Chapter 3

Imagining what Alexander would do when he couldn't find me, my body couldn't stop shaking.

The changing room door was gently pushed open, and Lucas walked in.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I gave a faint "mm" in response, tidying my clothes as I stood up.

"Thank you... for today," I said.

"It's nothing, I would have saved anyone I saw drowning," the man replied.

He seemed to have a belly full of questions he wanted to ask, but after hesitating for a moment, he only added, "I'm Alexander's friend. You can call me Lucas."

"I haven't seen you at the Sullivan house before... you're his friend?" I asked.

As I finished the last two words, I inwardly mocked myself for a moment. Of course, a playboy like Alexander would have friends from all walks of life. If Lucas were really his friend, he would surely know me.

He probably thought I was one of Alexander's kept women.

But a kept woman is docile and vibrant. I was just what the Sullivan servants called "the blood slave in the basement."

Not knowing how to respond, I could only lower my head and stare at the ground awkwardly.

In the end, it was Lucas who broke the silence.

"I won't tell Alexander about what happened today," he said.

"You fell into the water and caught a chill. It would be better if you took some medicine when you get back."

He turned to leave, but suddenly, a strange idea welled up from the bottom of my heart. As if possessed, I grabbed the hem of his clothes.

"Mr. Carter, could you... help me with my illness?"

When I returned to the basement, Alexander was sitting on the sofa in my bedroom. Seeing me return, he put down his wine glass.

"Where have you been?" he asked, his tone calm and emotionless.

"I... I felt out of breath after climbing out of the water, so I went for a walk in the garden," I replied.

Alexander's gaze was piercing, as if trying to see through me. "Is that so?"

He slowly walked up to me, his tone low and dangerous. "The garden is windy. With your weak body, you should be careful not to catch a cold."

"I... I understand," I said, lowering my head, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Don't wander around at night in the future. I'll worry about you."

Alexander reached out his hand, gently stroking my cheek. But I trembled violently all over.

It was happening again.

Every so often, Alexander would use this method to check on the curse inside me. Only after confirming there was no problem would he let me leave.

I endured the pain of the curse resonating with its master, forcing out an obedient smile. "I... I understand. It won't happen again."

Sure enough, after feeling for a while and finding nothing unusual, he smiled with satisfaction. He pulled me into his arms, stroking my hair.

I stood there stiffly, letting him hold me. My mind unconsciously recalled how Lucas had held me in the water. Under his wet shirt, his muscles were clearly defined and powerful. He was... handsome.

"Today, why didn't you beg me for help?" Alexander suddenly spoke, interrupting my thoughts.

Coming back to my senses, I replied flatly, "I could endure it."

Alexander was momentarily at a loss for words, as if wanting to explain something, but in the end, he didn't. After a moment of silence, he only added, "That's good. You should understand, I don't do that to you because I'm being responsible for you."

I nodded slightly.

He seemed to have forgotten that the reason I reacted that way was not because of my own desires. It was because of the curse, which made me completely lose control.

The reason I became like this, who was to blame after all?