Back in Zari and Hina's room—
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Yes?" Zari said, opening the door.
A young maid stood there, her hair styled in two neat bunny buns. "The clothes from Mrs. Olivia are outside. She said you shouldn't use the laundry machine — wash them by hand. And she also said you should go to Seleya's room to pack her bedsheets — both the clean and unclean ones."
"Alright, thanks," Zari replied, shutting the door immediately after the girl walked away.
"What now?" Hina asked, stepping out of the bathroom, her skin still damp — she needed to scrub off the entire cow-dung episode.
"Olivia wants us to wash her clothes tonight," Zari said, eyeing Hina wrapped in a towel.
"It's raining, Hina. I know. But we don't have a choice." She sighed. "I'll wait for you downstairs. Let me start washing; you can come meet me when you're done."
Zari slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her. Hina exhaled deeply, wiping the remaining soap from her ear, catching her reflection in the mirror. The exhaustion on her face was loud, even in silence.
**
Hina stepped out, wearing shorts, and walked toward the laundry room where Zari was meticulously drying the last of the clothes she had just washed.
"Is this all?" Hina asked, scanning the neatly stacked laundry.
"No… I haven't done Seleya's yet. I'll go get it. You can continue with the washing," Zari replied. Hina gave a small nod and sank into the same chair Zari had just vacated, the faint scent of soap lingering around her.
---
Zari quietly ascended the stairs toward Seleya's room, her steps soft against the carpeted hallway. As she passed Marcus's study, she noticed the door was closed, the faint hum of his presence behind it.
"So… when is the wedding?" Maria's voice drifted from inside the study.
"You know my darling husband," Marcus replied smoothly. "We need him to marry Hina. Only then can Kent's corporation be properly promoted."
Zari's hand froze on the banister. Her eyes widened, disbelief rooting her to the spot. She stepped back slowly, pressing herself closer to the wall, straining to hear every word.
"When you proposed Hina's marriage to him, did he… actually agree?" Olivia's voice was sharp, calculating, as she studied her husband.
"Yes, he agreed," Marcus said casually, almost as if discussing the weather. "But Hina will marry his older son—he's… well, confined to a wheelchair now. Old man Sin insisted. He believes it will reunite the two families."
"The… crippled man?" Olivia's tone dripped with mock surprise.
"Yes," Marcus said, unbothered. "But don't underestimate him. He's brilliant—runs Sin's Empire and multiple other ventures. He's a man of immense power and intellect."
Olivia shook her head slowly, smirking. "If he weren't… bound to that wheelchair, and if Seleya didn't have such… convictions—who would? Honestly, he could have been a perfect match for her."
Zari felt her chest tighten, she quickly adjusted herself slowly and quietly as not to get caught as she looked left and right adjusting her gown, she straightened to Seleya's room to get her stuffs as directed by Olivia.
**
Back in the laundry room, steam drifted lazily through the air, carrying the sharp scent of soap. Zari pushed the door open and stepped inside, dropping Seleya's folded clothes onto the tiled floor with a soft thud.
"Hina, come. Let's go get the things Olivia asked for—they're at the gate," she said quickly, tension threading through her voice.
Hina paused mid-scrub, foam clinging to her fingers. "Hmm? Can't you go alone? We need to finish this so we can get our beauty sleep."
"I know. Just… come."
Hina sighed, rinsing the soap from her hands and wiping them on the back of her shorts. Zari reached for her arm, helping her stand.
"There's nothing at the gate," Hina muttered, rolling her eyes.
"I lied," Zari whispered.
Hina blinked. "Ehn?"
"I didn't want the CCTV catching what I'm about to say." Zari's gaze flicked to the ceiling, to the black glass eye watching them. Her voice shook. "Your dad and stepmom… they want to marry you off. To some crippled man."
Hina froze. The shock hit her so hard she stepped back. Her eyes widened, filling with a fierce, rising fury. "What?"
"I overheard them when I went to get Seleya's things," Zari said, clasping her hands as if to steady them. "They were talking like everything is already arranged. Listen—when we finish washing, we take two clothes each, I grab my card… and we run."
Hina's jaw trembled with anger. "Alright. Fine. But where do we even go? We have nowhere."
"We'll go to Grace Lace. Henry's family house. They'll hide us."
A sharp, humorless laugh escaped Hina. "These people… they've really lost their God damn minds."
She shook her head as they walked back toward the laundry room, their shadows merging beneath the dim yellow light.
Zari scrubbed the last of the clothes while Hina dried and spread them across the ropes.
Back in Hina and Zari's room—
The night crawled slowly, heavy with tension, as both girls quietly packed the few things they owned.
"What time are we leaving?" Hina asked, stuffing her belongings into her bag while watching Zari do the same.
"By 5 a.m. Lucas will be awake by then at his post doing his morning duty " Zari said. "But we'll tell Ophelia we're going to school so she doesn't suspect anything. She'll probably even tell them we already left for school"
Zari shot her a pointed look. "I've always told you we should run away. Now you see."
Hina zipped her bag, breathing out slowly. "So… we wear our school uniforms when we're leaving? So they won't suspect anything?".
***
4:40 am
They were already awake before dawn. Neither girl had slept properly.
They were already awake, the night's restless energy keeping sleep at bay. Hina moved quietly around the room, tidying their few belongings, while Zari stepped into the bathroom for a quick bath.
Soon, Zari emerged, steam still clinging faintly to her skin.
"Some part of your body still has foam," Hina muttered, stepping closer.
Without waiting, she lifted Zari's grey-blonde hair gently, revealing the streak of soap clinging to her shoulder. She wiped it away with slow, almost tender fingers.
Hina always admired her—those rare blue eyes, the red soft lips, the kind of beauty that made strangers stare. And yet… Zari carried it like it meant nothing.
"Hm," Hina breathed, her voice softening. "Have you ever wondered how your mom looked?"
Zari paused. Her expression didn't shift—no sadness, no longing, just that familiar wall she always carried.
"I don't know," she said quietly. "And I don't care. I won't lie."
Hina studied her face, the cold honesty in her voice.
Outside, the first thin light of morning crept through the curtains.
5 a.m. was approaching.
And with it—their escape.