Chapter 6 Why am I being kept away from my own child?

Zella POV

Two days passed before I finally opened my eyes. The first thing I noticed was the pain in my head. It would not go away, no matter how still I stayed. I looked around, trying to figure out where I was.

Then I realized. I was in his room again. Rowan’ room. The same place I had entered before, the one no one is allowed to step into without his permission.

A woman in a nurse’s uniform stood beside me. She smiled when she saw I was awake and moved closer. She removed the needle from my wrist.

“Thank you,” I said.

She shook her head. “I am your attendant, Madam. I am assigned to take care of your health.”

I looked at her, surprised. Even the servants here are trained nurses.

“Why would you work as a servant when you are a nurse?” I asked.

“The pay here is five times what I earned at the hospital,” she said without hesitation. “Working for Master Rowan is considered an honor.”

That did not make sense to me.

“What is your name?” I asked.

“My name is Emalia, Madam. From now on, I will be your personal attendant.”

I pushed myself up, surprised.

“I do not need a personal attendant,” I said.

She smiled and began unwrapping the bandage on my head.

“This is Master Rowan’ order,” she said. “If I refuse, I will lose this job. I have a younger sibling and a mother who depend on me. This work keeps them safe.”

I paused, not sure what to say.

“I still…”

“You need me,” she said gently. “The people in this house could harm you at any time.”

I said nothing. Zaria had servants before, so why is Rowan doing this now?

“I will help you bathe,” Emalia continued. “Master will be back soon. He returned early because the young master has been crying since you lost consciousness. He was not allowed to see you.”

“I want to see Dante,” I said at once.

“You will see him,” she replied. “But you must follow Master Rowan’ instructions.”

I frowned.

“Why? I am his mother. Why am I being kept away from my own child?”

“Master wants you to rest,” she explained. “That is why he did not allow the young master to visit you.”

I tried to stand, but my body did not cooperate. The room tilted slightly, and I had to grab onto something. Emalia quickly supported me.

“Careful, Madam,” she said, guiding me toward the bathroom.

I let her help me. She washed my hair, cleaned the dried blood, and helped me stand when my legs felt weak. Being treated like this felt strange. I have never been taken care of like this before.

After the bath, she picked out clothes for me and helped me put them on. She dried my hair, arranged it neatly, and covered the wound on my head. I reached for my contact lenses and held them in my hand. I made a mistake before. I came here without hiding my real eye color. I placed the black lenses in my eyes.

“Your eyes are prettier without them,” Emalia said.

I looked at my reflection. If I show my real eyes, everything will fall apart.

“I prefer this color,” I said.

I picked up a red lipstick and applied it slowly. When I looked in the mirror again, I saw Zaria’s face. The same face. The same look. But I know I am not her. I can not act like her. If anything changes, it has to be her becoming someone new, not me pretending to be someone I am not.

A knock came from the door. Emalia opened it.

“Master has returned. Madam is asked to come to the dining room,” a servant said.

I nodded and stepped out with Emalia.

“Emalia, I will return to my room after this,” I said.

She stopped me with her words.

“No, Madam. From now on, you will stay in the same room as Master.”

I turned to her, thinking I heard wrong.

“What?”

According to Uncle Silas, Rowan and Zaria never shared a room. He never treated her like a wife. They lived separate lives under the same roof.

Then why now? Why is he doing this? And why does it feel like he is watching me even when he is not here? I do not understand what Rowan is thinking. But I know one thing. This is going to be harder than I thought.