Chapter 388
Mila was so hungry her head was starting to spin.
Across from her, the man picked up his cane and, with the silver-engraved handle, tapped lightly on the pair of silk gloves resting on the table-the ones she'd just taken off and set down.
She sucked in a deep breath, exasperated.
Seriously?
What was with this obsessive compulsion? The urge to laugh bubbled up, but she fought it down and obediently slipped the gloves back on. Just as she finished, the plate of pastries was handed over again.
She took a bite. The dessert was so sweet it nearly brought her to tears.
Finally, something to eat.
At this point, anything tasted delicious to her. She did her best to eat with a semblance of grace, but she didn't bother to slow down; soon, the pastries were gone.
A small cup of coffee appeared.
She drank it in one gulp, wincing at the bitterness.
Honestly, she was still hungry. The pastries had only been a few tiny pieces, nowhere near enough. But the man ignored her, sitting off to the side, eyes fixed on his book.
The garden was utterly silent.
With the veil draped over her head, Mila couldn't see a thing-appreciating the garden was out of the question. Everything in her view was just a blur of color.
Still, she could make out one thing:
Black and crimson roses dominated the garden-the same variety as the one the man had placed in her palm earlier.
She didn't get it.
He'd brought her here by force, hadn't killed her, hadn't made any demands, barely even said a word. He refused any attempt at communication. What was the point of all this?
supposed to live or die? Couldn't
put down his book. Gloved in black
beneath the edge of her
butterfly perched delicately
he wanted. Was she supposed to take it? She hesitantly reached out, and the butterfly fluttered down to
returned to his
simply enduring the silence. Time crawled toward noon. Mila was almost dozing off in the heat when, suddenly, a shadow fell over her, snapping her
veil, several
servants—she could tell by their uniforms—set up a sunshade overhead and
Her stomach growled.
didn't
stole a glance at the man. He closed his book, handed it to a waiting
one paid
she supposed to eat or
...
gold gown,
no one stopped
a piece of roast chicken from the nearest platter, lifting
No one intervened.
was allowed to eat?
kidnapper starves their
herself starve to death. Mila didn't bother with
standing silently
from
in her wrought-iron chair before
barely eaten
beneath her veil, Mila glared at the man still dining
Lunch ended soon after.
she'd never gotten a taste in
liked to walk
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!