Alya stood in front of the large gate of the Byron mansion, her breathing regular but heavy. Her cold fingers smoothed the collar of the black and white uniform that was now wrapped around her body. The uniform, with a small apron tied neatly at the waist, was part of her disguise-Damien Byron's personal maid. She had been through many disguises before, but this time, things felt different. He had not only entered as a spy, but also as a pawn at the center of a bigger game than he had imagined.
"Your identity has been verified. You may enter," the voice of the middle-aged man at the guard post snapped him back to reality. The guard looked at her with a flat expression, though his eyes scrutinized every detail of her.
"Thank you," Alya replied in a low voice, nodding politely.
She stepped through the slowly opening iron gates, into a pathway dotted with small garden lights. The night air was chilly, and the scent of roses from the surrounding gardens made the atmosphere even more suffocating. In front of her, the Byron mansion stood majestic, almost eerie, with its large windows lit dimly like lurking eyes.
"Focus, Alya," she whispered to herself, trying to calm her mind. "You're here to expose them. Not to be afraid."
Her footsteps sounded softly on the marble floor as she entered the main hall of the mansion. A middle-aged woman with her hair tied up in a tight bun-certainly a butler-came up to her.
"You're Alya, aren't you?" the woman asked in a stiff tone. Her name, according to previous information, was Madam Eliza, a butler known for her discipline.
"Yes, Madam Eliza," Alya replied as she bowed her head slightly, following the polite protocol she had learned.
"Eliza is quite. You are directly assigned to serve Young Master Damien. His private room is in the east wing. He doesn't like to wait, so make sure you're never late when he calls for you."
"Understood," Alya said with a nod.
As Eliza turned around and walked away, Alya took note of every detail of the room around her. The hall was decorated with large chandeliers, the walls were full of paintings of the haughty Byron family. Every corner of the room felt like a trap, full of secrets waiting to be uncovered.
**First Meeting with Damien**
Alya knocked on the large door in the east wing as instructed. A heavy voice from inside answered briefly, "Come in."
She opened the door slowly. Inside, Damien Byron sat in an armchair with a relaxed yet authoritative body. His black suit looked impeccable, like it was specially designed to accentuate the intimidating aura he possessed. His piercing eyes looked directly at Alya, as if they could penetrate every layer of her disguise.
"You're my new servant?" he asked, his tone low yet piercing.
"I am, Master Damien," Alya replied in a polite tone, bowing her head slightly. However, she couldn't shake the sensation that this man knew more than he let on.
Damien leaned back, his smile thin but dangerous. "You look young enough for this job. Are you sure you can serve me well?"
Alya swallowed, trying to keep her facial expression calm. "I am well trained, Master. Whatever you need, I am at your service."
"Good," Damien replied as he stood up. He walked over to Alya, his steps slow but filled with authority. "I don't like sloppy servants. If you make a mistake, I will not hesitate to replace your position with someone else."
Alya nodded, though her heart was racing. "I will make sure not to disappoint you, sir."
"Very well. From now on, you will be here when I need you. There's no reason to be late," he said, his voice cold before he returned to his seat. "You may leave. But make sure you understand the rules here."
Alya looked down once more before exiting the room. As the door closed behind her, she took a deep breath. It was the first encounter that made her hair stand on end. Damien was not only scary, but also intelligent. She had to be careful at all times.
**Secret Duty Begins**
That night, Alya sat in her own room, a small room near the kitchen reserved for servants. She turned on a small device in her pocket, a communication device that connected directly with Sofia.
"Alya, did you make it?" asked Sofia in a quiet but curious voice.
"Yes, I've met Damien. He's... exactly what we expected. Clever, controlling, and... suspicious."
"Good. Use every opportunity to gain access to documents or information. You know what to look for."
Alya nodded even though Sofia couldn't see her. "I'll keep an eye out. But it won't be easy. He looks at everyone like he's interrogating them."
"You knew the risks from the start. Make sure you don't make her suspicious."
"Understood," Alya replied before turning off her comms.
She stared out the small window of her room, her mind drifting back to the laboratory she had found earlier. The women inside the glass tube, the photo of her found among the documents, and Damien's enigmatic smile-all felt like parts of a larger puzzle that she needed to solve. But for now, she can only wait and prepare for the next step.
Alya woke up early in the morning to a quick knock on her bedroom door. The sun had not yet fully risen, and the corridor was still shrouded in darkness. Quickly, she straightened her uniform and opened the door. Outside, Madam Eliza stood with the same cold expression as the night before.
"Damien called for you," Eliza said matter-of-factly. "He wants you to bring him breakfast in the study."
Alya swallowed, trying to calm herself down. "Okay, I'll be right there."
Eliza didn't wait for any further reply and walked away. Alya took a deep breath before heading to the kitchen. There, the other servants were already busy preparing food for the mansion's residents. A chef handed over a tray filled with porcelain plates with expensive and luxurious looking food.
"This is for Damien," the chef said quietly.
Alya nodded and took the tray. As she walked towards Damien's study, her mind kept spinning. What did Damien want from her this early in the morning? Did he suspect something, or was this just a normal routine?
When she reached the study door, she knocked lightly three times.
"Come in," Damien's voice came clearly from behind the door.
Alya opened the door carefully and stepped inside. Damien sat behind a large desk filled with documents and laptops, looking busy but relaxed. The morning sunlight streaming in through the large window behind him made his figure look even more intimidating.
"Put it here," he said, pointing to the corner of the desk.
Alya approached, setting down the tray carefully. As she stepped back, Damien lifted his gaze from the document he was reading and looked at Alya with a sharp glare.
"How did you find this mansion?" he asked suddenly.
Alya almost lost her balance. The question came so quickly, without warning. However, she quickly got a hold of herself and replied in a calm tone, "I was accepted through the recruitment Madam Eliza held, sir."
Damien gave a small smile, but it didn't feel friendly. "Really? I'm always curious about the new people in this mansion. Especially if they are directly assigned to serve me."
"Madam Eliza says I meet the qualifications to serve you directly, sir," Alya replied, maintaining her eye contact despite her fluttering heart.
Damien did not say anything else. He just stared at her for a few moments before refocusing on the document in front of him. "You may leave."
Alya nodded slowly and quickly walked out of the room, but she knew Damien's piercing gaze would linger in her mind. What did he mean by that question? Did he suspect her?
---
**Unusual Assignment**
That afternoon, Alya had just finished cleaning one of the rooms when Eliza called her again. This time, her tone was a little more urgent.
"Damien needs someone to take these documents to the archive warehouse in the basement," Eliza said as she handed over a large folder containing documents. "Make sure you don't open anything. This is confidential business."
Alya accepted the document with a nod. "Understood, madam."
However, as soon as she turned around and started walking towards the basement, curiosity began to arise in her mind. If this was really confidential, why would Damien entrust her with the document? What did it contain?
The corridor leading to the basement was getting quieter and colder. The neon lights on the ceiling emitted a flickering white light, adding to the eerie atmosphere. When she reached the archive door, she saw the electronic keypad that locked the door.
Alya tapped the keypad in the pattern she had been taught, and the door opened with a mechanical sound. The room inside was full of tall shelves filled with documents and archive boxes. In the center of the room, there was a large desk that looked like someone's workplace.
He walked over to the desk, putting down the folder Eliza had given him, but his eyes were drawn to the other documents scattered on the desk. One of the papers featured a strange diagram, like the anatomy of the human body with a small note next to it.
Alya's curiosity peaked. She picked up one of the documents and started reading it. Words like *"perfect generation experiment '* and *'test subject "* made her blood rush.
"Alya, where are you?" Sofia's voice came over the comm.
"I'm in the basement, in the archive room. I found something big," Alya replied as she continued reading.
"You have to be careful. If Damien or Eliza find out you're reading something that's none of your business, you're finished," Sofia warned.
However, before Alya could respond, the sound of footsteps approached from the direction of the door. Quickly, she put the document back in its place and hid behind one of the shelves.
The door opened, and Damien's voice rang out, speaking to someone she didn't recognize.
"We need to speed up the trials," Damien said. "I want to see the results before the week is out."
"But those subjects aren't ready yet. If we push, the risk of failure will be high," another male voice replied.
"Failure is not an option," Damien replied coldly.
Alya held her breath. She knew she was hearing something she shouldn't.