Chapter 96
Christina froze at the sound of the voice behind her, her hand pausing mid-air as she held a handful of withered jasmine flowers. Her pulse quickened, and she slowly turned around to face the intruder.
It was Madison, standing with her arms crossed, her expression a mix of condescension and feigned politeness. Christina could feel her eyes scanning her, assessing every detail with a sharpness that felt almost invasive.
Madison didn’t wait for a response before continuing, her voice laced with a subtle sneer. “Do you know how much Mrs. Hadley loves these flowers? She takes great care in tending to them. I suggest you don’t ruin them further.”
Christina’s grip tightened slightly around the flowers, but she kept her composure, not wanting to provoke further tension. She had heard enough of Madison’s attitude to know where this was going.
“I’m just picking up the ones that have fallen,” Christina replied calmly, trying to defuse the situation. “They’re withered. I thought I could use them for something, since they won’t last much longer anyway.”
Madison’s lips curled into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Oh, how thoughtful,” she said with a trace of sarcasm. “I’m sure Mrs. Hadley would be thrilled to see what you’ve done. But you might want to remember your place here.”
The words stung more than Christina was willing to admit, but she kept her expression neutral. “I’m just doing my job,” she said, glancing briefly at the jasmine flowers in her hands before meeting Madison’s gaze again.
Madison took a step closer, her heels clicking sharply against the stone path. “Your job is to stay out of the way, not make things more difficult,” she said, her tone dropping to a softer but more menacing whisper. “You wouldn’t want to cause any… misunderstandings, would you?”
Christina didn’t respond immediately, taking a deep breath to calm the rising anger in her chest. She could feel the weight of Madison’s words pressing down on her, but she refused to let herself be intimidated.
“I’m sure Mrs. Hadley doesn’t need you to speak for her,” Christina said coolly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took a step back. “I’m just here to do my work and leave as soon as possible.”
Madison seemed momentarily taken aback by the defiance, but she quickly masked it with a false smile. “Of course. Do what you must,” she said with an air of finality. “Just don’t forget who you’re working for.”
Christina turned away, feeling the tension in the air linger like a thick fog. She quickly made her way back to the house, her mind racing as she tried to shake off the unsettling encounter. Madison’s presence was like a dark cloud that always seemed to loom over her, a constant reminder of how precarious her position was in the Hadley household.
Back inside, Christina placed the withered flowers on a small table by the window and sat down, trying to steady her breathing. She had to keep her focus on the task at hand—finishing the gowns, getting out of this house, and away from the growing web of complications that seemed to be closing in on her.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of sewing and adjusting, but her mind kept returning to Madison’s words. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something more was at play, something that Madison wasn’t telling her. Maybe it was just jealousy, or maybe there was something deeper lurking beneath the surface.
As night fell and Christina finally finished the last gown, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least one part of her mission was complete. But the unease that had settled in her chest refused to fade. The Hadley household was full of secrets, and the longer she stayed, the more she realized how little she knew about the people she was working for—and the dangers they might be hiding.
She needed to finish her job, leave, and never look back. But something told her that escaping from this place wouldn’t be as easy as she hoped.