Just then, the door opened with a quiet click.


    Startled, Briony instinctively reached for the broken shards on the floor, but paused when she saw it was only a maid entering.


    "Ma''am, please don''t be afraid. Sir asked me toe in and look after you," the maid announced softly from the doorway, her expression both reassuring and hesitant as she noticed the fear and suspicion on Briony''s face. She didn''t step further inside, but instead offered a gentle smile and introduced herself, "My name is Bianca. Everyone just calls me Bianca."


    Bianca''s round face was kind, her figure pleasantly plump.


    Briony kept her guard up, eyes narrowed. "I don''t need anyone to look after me. Please leave."


    Still smiling, Bianca replied patiently, "You''ve misunderstood, ma''am. Sir said you were hurt and asked me to help treat your injury."


    Briony''s ankle was throbbing with pain. She''d been thinking of escape, but with her leg in this state, there was no way she''d make it far.


    "...Fine. Come in, then." Briony finally relented.


    Bianca entered, carrying a first-aid kit.


    Briony lifted her dress, revealing her swollen, scraped ankle.


    Bianca''s face tightened with concern as she knelt down to inspect the wound. "Oh dear, how did this happen? The skin''s all broken... poor thing."


    She shook her head with a little sigh, her voice full of gentle sympathy. “Ma?am, this might sting a bit, but I''ll clean the wound first, alright?"


    Briony nodded.


    Bianca''s hands were surprisingly skilled. She cleaned the wound, applied antiseptic, and then expertly wrapped Briony''s ankle with fresh gauze.


    "I''ve put a few extrayers for you, ma''am. That way the chain won''t rub against the wound," Bianca exined kindly.


    Briony nced down at her ankle-now so thickly bandaged it looked like a loaf of bread and her expression darkened.


    She pressed her lips together in frustration, then looked up at Bianca, who was gathering up the supplies near the bed.


    "Bianca, could you find me some clothes? This wedding dress is so heavy I can barely breathe."


    If she had any hope of escaping, the first thing that needed to go was this cumbersome dress.


    Bianca hesitated, clearly uneasy. "Ma''am, I''m sorry, I can''t make that decision myself. But I''ll go ask Sir."


    Briony frowned but didn''t protest further. "Alright."


    Bianca left, returning about ten minutester.


    "Sir said it''s alright."


    She handed Briony a simple, lightweight dress. "I thought this might be best, since your ankle is chained. It''s easy to move in."


    Briony didn''t bother to be picky. The priority was getting out of the suffocating gown.


    She epted the dress from Bianca and limped into the bathroom to change.


    It was a short-sleeved dress, ankle-length-in, but infinitely more practical.


    Once she''d changed, Bianca took away the heavy wedding dress and left the room. Shortly after, she


    returned and smiled warme


    Briony.


    "Ma''am, Sir said you haven''t eaten much today. Is there anything you''d like? I can make you something fresh."


    Briony had no appetite at all, but she knew she needed her strength if she had any hope of running. Especially with Stewart''s behavior growing more and more unpredictable-if things escted again, she wasn''t sure she could fight him off a second time.


    After a moment''s thought, she said, "Could you make me a bowl of simple pasta?"


    "Of course."


    Bianca slipped out, closing the door behind her.


    Therge bedroom fell silent, emptier than ever.


    V


    Exhaustion swept over Briony, weighing down her limbs and clouding her mind. Still, she didn''t dare x-Stewart coulde back at any moment.


    She propped herself up against the headboard, struggling to stay awake, but


    sleep crept over her before she realized it.


    When Bianca returned, carrying a steaming bowl of noodles, she called out softly at the door.


    "Ma''am?"