CHAPTER 58: 58 - REGRET IT

58

~Belinda’s POV

I returned to the palace through the same back path. It was almost dark now. No one saw me slip back into my room.

I locked the door behind me and sat on the bed, staring at the vial in my hand.

"This is it," I whispered. "Soon, she’ll be gone."

There was a knock on the door.

"My lady?" Cecilia’s voice came through softly. "Dinner is ready. Should I bring it to you?"

I smiled. "No,"

"Cecilia!"

"My lady?"

I smiled at her. A sweet, soft smile. The kind of people like me are supposed to wear. "Come," I said, motioning with my fingers.

She looked a bit confused, but moved closer to me quickly. I made sure that the door was locked.

She looked at me. "Is everything alright, my lady?"

I moved closer and lowered my voice. "I need you to do something for me."

She blinked, curious. "Of course, my lady. We had that discussion earlier,"

"You’ll be paid for it. A lot, just like I said earlier," I added quickly.

Her eyes lit up. She smiled and bowed slightly. "Then I’ll do it. Whatever it is."

I took a deep breath and pulled the vial out from my cloak. It was cold in my hand.

She looked at it, then back at me. "What’s that?"

"It’s... something to put in food."

Her eyes narrowed. "What kind of something?"

I met her eyes and didn’t blink. "Poison."

She gasped. "What?"

"I want you to put a few drops in Lisa’s food."

Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.

"Just a few drops," I said quickly. "Not too much. Just like this..." I held up my fingers to show a tiny space between them. "She’ll eat. Then she’ll sleep. And she won’t wake up."

Cecilia looked frozen. "But... why?"

I watched her hold the vial like it was a snake, like it might suddenly leap from her hand and sink its teeth into her skin. Her fingers trembled.

"That’s not your business," I snapped, stepping in closer. But then I caught myself and softened my voice, just enough to keep her hooked. "Just know she deserves it. And you’ll get paid. More than you’ve ever been paid in your life."

Cecilia glanced up at me, her eyes darting back and forth, filled with fear and curiosity. "I... I don’t know, my lady. What if someone finds out?"

I let out a dry laugh. "No one will. I won’t be near the kitchen. You’ll put it in her food and leave. That’s it. No one will suspect a thing. And if they do, I’ll protect you."

She hesitated, still clutching the vial like it would shatter at the slightest movement. "But... but if she dies and they trace it back... won’t they check who was near her last?"

"Cecilia," I said her name softly, walking even closer until I was right in front of her. Lisa is always rude to everyone. She talks back. She stirs trouble. No one likes her. If she dies, no one will care. They’ll think it was her time. A fever or a bad reaction to food. No one will question it if it’s quiet."

She bit her lower lip, and I saw the war inside her, fear pulling one way, temptation pulling the other. Her gaze fell again to the vial in her hand.

"How much will you pay me?" she asked suddenly, her voice a little louder, a little steadier.

I smiled. I had her now.

"Fifty gold coins."

Her mouth dropped slightly. Her fingers tightened around the vial.

I stepped even closer, lowering my voice so only she could hear. "And another fifty if you do it right. If she dies quietly. No pain. No mess. Just sleep."

Cecilia looked stunned. "A hundred gold coins..."

"Yes," I nodded. "More than enough for you to disappear if you ever feel scared. You could leave the palace. Start your own life."

She looked at me then, really looked. Like she was trying to see through me, into my soul. I held her gaze, steady and calm. I wasn’t going to flinch.

After a long moment, she nodded slowly. "Alright... I’ll do it."

I smiled then. A deep, pleased smile. "Good girl."

She took the vial from my hand with more care now, like she’d made peace with the darkness she was about to step into. Still, her fingers trembled, and I could see the sweat starting to gather at her hairline.

"Make sure no one sees you," I whispered. "You put it in her food and walk away. That’s all."

Cecilia nodded again. "When do you want it done?"

"Tomorrow."

"That’s your chance," I said, keeping my voice low and steady as I stared into her nervous eyes. "No one will check. Just make sure only she eats that plate."

Cecilia looked pale. She clutched the small glass vial tighter, almost like it might slip from her hand. Her lips trembled slightly as she asked, "But... what if someone else eats it by mistake?"

I narrowed my eyes. My tone turned sharper, colder. "Then make sure they don’t."

Her breath hitched. She didn’t move.

I leaned closer, so close she could feel the weight behind my words. "I’m trusting you with this, Cecilia. Don’t make me regret it."

She nodded quickly, looking down at the floor. "Yes, my lady," she whispered.

I reached out and touched her arm, not gently, not warmly, but firmly. She flinched at my touch, but I didn’t care.

"Remember," I said slowly. "Quiet. She just sleeps. Nothing loud. No screams. No panic."

Cecilia raised her eyes to mine. There was fear there. But more than that, curiosity. Greed. The gold was beginning to speak louder than her conscience.

"Yes, my lady," she murmured again.

I took a step back, giving her room. "Good," I said. "Now go."

She hesitated for half a second, then turned. Her steps were soft, barely making a sound against the tiled floor. She held the vial like it was a fragile egg, close to her chest, hidden beneath the fold of her apron.

Just as her fingers touched the doorknob, I called out, "Cecilia."

She paused. "Yes?"

"If you mess this up..." I trailed off. Let the weight of the silence fill in the rest of that sentence.

She nodded again without turning around. "I won’t, my lady."

With that, she slipped out the door, quiet as a mouse.