A sudden, raucous voice hit their ears sharply, causing both Cixi and Anna to flinch. Caught off guard, they turned in the direction from which the noise came, only to see an older man in a perfect dark grey suit striding toward them.

"Mr Bist," Anna immediately nodded her head in a bow to show respect to the butler of the palace.

Instead of returning the greeting to Anna, he scolded her. "You are not paid to stand here chatting!" His eyes flicked briefly to Cixi before returning to the maid. "You are paid to work!"

Anna bowed her head once more in a way that showed she accepted her mistake and then straightened at once. "Mr Bist, I was only informing Miss that if she needed anything, she could call room service and—"

"That is not your part of the job. She is not yet part of the Crown family, so you are not obliged to assist her; instead of focusing on your assigned duties."

"But—" When Anna attempted to speak, Mr Bist interrupted her before she could complete her thought.

"I think you are done here, Anna. You may return to your duties."

Anna gave a quick, sympathetic glance at Cixi before bowing to Mr Bist and hurriedly walking away, not uttering another word. Cixi stood there, feeling awkward and confused, unsure of who the man was. His authoritative manner made it clear that she was not welcome in the palace, and that stung despite knowing she wasn’t welcome.

Once Anna was out of sight, Mr Bist shifted his full attention to Cixi. Though his expression remained stoic, there was nothing warm or inviting about it.

"I am the butler of this palace. Madam Tamara Crown informed me that you have placed yourself here to live." His gaze dropped briefly to her belly before rising again. "I trust you will not distract the staff from now on. I would not like any of them to lose their jobs because of you."

His insult, aimed squarely at Cixi, cut deeply, as if she had earned it.

"I wonder what Cassian will remove from you first." This time, the butler was left reeling. "Your eyes, for daring to meet mine with such contempt? Perhaps your tongue, for speaking to me in this manner? And then, I would wager, he will go so far as to gut you for having the audacity to insult his fiancée and our unborn child."

Cixi didn’t want to be rude, nor did she want to sound like a butcher. She was simply recalling the lessons she had learned from Cassian. She wondered if he was right about her joining his gang.

Was it wrong to bully a bully? Not at all, she concluded. This man before her could have easily ignored her, but he had chosen to hurl insults at her intentionally, so he deserved what was coming to him.

The mention of Cassian’s name and the way she threatened him sent a surge of panic through the butler, but he quickly regained his composure, having mastered the art of a poker face.

She was definitely his girlfriend, the butler thought. He had no doubt left anymore now that she talked openly about cutting and gutting people while the other maids were passing by.

Clearing his throat, he addressed Cixi again, this time with a tone that was no longer as rude but still carried a hint of condescension. "Madam Tamara has asked to see you. Please follow me."

With that, he turned and walked away, not bothering to check if she would comply. Cixi took a slow breath, satisfaction bubbling within her at how his tone had softened. With a faint smile, she followed him.

Cixi followed Mr Bist through corridor after corridor until they reached a door where two aesthetically pleasing women stood at the threshold, looking less like attendants and more like figures placed there for display.

The moment they opened the doors, a sweep of floral fragrance drifted over her, almost cloying in its richness.

"Madam is waiting inside," the butler informed, and after delivering the message, he walked away without another glance at any of the women present.

Cixi watched his retreating back for a brief second, then faced the women before stepping inside.

Two more women stood waiting beyond the entrance. One greeted her with a slight bow, and the other guided her onward, deeper into the palace.

Cixi could not help but look around as she walked behind the woman. The place felt like a world unto itself.

The amount of walking people needed to go from one room to another meant a person living in such a place would never need a morning walk or an evening stroll.

However, she wasn’t in the mood for a walk but to eat and drink something. Yesterday, on Cassian’s soft bed, Cixi had slept the whole day and night, except for the time when she woke to drink water.

Cixi focused on the surroundings. The air was perfumed with a mix of flowers and slow-burning incense.

A large brass bowl of water stood in the middle, with a Buddha figure resting in it, and soft music floated through the passage in a soothing melody.

At the end of a long corridor, the attendant opened another door, revealing three women in their late forties to fifties reclining in comfortable chairs in relaxed postures, and among them was Tamara.

The attendant walked away after taking Cixi to where she needed to be.

Cixi observed each woman with one leg immersed in a wide bowl of warm water strewn with rose petals, while a professional masseuse worked on the other leg with scented oil.

When Cixi saw the three women with their eyes closed and enjoying the foot massage, not paying attention to her arrival, she cleared her throat lightly.

"You wanted to meet me?"

All three women opened their eyes in unison and looked at her.

They were not merely looking at her but were inspecting her.