CHAPTER 91: 91 - STILL STANDING

Chapter 91

~Lisa’s POV

When the morning bell rang, I forced myself up. I cleaned my face, dressed quickly, and tied my hair back. It was kitchen duty today. No one cared if I’d cried all night. I was still expected to show up.

The kitchen was already bustling when I arrived. The head maid looked over her shoulder and barked, "Lisa, you’re late."

"I’m sorry, ma," I muttered, moving quickly to the counter.

Breakfast was being plated for the Alphas, toast stacked neatly in a silver rack, roasted potatoes golden and glistening with a light sheen of butter, fresh juice squeezed from oranges so ripe the scent floated in the air, eggs soft and fluffy, and strips of bacon cooked just the way they liked it, crisp at the edges but still tender in the middle. The smell was warm and mouthwatering, the kind of smell that usually made my stomach growl. But this morning, my stomach twisted instead, a tight, nervous knot forming inside me.

The head maid’s voice cut sharply through the kitchen noise. "Take this to the main dining room. You and you," she pointed at two other maids standing nearby, "go with her."

We all nodded, almost in unison. The silver trays weren’t heavy, but I gripped mine like it might slip out of my hands if I loosened my hold. The polished lid reflected the flicker of the kitchen lamps, and I kept my eyes down so I wouldn’t catch sight of my own face.

As we stepped into the hallway, the sound of our footsteps echoed faintly against the walls. The air outside the kitchen felt cooler, sharper, like it was waiting for something to happen. My heart was already beating faster, the kind of rhythm that made my chest feel too small. My palms were sweaty around the tray handles, and I could feel my lips trembling no matter how many times I told myself in my head, Stop. Don’t be scared. Breathe. But the truth was, no matter what I told myself, the fear sat stubbornly in my bones.

The main dining hall came into view, its tall double doors already open, inviting yet intimidating. Inside, it was... empty. Completely empty. No hum of conversation, no scrape of chairs. Just silence. The kind of silence that presses against your ears.

We walked inside, the sound of the trays being set down breaking the stillness for a moment. The maids beside me got to work quickly, one unfolding crisp white napkins with practiced hands, the other placing glasses so perfectly aligned they looked like they had been measured. I followed along quietly, setting out the cutlery, making sure every fork, knife, and spoon sat in perfect order. My movements were careful, almost stiff.

I kept my eyes fixed on the table, on the shine of the silverware, on anything that wasn’t the mirrors along the far wall. I couldn’t look at them, and I was glad that they were not around.

Just as we finished arranging everything, the air shifted, and a faint sound came from the doorway. The large wooden door creaked open.

And they walked in.

Kael first. Then Damon. Then Rowan.

Kael’s eyes immediately landed on me. I dropped my gaze, but it didn’t matter.

"Hmm, breakfast is here," he said with a smirk.

They walked toward the table casually, laughing about something I couldn’t hear. My heart was thudding like a drum.

I turned, ready to leave, but suddenly...

SMACK.

Kael’s hand landed hard on my butt.

"Alpha Kael!" I gasped, spinning to face him, my cheeks burning.

He laughed, loud and careless. "What? Just saying good morning, kitten."

Rowan grinned. "You really should be used to it by now."

"I’m not your toy," I said quietly but clearly. "Please... don’t touch me like that again."

Kael raised a brow. "What did you say?"

"I said don’t touch me again," I repeated, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "I’m here to serve. That’s all."

Rowan laughed cruelly. "Look who grew a spine overnight."

"I’m not joking," I snapped. "Leave me alone."

Kael’s smile dropped slightly. His eyes darkened.

"You think just because we let you breathe, you can talk back?" he hissed.

"You think your pain makes you powerful?" I said, my voice louder now. "It doesn’t. It just made you cruel."

The room went dead silent for a moment.

Even the maids stopped moving.

Damon looked at me from across the room, his expression unreadable.

For a second, I held my breath.

I thought... maybe he’d say something. Maybe he’d defend me. Maybe the boy who gave me that stupid little doll still existed inside him. I stared at him, waiting, pleading silently with my eyes for just a single word.

But he didn’t say anything.

He didn’t move toward me.

He just turned around... and walked out.

Like I was nothing.

Like I didn’t matter.

I blinked, stunned. My chest tightened, like all the air had been sucked out of the room. I wasn’t expecting him to save me, not really, but I didn’t think he’d abandon me so easily either.

Kael laughed behind me, sharp and bitter. "You really are pushing your luck."

His voice scraped against my nerves like nails on glass.

Rowan stepped closer, his face hovering inches from mine. That cruel smirk tugged at his lips like he enjoyed watching me fall apart. "You might want to remember your place, Lisa."

I lifted my chin, even though my heart was thudding painfully in my chest.

"I remember it every day," I whispered. "It’s the one where I was raped and beaten by the people fate said were supposed to love me."

The silence that followed was deafening. The maids gasped behind me, shocked, as if I had just confessed a crime. But I didn’t care. I didn’t care who heard it. I didn’t care if they punished me for it.

It was the truth.

It was my truth.

I turned around slowly, walked out with my fists clenched so tightly I could feel my nails digging into my palms. I didn’t stop. I didn’t flinch. I didn’t cry.

Let them be angry.

Let them hate me.

They’ve already done the worst things possible to me. And yet, I’m still here. I’m still standing.

They couldn’t break me again. Not this time.

And as for Damon...?

He could take his silence and shove it where the moon doesn’t shine.

Because if he couldn’t speak up now, when I needed him the most, then he was just like the others.

Maybe even worse.