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Clyde’s POV

I got into big trouble when I took the young duchess's first aid kit. I don’t know why I did it, but it was the only one I knew of. I had to treat his wound fast—and I was glad I managed, thanks to the many cuts and bruises I’ve treated over the past years.

The thing is, when I returned to go do my chores, the Head Maiden found out I had taken the duchess's kit—and I got a beating for it. She slapped me harder than ever, and that slap caused a cut to form on my lip. It’s not a big deal, but it still stings.

Ryder, the man lying on the bed, seems like a nice guy. He even asked me about the cut on my lip—and honestly, my heart skipped a beat, even though I was frightened by the hardness in his voice.

He’s still half-naked, and I always catch myself staring at his muscles. I don’t know why, but I always feel my cheeks warm up whenever I look at his body. It’s just… it’s my first time seeing such prominent muscles on a man—especially one who looks as good as Ryder.

He has this deep brown skin that perfectly compliments his silver-white hair. His facial structure is flawless, his ears pierced with black earrings—and somehow, they suit him. But his eyes—they might be my favorite part. A clear, mossy green that always draws me in, leaving me lost in his gaze.

His entire aura screams danger, and yet—I feel safe around him. That feeling only grew stronger when he asked if I was okay.

Aish… stop thinking about him!

Shaking those thoughts away, I remembered the clothes the duchess had given me. Let’s try them on.

I walked toward the box not far from where I stood and opened it—doing my best to ignore the weight of a stare I felt glued to me. I looked over at Ryder and frowned when he suddenly looked away. I just shook my head and went back to the clothes. They were all beautiful, clean, and brand new. Some even had tags still on them. I smiled without realizing it.

I picked a simple pair of clothes I could wear inside the room, then went to the far corner to change. I usually change under the light, but I’m not alone now—and the thought of changing in front of Ryder made my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

I undressed slowly, carefully avoiding the bruises on my body. They hurt too much to touch. Purple and raw-looking, they were just going to worsen day by day. I sighed and quickly changed into the new clothes before turning back around.

To my surprise, Ryder was looking in my direction.

Did he… watch me?

The heat rushed to my cheeks. I took a few small steps toward him, our eyes meeting briefly before I glanced away, focusing on the long spare blanket I had in the corner. Of course, I wouldn’t sleep beside him—I might hit his wound. Besides, I was way too shy to lie next to someone like him.

I spread the blanket on the floor and felt his eyes still on me.

“What’re you doing?” he asked once I finished laying the blanket down. I grabbed my notebook and pen, scribbling quickly that I’d sleep on the floor for now.

“There’s plenty of space up here,” he added, and my face heated up again. Just the thought of lying beside him made my heart pound wildly. I wrote back that I might accidentally hurt his wound. He just stared at me with a frown, then shrugged before finally laying back down.

I took that as a sign he wanted to rest. I was about to turn off the light when I saw the empty plate I’d left for him. That was supposed to be my dinner, but I knew he’d be hungry when he woke up, so I gave it to him. I was still full from lunch anyway.

I turned off the light and lay down on the floor, closing my eyes. The room was silent, and I could only hear my soft breathing—until I suddenly heard shuffling above me.

“I can’t sleep,” he said softly.

I opened my eyes but couldn’t see much—darkness blanketed everything. I wasn’t sure whether I should turn the light back on to write, ignore him, or maybe… say something.

But what would I even say?

“Won’t you ask how I got my wound?” His voice held a kind of hope in it, like he wanted me to care. And I did—but I didn’t know how to say that.

There was a long silence before he spoke again.

“My car was ambushed. I fought them off like I always do… but this time I was outnumbered. That’s why I ran and hid behind a tree—with a stab wound in me.”

That’s awful. I imagined what it must’ve been like—people attacking him like that. How could they do something so cruel to someone who couldn’t even fight back at that moment?

“But I’m glad you’re alive,” I whispered before I could stop myself.

I heard more shuffling and glanced up at the bed. I could see his head in the dark—maybe he was looking at me.

“You’re… something,” he mumbled.

I frowned. *Something?* What does that even mean? Is that bad?

Normally, I should’ve already been asleep, but after Ryder said that… something in me felt soft. I was finally starting to feel tired.

“Goodnight,” I mumbled quietly.

He hummed in return—and not long after, the stillness of night finally pulled me into sleep.

To be continued

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