Curly's POV
My appetite completely disappeared after Lady Anna's words.
"Bring her to me after breakfast."
The sentence replayed endlessly in my head as I forced myself to sit still, pretending to eat while my hands trembled beneath the table. Angela kept glancing at me with concern, but she didn't say anything. Sara avoided my eyes altogether.
When the bell rang to signal the end of breakfast, I felt both relieved and terrified.
"Curly," Zara called sharply. "Follow me."
My heart dropped.
I stood up slowly, my legs feeling weak as I followed her out of the hall. The corridor felt longer than usual, each step heavier than the last. Guards stood on both sides, their faces unreadable, their guns resting casually against their shoulders.
No one spoke.
We stopped in front of a large, polished door.
Zara knocked once before pushing it open.
"Lady Anna," she said, bowing slightly. "She's here."
"Send her in," a calm voice replied.
Zara stepped aside and gestured for me to enter.
I swallowed hard and walked in.
The room was massive—elegant, cold, and intimidating. Gold decorations shimmered faintly under the light. Lady Anna sat comfortably on her chair, legs crossed, a glass of wine in her hand. Her eyes lifted slowly to meet mine.
I froze.
"Close the door," she said.
I did as instructed.
"Come closer," she added.
Every instinct in me screamed to run, but my feet obeyed her command. I stopped a few steps away, my head lowered.
"Look at me," she said.
I raised my head reluctantly.
She studied me carefully, as if she were examining a valuable object.
"So," she said softly, "you're Curly."
"Yes, ma'am," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
"You don't look like trouble," she continued. "But looks are deceiving."
I didn't respond.
"Do you know where you are?" she asked.
"Yes… WAN Empire," I answered.
A small smile touched her lips. "Good. At least you're not foolish."
She stood up slowly and walked toward me. I stiffened as she circled me, her heels clicking against the floor.
"Do you know why you were brought here?" she asked.
"No, ma'am."
She stopped in front of me.
"You were brought here because your mother made a mistake," she said casually, sipping her wine. "A very expensive mistake."
My chest tightened.
"My… mother?" I whispered.
"Yes," she replied. "She owed WAN Empire something she couldn't pay back. And in this world, debts are never forgiven."
Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.
"She tried to run," Lady Anna continued. "She failed."
I clenched my fists.
"You, however," she said, tilting my chin up slightly, "are still alive."
She stepped back and returned to her seat.
"You should be grateful," she added.
Grateful?
I bit my lip to stop myself from speaking out of turn.
"You will serve here," Lady Anna went on. "You will obey rules. You will not cause trouble. If you do—" she paused, her eyes darkening, "—you will regret it."
"Yes, ma'am," I replied quickly.
"Good," she said. "I don't enjoy disobedience."
She waved her hand dismissively. "You may go."
Relief flooded me instantly.
But just as I turned to leave, she spoke again.
"One more thing."
I froze.
"I heard about what happened in Vince's house."
My breath caught.
"He won't touch you again," she said calmly. "Not without permission."
I didn't know whether that was supposed to comfort me or terrify me.
"You are dismissed," she said.
I bowed slightly and hurried out of the room.
The moment the door closed behind me, my knees almost gave way.
I didn't know what scared me more—being noticed by Lady Anna… or surviving long enough to matter.
As I walked back toward the Slave House, one thought echoed loudly in my mind:
This place wasn't just dangerous.
It was a cage.
And somehow… I had just been placed at the center of it.