"Dinner isn't over." His gaze sliced toward me. "That's the rule."
I sat back down stiffly, fingers digging into my palm. The sting of my nails breaking skin barely kept me from falling apart.
The rest of dinner was torture.
Finally, Pakhan stood and headed to his study. I thought I could escape.
"Let's go to the sitting room," Vanessa said, linking her arm through Silas's. "I want some fruit. That steak was too heavy."
Silas let her lead him to the sofa.
I started to slip away, but Vanessa's voice stopped me like a curse. "Anthea, come along. The doctor said pregnant women need to move around. Staying cooped up isn't good for the baby."
I wanted to refuse, but Silas's look told me I had no choice. My feet felt like lead as I followed.
The sitting room fireplace blazed, but it didn't warm me at all.
Vanessa curled against Silas, the two of them draped over each other like conjoined twins. A fruit platter sat on the coffee table—expensive imported varieties.
"These apples aren't peeled yet." Vanessa frowned, then her eyes landed on me naturally. "Anthea, would you mind? I'm sure you're better at it than those clumsy maids."
I clenched my fists, looked at Silas, hoping he'd say something. But he just leaned back on the sofa, one hand on Vanessa's waist, watching me coldly like I truly meant nothing.
In that moment, my heart turned to ice.
"Fine," I said, voice dry.
I walked to the table and picked up a fruit knife, mechanically peeling the apple.
Vanessa giggled, feeding Silas a grape. He opened his mouth and took it. When his lips brushed her fingers, Vanessa jerked her hand back with exaggerated playfulness. "You bit me!"
My knife slipped, taking off a huge chunk of apple. But they didn't notice. I arranged the sliced pieces on a plate and pushed it toward them.
Vanessa speared a piece with a fork and held it to Silas's lips. "Darling, try it."
Silas ate from her hand. My vision blurred. Enough. I'd had enough.
"Can I go now?" I was practically begging.
Vanessa seemed bored with her game. She waved dismissively. "Go. Have the maids clean this up."
I fled that suffocating room like a pardoned prisoner. As I turned, I thought I heard Silas's low laugh.
I ducked into the kitchen, desperate for water to wash down the lump in my throat.
A few maids were clustered together, chatting. When I walked in, they went silent. Strange looks passed between them. Since Vanessaarrived, the staff had learned to show different faces to different people. They knew who the real future mistress was.
I pretended not to notice and poured myself water. Then I remembered I hadn't taken my prenatal vitamin. I went to the cabinet, but the bottle that was usually on the middle shelf was gone. I looked around and finally spotted it on the very top shelf.
"Who moved the vitamins up there?" I asked.
"Oh, probably someone cleaning put them there," Martha said, turning to wipe the counter.
Since that day in the garden when she'd followed Vanessa's orders, Martha had changed. I knew why. The maid who'd helped me in the garden had been fired on trumped-up charges that Vanessa invented. I couldn't save her. Martha was scared of ending up the same way. I understood completely.
The other maids were the same, afraid any association with me would offend Vanessa. They followed Martha's lead and busied themselves.
I stared helplessly at the top shelf. I could barely reach it normally, let alone with this belly.
