she lifted the glass of juice and took a slow sip before setting it back down.
"Anyway," she said smoothly, as though brushing the moment aside. "Let’s not linger on boring matters. Tell me something about yourself, Kira. You’re Mariam’s niece, right? What made you join as staff here in the mansion?"
Her voice carried no suspicion now—only curiosity, even warmth. A conversation starter. A bridge.
Kira hesitated. Her background was simple—tragic, even. Parents gone. Mariam, the only family left. That was the story. That was all there was supposed to be.
But Anna wasn’t here to be fooled by surface details. Not this time.
Behind her polite smile and gentle tone, her mind was working. This wasn’t about interrogation. It was about strategy.
If I want to know what she’s really hiding, then I need her to lower her guard first.
So Anna decided on the simplest, most dangerous approach—befriend her.
"Hm..." Anna swirled the juice in her glass, taking a slow sip before setting it back down. "The juice is fresh. I can tell—you peeled the oranges yourself."
Her tone was light, almost casual, but her eyes lingered just a little too long on Kira’s face.
Kira forced a smile, bowing her head slightly. "Y-yes, Madam."
Anna finished the glass in one go, the silence between them stretching taut.
Thud.
She set the glass down with deliberate weight, the sound sharp enough to make Kira’s shoulders stiffen.
"Since you’re so diligent with your work..." Anna’s lips curved, the hint of a smirk tugging at her mouth. "...why don’t you clean my room tomorrow as well?"
Kira blinked. Her throat bobbed as her eyes darted toward Anna, searching for any trace of mockery. But what unsettled her more was the way Anna’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.
"After all," Anna continued smoothly, her voice honeyed but sharp beneath the surface, "the room doesn’t seems to be so tidy."
The words dropped like daggers—an innocent statement on the surface, but heavy with implication.
Kira’s nails dug into her palms beneath the tray she carried. Her face remained neutral, but her heart pounded.