Unlike the other girls, who often lazed until nine before starting their lessons, Anna Belkowska had a habit of arriving early at the classroom villa. Ambitious and not one to blend in with the others, she preferred to start her day ahead of schedule.
Simon's words from the night before had kept her restless all night. The girl had spent hours pondering her future and even the purpose of her life.
Still, her disciplined routine remained unaffected. Carrying her bag of books, Anna entered the villa as usual. Normally, she would begin her day in the library, reviewing her notes. However, today, an inexplicable urge led her to the classroom.
Pushing open the door, her gaze swept across the rows of desks to the blackboard at the front, where mathematical formulas were densely scrawled.
It was surprising but not entirely unusual.
Anna had heard that Ms. Uliana was not only a former professor of mathematics at Moscow University but also an academician of the Soviet Academy of Sciences—a truly remarkable figure.
However, as Anna stepped into the room, her eyes widened in astonishment—not because of the formulas, which were far beyond her high-school-level understanding, but because of the mess scattered across the floor near the blackboard.
At first, she wasn't quite sure what she was seeing. As she approached, she recognized the items: buttons, large fragments of black fabric—clearly the remnants of a tailored suit, likely Ms. Uliana's. Next were pieces of white cloth, torn shreds of a woman's blazer, a tattered blouse, and finally, a bra torn clean in two.
From the bottom up?
Anna's face flushed as her eyes darted back to the formulas on the blackboard. Upon closer inspection, she noticed something odd: while the left side of the board was neatly written, the handwriting on the right half grew progressively shakier, as if the writer had been deeply... unsettled.
Her mind ran wild, tinged with an exasperation akin to that of a girlfriend dealing with a mischievous boyfriend.
After a moment of hesitation, Anna set down her bag and began cleaning up the mess.
Just as she gathered the torn garments into a trash bag and discreetly placed it in a corner, she heard a noise behind her. Acting on instinct to cover for someone, she casually moved away from the evidence before turning toward the door.
It was their English teacher, Maria Rozin.
Maria, a woman in her early forties with glasses, exuded a calm and gentle demeanor that contrasted sharply with Ms. Uliana's commanding elegance. Though Maria was also beautiful, her warm personality often reminded Anna of the mother she sometimes wished she had.
Maria's abilities were equally impressive. Beyond her native Russian and Ukrainian, she was fluent in English, German, French, Italian, and Spanish. Many of the girls even joked that teaching only English was a waste of her talents.
Privately, the girls had discussed the possibility of consolidating their language classes under Maria's instruction. When asked about this, Maria had simply smiled and said having two teachers was better, as it created more job opportunities.
Anna, who didn't much care for the aloof and proud French teacher, Victoria Pulzer, found Maria's kindness endearing and wished it could be so. But such decisions weren't up to them.
In this estate, the girls might seem free, but Anna knew better. They were like princesses trapped in a castle.
Not that she minded.
After all, they had all been Cinderellas, struggling even for food. Becoming princesses, even in confinement, under the care of a charming man, felt like a dream. To ask for more would be ungrateful.
"Good morning, Ms. Rozin," Anna greeted politely.
"Good morning," Maria replied, her gaze drawn to the formulas on the blackboard. Pointing at them curiously, she asked, "Did Uliana write these?"
Anna's cheeks, still warm from earlier thoughts, reddened again. She nodded casually. "Yes, last night Ms. Meletskova showed me these formulas."
Maria tilted her head, studying the blackboard, then glanced toward the window. Following her gaze, Anna noticed the blue cotton curtains were missing. She had always liked those curtains, often imagining how the soft fabric could be turned into a dress.
"Anna, where's the curtain?" Maria asked, her voice soft but curious.
Anna panicked briefly. "I… I don't know."
Maria observed Anna for a moment, noting her flushed face and the strange energy in the room, but she didn't press further. Smiling, she suggested, "It's still early. How about we practice some conversation?"
Relieved, Anna nodded eagerly. "Of course, Ms. Rozin. Let me clean the blackboard first."
Maria left for the teacher's lounge next door while Anna quickly finished cleaning up. Soon after, she joined Maria in the lounge.
The lounge was designed as a cozy living space, and Anna settled into a sofa. At Maria's suggestion, they began their conversation practice in English.
"Ms. Rozin," Anna hesitated after a while, "could we also practice some French later?"
"Of course," Maria replied with a smile. She liked Anna, who stood out as the most diligent among the girls.
Anna, feeling warmed by Maria's motherly demeanor, was suddenly struck by an intrusive thought: He would probably adore someone like Ms. Rozin.
Flustered, she quickly dismissed the idea, chiding herself silently. Ms. Rozin is married, with children. How could I think that?
But then she remembered—Uliana was also married.
She shook her head. It wasn't her place to worry about such things. Better to focus on her studies.
After twenty minutes of English practice, they switched to French for another forty minutes.
Taking a sip of mineral water, Maria finally asked, "Anna, is something on your mind?"
Anna hesitated, then nodded. "Ms. Rozin, I think my English and French are already sufficient for basic communication."
Maria raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Why do you think that?"
Anna fidgeted but replied, "Someone said something to me yesterday, and I've been thinking. I feel like I don't need to spend more time on languages if I can already communicate."
Maria studied the girl's expression and said gently, "That's a fair point. But if you'll take my advice, I'd suggest focusing on English until you're comfortable with written communication as well. English is the most widely used language globally. If you plan to study abroad in the UK or USA, your coursework will all be in English."
Realizing she had overlooked this, Anna nodded earnestly. "You're right, Ms. Rozin. Thank you."
Maria smiled warmly. "If you ever have questions, Anna, don't hesitate to ask."
The day continued, filled with quiet learning and unspoken thoughts. Meanwhile, at the estate's main villa, Simon prepared to leave, his presence still lingering in the subtle shifts of the household's routines.
The blue curtain? It had its own story.
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