Taught Not To Love, Touched By Him

The following day, I made sure to wake up early, exactly the time set for the servants to be up. Though I was never used to waking up that early, I forced myself — Not because I could do it but because it was what I had to do.

My stomach suddenly grumbled.

I hadn't had anything to eat since yesterday. With a sigh, I got down from the bed and left the room. Carrying my aching body, I walked through the corridors until I got to a door which led to the backyard — a place decorated with beautiful flowers.

"Are you lost?" A voice asked behind me.

I stilled immediately but afterwards composed myself and turned around.

A boy, probably my age was standing there and staring at me. By heavens, the boy was breathtaking with an innocent face. A golden hair and blue eyes, clear as the sky above, his lips pink and thin. He smiled warmly and I was almost carried away until someone yanked me from behind.

Another servant.

"Apologies, Master Kevin," the servant said, her head lowered. "She is new here and doesn't know the rules."

"Oh, I see," the boy said. "Don't go around getting lost then," he mumbled while walking away.

After he had left, the servant turned to me, her face filled with scorn. "Were you being stupid or what?" She asked me. "Don't you know that this place is not meant for us? This is Master Kevin's favorite place and no one is allowed to come here except for Linda. If I hadn't come on time, he could have ended up punishing you."

I opened my mouth to speak.

To ask her how I was supposed to know that we servants aren't supposed to come here but I swallowed back all the words.

Seeing what I did, she sighed. "Because you are still new, I won't report this matter to Miss Maria but do not do it again."

"Thanks," I said though not out of gratitude.

She nodded reluctantly and then said. "Follow me, I'll take you to the others."

I silently followed her back, my bare feet brushing against the cold tiles with every hesitant step. The house felt bigger now—like it had stretched overnight, growing heavier, darker, as if it knew I didn't belong.

We turned a corner, and she pushed open a wooden door that led to a long, narrow room filled with activity. Steam floated in the air, clanking noises echoed off the walls, and the sharp scent of cleaning agents mixed with the faint aroma of food.

It was the servants' quarters.

A place hidden behind the glamour of the mansion, where voices were quieter and bodies moved quickly.

"She's new," the girl beside me said to no one in particular.

A few heads turned. Some glanced at me briefly before returning to their tasks—scrubbing, sorting, folding, rushing. No one smiled. No one welcomed me.

They were all… tired.

Emotionally drained.

Like me.

"This way," the girl said, guiding me toward a storage area where clean aprons were folded on a low table.

She handed me one. "You'll start in the laundry section. You'll work with me until you learn the routine."

I took the apron and nodded.

"I'm Celine," she added. "Not that it matters. You're better off not making friends in here."

I gave a small nod again, unsure of what to say—or whether to say anything at all.

She led me down another hall, and soon we reached a space with large basins, hanging sheets, and buckets of soap water that reeked of chemicals. It was warm, humid, and loud. There was no break. No chatter. Just work.

I stood there, unsure of what to do with my hands.

"Don't just stand there," Celine snapped. "Start soaking those clothes in that bucket. And don't wrinkle your nose—you'll get used to the smell."

I moved quickly, mimicking what the others were doing, trying to stay unnoticed.

My arms ached before I even got through the first pile. My fingers stung from the harsh water. My stomach growled again, louder this time, but I bit my lip and forced myself to keep scrubbing.

I didn't come here to cry, I told myself. I came here because I had no choice.

Time passed in a blur of motions—washing, wringing, hanging. At some point, I wasn't sure if my hands were wet from water or tears. But no one asked. No one looked.

They were all just surviving.

It was almost midday when Maria finally walked in, her voice echoing off the walls.

"Meal break. Ten minutes only. Move."

We all filed out like shadows, some slower than others. My legs nearly gave way, but I kept walking, following the others to a small side building that served as the servants' dining area.

It wasn't a dining area, really. Just a narrow room with a long table, chipped plates, and steel cups lined up like factory pieces. A thin slice of bread and a cup of watered soup were placed in front of each seat.

I sat down and stared at mine.

It was the first thing I had seen that even resembled food since I got here.

I picked it up and bit into it, my throat tightening as I chewed.

It was dry. Bland. Barely filling.

But it was food.

And my body was too empty to be proud.

Across the table, someone spoke. A boy with a quiet voice and dark curls.

"You're the new one, right?" he asked.

I paused. Nodded.

"You spoke to Master Kevin this morning."

I looked up, surprised. "I didn't know I wasn't supposed to."

I inwardly wondered how he knew since Celine said she won't mention it to anyone.

He gave a small, sympathetic smile. "No one knows anything when they first arrive. Just… stay out of his sight next time."

"Why?" I asked. "He didn't seem cruel."

"You just learn to stay in your place," another servant replied.

I turned around and was surprised. She was the most prettiest servant among the others.

"Do not assume that because he didn't punish you right away, you can walk away unscathed. Do this again, and I'll take matters into my own hands," she said and then walked away, head high.

I looked around, confused. I didn't know what was happening at all.

Why was she being so arrogant to me? It's not like we've cross paths before.

"That's Linda," Celine whispered to me. "She's Master Kevin's favorite maid. She doesn't let anyone appear before him or that person will get punished."

"What about Miss Maria?" I asked.

"Miss Maria has no authority over her. She does her thing the way she wants," Celine replied with a silent scoff.

"If it's so, why don't she stop being a servant?" I asked her.

"Do you think it's that easy?" Celine grunted. "If it was easy, a lot of us would have stopped being a servant here."

I swallowed hard.

The food had gone cold. Not that it made any difference. It tasted like nothing either way.

My hands stayed curled around the steel cup, and for a moment, I just stared into it. The reflection of my face rippled on the surface, but I barely recognized the girl staring back at me.

Is this my life now?

Ruled by silence, hate, and fear?

"What happens if someone disobeys her?" I asked softly, not looking up.

Celine shrugged with one shoulder. "No one's dumb enough to try. She's not just the favorite—she's the closest to Kevin. She practically grew up in this mansion."

Grew up here?

My eyes shifted toward the doorway Linda had disappeared through. Her posture, her glare, the way everyone in the room shrank when she spoke—it all made sense now. She wasn't just a servant. She was more than a mere servant.

Celine leaned closer. "Listen," she whispered quickly. "Just stay quiet. Keep your head down. Do your chores. Don't look him in the eye. And especially…" she paused, her voice falling even lower, "don't speak unless Linda speaks to you first. That girl's tongue is made of poison, but Kevin swallows every drop of it."

I nodded slowly, not out of understanding, but because there was nothing else to say.

The meal break ended before I could even finish my soup.

"Back to work," someone called out, and everyone began to move again like a machine had just been switched back on.

I stood from the bench, legs stiff, body aching, and followed Celine out into the hallway again.

The day dragged on.

Laundry. More scrubbing. Hanging clothes. Sorting towels. Folding bedsheets.

By the time the sun dipped low and the sky outside turned orange, my fingers were pruned, my back ached, and my knees felt like they would give out at any moment.

And yet—no one stopped.

Just before lights out, Miss Maria reappeared, clipboard in hand, her heels tapping with purpose.

She began to call out names, assigning night duties.

When she got to mine, she didn't even look up.

"Seraphina. Corridor sweeping. Top floor. Stay quiet, and don't linger."

"The top floor?" I blurted before I could stop myself.

Every servant nearby turned to me like I had just committed a sin.

Maria raised her head slowly, her eyes narrowing behind her glasses.

"Did I ask for a question?"

I quickly shook my head. "No, ma'am."

"Then do as you're told."

"Yes, ma'am."

She moved on, but Celine threw me a panicked look.

"Be careful," she whispered once Maria left. "That floor belongs to him."

"Master Kevin?"

Celine didn't reply.

She didn't have to.

The warning was written all over her face.

I nodded once and grabbed the broom from the closet nearby, my heart already sinking as I climbed the staircase toward the floor no one wanted to walk.

Step after step, the house seemed to grow quieter, like it was holding its breath.

When I reached the top, the air was colder. The halls were dimly lit. The walls were cleaner, the carpet softer. Everything here felt… different. Like the luxury had teeth.

And somewhere down that hall, behind one of those ornate doors, I knew Kevin was inside.

I just hoped he didn't open it.

But as I walked towards the beginning of the hall, ready to start sweeping, one of the doors suddenly opened and someone stepped out.