𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 || 𝐂𝐨𝐛𝐫𝐚 𝐊𝐚𝐢

⩇1️:⩇⩇

꩜ .ᐟ

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 Tory opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the soft hum of a vacuum cleaner. The second was the sensation of a warm, weighty blanket draped over her. She sat up abruptly, her heart racing, her eyes darting around the unfamiliar room.

It was large—way too large—and filled with sunlight streaming through enormous floor-to-ceiling windows. A plush cream carpet covered the floor, and the furniture was sleek and modern. Brandon was still asleep on the sofa across from her, his small body curled under a thick quilt.

"Good morning," a voice chirped, startling her. Tory turned to see a woman in a crisp uniform standing by the doorway, a dust cloth in hand.

"Who are you?" Tory demanded, instinctively drawing the blanket closer around her.

"I'm Min-seo," the woman said with a warm smile. "One of Miss Yuko's maids. Breakfast is being prepared for you and your brother, and I brought up some clothes for you both."

Tory's eyes narrowed. "Clothes? What are you talking about?"

Min-seo gestured toward a sleek wardrobe on the far wall. "Miss Yuko had some outfits sent over this morning. She thought you'd want something fresh to wear after last night."

Tory pushed the blanket aside and stood, crossing the room to open the wardrobe. Inside were two neatly folded outfits: a soft, expensive-looking sweater and jeans for her, and a smart little button-up shirt and slacks for Brandon.

"What is this?" Tory muttered under her breath, her fingers brushing the fabric. "Why would she do this?"

Min-seo tilted her head slightly, as if trying to gauge Tory's reaction. "Miss Yuko has a generous heart," she said simply. "She often helps people in need."

Tory scoffed, stepping back from the wardrobe. "Generous? This is overkill. We're not charity cases."

Before Min-seo could respond, two more maids entered the room, one carrying a tray of toiletries and the other a pitcher of water. They moved quickly, setting everything down on a nearby table and tidying up the already immaculate space.

"Can you stop?" Tory snapped, her frustration bubbling over. "We don't need all this. I don't need all this. Who even lives like this?"

Min-seo didn't flinch at Tory's outburst. Instead, she offered a calm, understanding smile. "Miss Yuko only wants to make you and your brother comfortable. If there's anything you don't want, you don't have to accept it."

Tory folded her arms, biting back a retort. The truth was, the warm room, the clean clothes, the safety—it all felt nice. But it also felt suffocating, like it came with strings she couldn't see yet.

Brandon stirred on the sofa, rubbing his eyes and yawning. "Tory?" he mumbled sleepily.

"Hey," she said softly, her anger melting away as she crouched beside him. "You okay?"