Olivia stood in front of the full-length mirror, gently placing her hands over her corset. She examined her reflection with cold scrutiny. Her silhouette looked unnaturally slender, but her lower abdomen pressed outward with a very slight, almost imperceptible curve.
Kira stood behind her, adjusting the laces with a look of quiet apprehension. "Your Grace... are you certain about this? Can your body handle it?"
"I have no choice," Olivia replied, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "Tighten it a bit more, but do not overdo it. I cannot have the corset choking me during the confrontation."
Kira pulled the leather laces with a practiced, gentle hand. "Like this?"
Olivia smoothed her palms down over her stomach. Under the reinforced fabric, her abdomen was now completely flattened, erasing any trace of the life growing within her.
"Perfect," Olivia murmured, a sharp smile cutting across her porcelain face.
