Kacy set Lolita's glass of wine on the table.
Lolita raised the glass, sipping the crimson liquid. "You've improved so much," she said, giving a warm smile. "This might be the best sangria I've ever tasted."
"Yes... Though I've lost count of how many of my uniforms you've ruined because you threw the glass at me when it wasn't to your liking."
Lolita chuckled softly. "Well, if you had gotten it right the first time, I wouldn't have been forced to correct you. But this lemon twist? Brilliant. Truly, I never would have thought of that."
She paused, setting the glass on the mahogany table, leaving a faint smear of pink lipstick on the sugar-coated rim.
"You will be accompanying me to the Global Summit. I expect my sangria to be nothing less than perfect."
Kacy raised an eyebrow. "Why me?"
"Why, where would I be without my sangria?" Lolita asked, as if the answer were obvious. "Last time I went, the hosting venue was horribly understaffed. I simply refuse to wait an eternity for a drink."
"May I ask you a question?" Kacy whispered, her voice small. Behind her back, she squeezed her hands together tightly.
Lolita didn't look up from her wine, swirling the dark liquid in the glass. "Of course. As long as it is appropriate."
"Do you really send your staff to the camps?"
Lolita's hand stilled. She slowly raised her head, locking her eyes onto Kacy without a hint of flinching.
"Rarely," she answered, her voice smooth and unbothered. "Only when I'm left with no other choice."
"No other choice?" Kacy's voice cracked with disgust. "You could just dismiss them. Like a normal employer—"
"I am not a regular employer. I am a ruler." Lolita sighed softly, leaning back as if carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. "As heartbreaking as it is for me to send staff away for breaching their contracts, I cannot afford to show vulnerability. A ruler who shows weakness invites chaos."
"But the conditions in those camps—"
"Is not my concern," Lolita cut in. She took another sip, then smirked. "Would you prefer I schedule polite executions in the courtyard instead?"
Kacy's stomach dropped. "So Alina was telling the truth…"
Lolita's smile sharpened, cold and dangerous. "Spreading rumours is a breach of contract, darling. Remember what happens when my trust is broken."
"But they aren't rumours if it's the truth—"
Lolita laughed softly, her eyes turning to ice. "Think very carefully about how you spend your breath. After all, the camps are much closer than you think."
Kacy couldn't respond. The words slammed into her like a freight train.
Lolita looked away, dismissing the terror she had just caused as she casually held out her empty glass. "I need another pour. Remember, you made it perfect last time. Don't disappoint me now."
Hours later, after serving Lolita countless refills, the alcohol took its toll. Lolita became far too incoherent to function during her evening boardroom meetings, ultimately dismissing her staff early so she could collapse into bed.
Back in her quarters, Kacy let out a heavy breath while lying on her bed. The door at the top of the stairs opened, followed by the familiar creak of the staircase as Alina descended into the room.
"Kacy, I think Sterling likes you," Alina said, slipping off her black blazer. "He was totally eyeing you earlier. You should hang out with him while Lolita is away at the summit."
"I can't," Kacy said flatly, staring at the ceiling. "I'm going with her."
Alina paused, her blazer dangling from her hand. "Wait, why? Sterling is going to lose his mind when he realizes you're leaving. He's been looking for any excuse to hang out with you."
"Because Lolita can't survive without her sangria."
"But she was too wasted to even finish her boardroom meeting—"
"She still wants me to go." Kacy sat up, her hands trembling slightly as she remembered the icy look in Lolita's eyes. "She told me the labour camps are closer than I think, Alina. I don't think 'no' is an option for me anymore."
Alina froze, her blazer dangling halfway to the floor. "You actually brought up the camps to her face? Kacy, what were you thinking? People disappear for less than that."
"I just couldn't believe my ears when you first told me. But now, I know the truth." Kacy's expression darkened.
Kacy's expression darkened, her fingers gripping the edge of her mattress. "I had to know. I couldn't stand there pouring her drinks, wondering if it was true. But seeing the look in her eyes... there's no doubt left."
"Why would you doubt me?" Alina snapped. "I worked here for years. I still remember the day Luke's blood was splattered across the cobblestone pavement after his execution. It still haunts me to this day."
"But... I always thought Lolita wasn't actually that cruel," Kacy said, her voice small. "I thought they were just rumours. I heard she went through some horrific things in her past, and she does show compassion sometimes—"
"Kacy, you can't believe everything Lolita lets you see," Alina cut in, her voice sharp with urgency. "That is exactly how she manipulates you."
As Alina switched the light off, Kacy lay back down in the dark, her heart hammering against the terrifying weight of the truth.