Mated to the Mad Lord-Chapter 40: Leaving the mansion

"Today’s Sunday, so you’ll be heading home with the others," Cain said casually, his voice tinged with disinterest as he adjusted his robe. "You can pick up your weekly allowance once you’re done dressing. I expect you back by morning."

Violet’s head snapped up, her eyes wide in disbelief. For a moment, she thought she’d misheard him. It was something Rane had mentioned in passing, but she’d never believed Cain would actually let her leave, even briefly.

"You haven’t been attending Ravon’s lessons, so you might not know!" Cain added before striding into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

Violet stood frozen, her thoughts racing. When the realization hit, she nearly skipped to her room, her mood soaring. In record time, she bathed, dressed, and packed her bag, the corners of her lips pulled into a permanent, giddy smile. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so lighthearted.

Minutes later, she emerged from her room, ready to leave, only to see Cain stepping out of the bathroom. He was toweling his hair, water glistening on his well-defined chest, but he made no effort to dry himself further.

Violet’s smile faltered. Her heart began to thump against her ribs as her eyes betrayed her, flickering briefly over his damp, muscled frame. She quickly looked away, berating herself for reacting at all, but not before she caught the sly grin Cain sent her way.

"You look better compared to yesterday," he remarked, smirking as he approached her. "You were wailing like a child. Try acting more like the man that you are Viole."

Violet clenched her fists, choosing to focus on her bag instead of his words. Cain reached for something on his table, then stopped in front of her, holding out an envelope.

"Your allowance," he said. freeweɓnovel.cøm

Violet accepted it with a small bow, her fingers trembling slightly as she clutched the envelope. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, eager to leave, when Cain’s hand reached out, brushing the tips of her hair.

The unexpected touch sent a jolt down her spine. His fingers threaded through her hair with deliberate slowness, igniting an unfamiliar warmth in her scalp that she tried to suppress.

It’s just fear, she told herself firmly. Nothing more.

"Your hair’s grown longer," Cain murmured, his tone softer than she expected. "It suits you."

Violet lowered her head further, her cheeks burning as she desperately tried to compose herself. Her relief was palpable when he finally waved her toward the door.

"I expect you back by Monday morning," he repeated, his tone sharpening. The subtle edge in his voice felt more like a warning than a reminder.

The door had barely closed behind Violet when Cain leaned back against his work table, still damp from his shower. He whistled sharply, and within seconds, the door slammed open. A guard rushed in, dropping to one knee.

"You called, my lord!"

Cain didn’t look at him immediately. Instead, his eyes drifted to the top shelf of his cabinet, where a red vial from Ravon sat ominously.

"Follow him," Cain ordered, his voice calm yet commanding. "I want to know everything he does... and clean up the basement. Start with the smelliest bodies."

The guard bowed his head low. "I live to obey my liege!"

Cain waited until the door shut again before letting his frown surface. His gaze returned to the vial, its contents glinting menacingly in the low light. He clenched his fists--If the curse truly required Violet’s presence to suppress, it meant he was bound to him—his beast tethered to another man in ways that made his skin crawl and ignite from pleasure both at the same time.

He turned toward the large windows, looking out at the gardens below. His jaw tightened as his thoughts darkened.

I want to kill them all... and burn this mansion to the ground, he thought bitterly. Maybe then I won’t feel like a prisoner in my own home, thinking about all the spies he was surrounded with.

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The envelope felt heavier than Violet expected as she sat in the cramped public cab heading home. She didn’t dare open it, let alone count the money. The idea of flashing cash in public sent a shiver down her spine.

Her smile grew as the familiar sight of her home came into view. She pulled the band from around her neck, stashing it safely in her bag before rushing inside.

"Mother!" Violet cried, her voice breaking as tears welled in her eyes.

Her mother looked up from her sewing, her hands pausing mid-stitch. "Violet!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up just as her younger siblings came running down the stairs.

"Violet! You’re here!" Sarah squealed, throwing her arms around her older sister.

"You look different! Did you cut your hair?" Oliver asked, grinning as he took in her appearance. "Looks like the house you work for is treating you well."

"You’ve put on some weight!" her mother added warmly, pulling Violet into a tight embrace. For the first time in months, Violet allowed herself to relax. The constant fear of Cain’s temper and the looming threat of death faded into the background as she soaked in the warmth of her family.

But the moment was shattered when her father’s voice cut through the room.

"You got your allowance for the week, right?" he asked as he entered the cramped living room that doubled as a dining area.

The question hit Violet like a slap. The anger that simmered deep within her flared to life.

"Money. Is that all you care about?" she snapped, glaring at him.

Her father didn’t flinch. "Of course not," he replied, his tone laced with entitlement. "But while you’ve been eating fancy meals, we’ve been struggling here."

Before Violet could unleash her fury, her mother intervened. "Anything you can spare would help," she said gently. "Oliver and Sarah have been working, but their wages went toward clothes and supplies they needed,"

Violet’s stomach churned. So I don’t need the money? she thought bitterly, pulling the envelope from her pocket. She opened it briefly, estimating its value with visble surprise—at least ten thousand.

Silently, she withdrew two thousand and handed it to her mother, ignoring the greedy glint in her father’s eyes.

"I’m going to my room," she said curtly, picking up her bags and turning away.

Her siblings followed her, their faces full of excitement.

"So, where are you working now?" Sarah asked eagerly. "Is it a good place?"

"It’s amazing right? Mr. Rexter said he got you the job and got us the one I and Oliver work in!"she added with a soft note to her tone when she said his name.

A name that stopped Violet cold. Her heart sank, fear twisting in her gut.

"Rexter?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah nodded enthusiastically, oblivious to the panic in Violet’s expression. "Yeah! He’s got these dreamy red eyes and was super kind when we met him. He said he pulled some strings to get you where you are."

Violet’s blood ran cold, her mind racing. Rexter-the red she was to spy for! That can’t be a coincidence.