In The Wake Of Love

Chapter 1 : ᴛᴇɴ ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴀɢᴏ

        𝓘'𝓶 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓵𝔂 𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮,
    𝓗𝓪𝓵𝓯 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝓮 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓭𝓲𝓼𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭

                                        𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓝𝓮𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓫𝓸𝓻𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓭

                                ◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

𝚉𝚎𝚙𝚑𝚢𝚛

"Watch where you’re going! Do you even know how to use your fucking eyes?"

I mutter in frustration, the sound barely escaping my lips as I push past the person I collided with. The sharp sting of my hangover throbs behind my eyes, making everything seem even more unbearable. 

As I head up, I glance back at the person I bumped into. A girl stands in the hallway, her ginger hair catching the dim light from a nearby chandelier. Her freckles stand out vividly against her pale skin, and her eyes, sharp and accusatory, narrow into a glare. Her expression is a mixture of annoyance and surprise, and though she’s a bit shorter than me, she looks to be around my age.

What the hell? Who is she, and what’s she doing here at this hour? I scan the area for Nanny Anne, my gaze sweeping over the opulent, but now eerily empty hallway. The silence is punctuated only by the occasional creak of the old wooden frames, heightening my irritation. Where is she when there’s a trespasser?

"Hey, you! Who the hell are you, and what are you doing at my house this early?" I demand, my voice sharp. “Did someone call you for something?”. She doesn't answer. She just keeps glaring at me, her eyes narrow and hard. Her posture remains stiff, and the slight flush in her cheeks hints at her anger. What’s her problem?

“Hey, are you going to answer me or not?” I press, but she remains silent. "Seriously, are you just going to stand there and ignore me? If you don’t start talking, I’m calling the cops!” My frustration sharpens with every word. She still remains silent. Fine by me, she’ll be thrown out of the mansion, I think, my fists clenching at my sides.

I spin around and yell, “Nanny Anne! Nanny Anne, where are you?” My voice echoes off the high, increasing the urgency in my tone. "There’s a trespasser here—”

Suddenly, the girl in front of me grabs me, her small but firm hand clamping over my mouth. My heart races as I try to pull away, but her grip is surprisingly strong for someone so petite. I struggle, as I attempt to break free. I try to kick her to throw her off balance, hoping to escape her grip. Then, she starts mumbling something I can’t quite make out, her voice a low, muffled murmur.

“Hmm… What did you say?” I manage to ask, still trying to wriggle free.

“Don’t call her,” she murmurs urgently. “She’s occupied, and everyone else is asleep.” Her voice is low and hurried, the urgency palpable in her whispered tones. “Why are you making such a racket?” she adds, her tone a mix of irritation and concern.

“I’m making a racket? You’re the one trespassing in my house, and I’m the one causing a disturbance?” I snap angrily as she removes her hand from my mouth and sighs. What’s with the sighing?

“I’m Mia, your nanny’s daughter." She says, the words coming out in a clipped tone. "I’m here to help her, and you’ve just messed up the work I’ve been doing for the last half hour."