Chapter 513
The girl hesitated, dark lashes fluttering as her eyes darted between Candy and the elegant women seated on the balcony.
Coral and Cherry sat with quiet authority, their presence commanding without a word being spoken.
“Do as you’re told,” Candy said with a faint edge, though her lips curved into a smile.
Reluctantly, Amara obeyed.
She approached, smoothing her plain skirt nervously.
Cherry watched her closely, her sharp eyes glinting in satisfaction. She exchanged a glance with Coral, who returned it with a knowing smirk.
Yes, Cherry thought. This one has the face, the manner, and the innocence just ripe for twisting.
“Sit down,” Cherry said softly, gesturing to the low cushioned seat across from her. “We have something to discuss.
Amara froze for a second. A servant didn’t simply sit with such women.
She opened her mouth to refuse, but Candy leaned close to her and whispered, “Do as she says. As I have said this is a friend of mine. A long-time friend. And a very important one. She has a business offer for you. One you’d be foolish to turn down.”
The girl swallowed. Her gaze fell to the floor, but she sat, gingerly lowering herself onto the cushion.
At that moment, servants entered bearing trays of tea and delicate porcelain cups.
They bowed quickly and began to serve the table. As they turned to leave, Cherry’s voice cut through the air, silken yet firm.
“Pour for her too.”
The servants froze. Confused, they glanced at one another, then at Amara.
Their lips tightened; one even dared to protest. “My lady… she is—”
“I said,” Cherry interrupted, her tone leaving no space for defiance, “pour for her too.”
Candy’s sharp nod made the servants obey. They poured steaming amber tea into a cup and set it in front of Amara.
She could tell how bregrudginly they did it.
The girl stared at it, bewildered.
A servant like her didn’t share a table with nobles, let alone drink from porcelain cups meant for them. But Cherry’s gaze pinned her in place.
“Drink,” Cherry instructed smoothly.
Amara lifted the cup, her hands trembling slightly. She sipped, the warmth flooding her chest.
To her surprise, it was sweet and rich, nothing like the watered-down brews servants were sometimes offered.
Cherry watched with satisfaction, noting the girl’s posture, the way she held the cup delicately, her back straight, her hands composed.
There was elegance here, hidden beneath the plain dress.
“You carry yourself well,” Cherry remarked, leaning back in her chair. “Tell me, how is it that a servant such as yourself has learned such poise?”
Amara looked down shyly, though there was a spark of pride in her eyes. “My father was a gamma in his pack. My mother served in the household of a high family. They both believed that even if we were not nobles, we should behave with dignity. They raised me to be respectful, to walk and speak properly.”
Cherry’s brows arched. Coral tilted her head, intrigued.
“And where are your parents now?” Coral asked, her voice smooth but carrying a cold curiosity.
Amara’s hands tightened on the cup. Her lashes lowered to hide the flicker of pain in her eyes. “Dead. My father fell into debt. He borrowed from the wrong wolves. When he could not repay… rogues came. They ransacked our home. My parents Her voice faltered. “They didn’t survive.”
Silence pressed on the balcony.
It was Candy who broke it, her tone laced with sly satisfaction. “I found her in a cage, being sold off like a stray. But I knew she had potential. Didn’t I, Amara? I saw it in those eyes of yours. That you were meant for more than scrubbing floors and fetching wine.”
Amara’s lips curved in a faint, sad smile. “You saved me. For that, I will always be grateful.”
Cherry leaned forward, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
Yes. There was a story here, a wound to exploit. The kind of past that bred hunger for something more.
“Tell me, Amara,” Cherry said, her voice rich and coaxing. “Do you wish to be more? To be rich… adored… treated like a princess?”
The girl blinked at her, startled.
For a moment, she looked as though she thought she had misheard.
But Cherry’s eyes gleamed with intent, and the air thickened with unspoken promise.
“Of course I would,” Amara admitted at last, almost in a whisper. “Who wouldn’t?”
Cherry smiled slowly, a predator’s smile disguised as kindness. “Good. You have foresight. I like that. You were given everything you have ever wanted wealth, fame, health, guards to protect you, dresses finer than you can imagine. You will eat like a queen and be treated like one.”
Amara let out a nervous laugh, shaking her head. “That sounds like a dream.”
“What if it wasn’t?” Cherry’s voice cut sharp through the air. “What if I told you I can make it real? That I can lift you from this life and place you in one far beyond your imagination?”
Amara stared at her, breath caught.
Candy leaned over, stroking Amara’s arm as though coaxing a frightened bird. “You’d be a fool not to listen, darling. This is no ordinary woman. If she says she can give you the world, then believe her she can.”
Cherry’s eyes never left Amara’s face. She could see the conflict there, the yearning, the disbelief, the dangerous temptation.
“You would have everything,” Cherry whispered, her voice wrapping around the girl like silk. “But all it takes is one choice. One step. Leave this life behind… and join me.”
The balcony fell silent, the weight of the offer hanging heavy in the air.
Amara looked down at her tea, her reflection rippling in the amber surface.
Her heart thundered in her chest. The dream dangled before her, glittering like forbidden fruit. She raised her eyes again, meeting Cherry’s gaze.
For the first time, the faintest spark of possibility lit her expression.
And Cherry, watching, smiled. The trap was closing.
“What is the catch?” Amara asked displaying her cunning and smart mentality.