Mated to the Mad Lord

"Get out!" Violet's voice broke through the tense air, trembling with barely contained fury as her glare bore into Rane. Her disgust was palpable—not because of his preferences, but because of his slimy, unrelenting demeanor. She felt her anger intensify when he dared to take another step toward her, closer than she'd ever allowed anyone, let alone him.

Violet's instincts screamed at her to run. She moved toward the adjoining door to her room, gripping the handle with desperate urgency. But before she could pull it open, a force slammed it shut. The sound echoed in the small bathroom, and she froze as she felt his towering presence behind her. He leaned against the door, his breath ghosting against the back of her neck, making her skin crawl.

"I told you not to turn your back on me," Rane murmured softly, his voice low and menacing, as if savoring the power he held in this moment. He lowered himself closer to her ear, the heat of his breath grazing her skin. "My name is Rane, and I'll take care of you..."

Violet's heart pounded in her chest as she pushed herself against the door, her mind racing. His next words dripped with mockery as he continued, "And just in case it's your first time, I'll be gentle, like a—"

She didn't let him finish. With a surge of defiance, she bent down, grabbed the bucket near her feet, and hurled it at his head with all the strength she could muster. The clang startled them both, but it was enough to make Rane stumble back, cursing as water splashed everywhere. Seizing the opportunity, Violet yanked the door open, her heart hammering.

But just as quickly, she felt his iron grip clamp onto her arm, dragging her back with a force that knocked the breath out of her.

"Get off me, you disgusting—" she screamed, thrashing against him.

And then, without warning, he let her go. Stunned, she spun around to find him staring, his face frozen in shock. Her blood ran cold as she followed his gaze and realized—the damp shirt she clutched against her chest had shifted, revealing the truth she'd hidden so carefully.

He knew.

Rane's expression twisted from shock to something unreadable as Violet scrambled to cover herself, pulling the fabric tight. Without waiting for him to speak, she bolted, slamming the door behind her and locking it with trembling hands.

Her chest heaved as she sank to the floor, her mind a whirlwind of fear and panic. "He knows. He knows!" she whispered hoarsely, clutching her knees. The secret she'd guarded so fiercely now hung precariously in the hands of someone like Rane.

But there was no time to wallow. Cain's punishments for tardiness were brutal, and she couldn't afford to let her panic keep her paralyzed. Forcing herself to her feet, she bound her chest tightly, changed into a clean shirt, and disposed of the ruined one. Only when she was sure there were no loose ends did she finally leave her room.

She headed straight for Rane's quarters, knocking firmly. The silence that greeted her felt deafening. She tried the handle—locked. He either wasn't there, or he was deliberately ignoring her. Neither was a good sign.

"Surely, he won't reveal my secret... right?" Violet tried to convince herself as she walked away, her stomach tightening. But her mind painted vivid scenarios of what might happen if Rane decided to talk. Every glance from passing servants felt heavier, more judgmental, as if they already knew.

She reached the servant's dining hall, scanning the room until she spotted him. Rane sat at the center of a table, laughing loudly with his friends as if nothing had happened.

'I need to end this now,' Violet decided, her resolve hardening as she approached. She stopped just behind him, ignoring the curious looks from others.

"Rane," she said firmly, her voice loud enough to catch his attention. "I need to speak with you."

Rane turned, a grin spreading across his face. "Look who it is!" he drawled, his tone mocking. "The last time we met, you couldn't get away fast enough."

His friends snickered, their gazes flicking between Rane and Violet with interest.

"Violet, right? Lord Cain's personal servant!" one of them piped up, his voice dripping with disdain. "You don't even eat with the rest of us. Special treatment must be nice."

Violet ignored him, her eyes locked on Rane. She refused to let his smugness unnerve her, even as his grin widened.

"Hey!" the other servant snapped, irritated at her silence. "You think you're better than us? Just because you serve the lord doesn't make you different."

Rane sighed theatrically, cutting his friend off. Standing, he leaned closer to Violet, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Your secret is safe... for now," he said, his gaze lingering on her with unsettling intent before stepping back.

The anger that surged through Violet was overwhelming, but she knew better than to react. Without another word, she turned to leave, her fists clenched at her sides.

But she hadn't taken more than two steps when the angry servant exploded, shoving her hard. Violet stumbled and fell to the floor, her knees hitting the stone with a painful thud.

"You think you're better than us?" he shouted, his voice echoing in the hall.

"Is that it?!" he bellowed, drawing even more attention as he stood over her, fists clenched.

Violet's shock quickly turned to fury as she scrambled to her feet, glaring up at him. "What do you think you're doing?" she snapped.

Before she could steady herself, he kicked at her ankles, sending her sprawling again. "Stay down!" he hissed. "That's where you belong."

The room fell eerily silent.

Violet's breath caught in her throat as every head in the hall turned—not toward her attacker, but toward the entrance. She followed their gazes, her blood running cold as she saw him.

Cain stood there, his golden-brown eyes fixed unerringly on her. His expression was unreadable, but the tension in the air was suffocating.

Her stomach dropped as he began walking toward them, each step measured, deliberate. The weight of his presence made the entire hall seem smaller, darker.

Violet didn't need to look around to know that every servant in the room now held their breath, waiting for what would come next.