I am a maiden in service at the Duke of Westwond's mansion.

I was raised within those walls. My mother served the household all her life, and it was there she met my father. I was born on the estate grounds, though I never knew him for long. My father died not long after my birth, caught in what was later called an assassination attempt.

Many lives were lost that day.

I was still an infant when it happened.

A few years later, the heir of the Westwond family was born. Calvin. The future Duke, destined to inherit his father's name and title.

Not long after, the current Duke passed away after a prolonged illness.

Calvin and I grew up under the same roof, our lives unfolding side by side, though never truly intersecting.

He never noticed me. Never once looked my way, or showed any sign of knowing I existed, no matter how often I was nearby.

I did not believe he needed to.

To him, I was merely another presence among many. I was not the only servant's child raised in the Westwond household.

Still, fate chose a peculiar moment to intervene.

When I came of age, I was assigned as one of his personal attendants.

The news filled me with excitement. To serve the young Duke directly felt like an honor beyond my reach, and my fellow trainees shared the same enthusiasm.

My mother, however, did not celebrate.

Her reaction was subdued, her expression troubled rather than proud.

She warned me to be cautious. She told me never to grow close to the young Duke, no matter the circumstance.

I asked her why, my questions endless and urgent, but she refused to explain.

In the end, I dismissed her concerns.

At the time, her warning seemed excessive. Harmless. Something born of needless worry.

I wish now that I had listened.

The first months passed quietly. I worked diligently, performing my duties without error.

Yet the young Duke was nowhere to be seen.

It felt as though I remained an ordinary servant, assigned to a master who did not exist.

The only distinction was access. I was permitted to enter the Duke's chambers, though they remained empty and untouched by his presence.

Even the senior guards spoke of him in uncertainty.

No one seemed to know where he spent his days.

Then one evening, after completing my assigned tasks, I made my way back to the servants' wing.

The building stood far from the main mansion, separated by long paths and dense woodland.

Those woods were often used by the Westwond family for their hunting outings.

As I passed the lake, its surface reflecting the night sky, I slowed without realizing it.

Something about it drew me in.

I crouched by the water's edge, lingering longer than I should have.

When I finally moved to leave, I lost my footing and fell in.

The lake was shallow, and I knew how to swim. I had spent many quiet hours there during my free time.

I was already making my way back toward the shore when another disturbance rippled through the water.

Someone had entered after me.

An arm wrapped around my waist, guiding me out.

I struggled briefly, more startled than afraid, until I was pulled onto solid ground.

Breathing unevenly, I turned to see who had come to my aid.

That was when everything stopped.

It was him.

The young Duke stood before me, his clothes soaked from the lake.

He had followed me in.

The realization struck me all at once.

Why would he do such a thing?

He looked at me, surprise flashing across his face before his expression sharpened into something unreadable.

His gaze alone was enough to make my thoughts scatter.

I dropped to my knees without thinking, overcome by fear I could not explain.

He shut his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, as though restraining irritation.

Then he spoke.

"Who are you?"

The question confused me, but I answered honestly.

He was younger than I was, yet his presence carried an authority that felt overwhelming.

"My name is Clare," I said. "I am a servant of the Westwond household."

It was the same answer I had given in my past life, and the one before that.

But this time was different.

Facing him now, I lifted my head and spoke with steadiness.

"I am Clare. I work here for the Westwond household. May I know who you are?"

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