Chapter 114
Stephanie's point of view
I snapped my face away from his gaze in extreme tension and fear, gripping the edges of my shirt tightly to conceal the visible shaking of my hands as I stammered:
"No... it's nothing at all, Alexander. Just regular, natural exhaustion."
In that critical, saving moment, a polite, soft knock echoed against the wood of the door. Alexander stepped back, straightening his posture with formal gravity, and commanded roughly:
"Yes, come in."
The door opened, and a completely different, docile maid stepped inside. Bowing her head respectfully, she murmured quietly:
"Dinner is served downstairs, sir."
Alexander nodded calmly, replying:
"Very well, we will be down immediately."
I instantly seized this golden lifeline with desperate eagerness, desperate to escape his piercing questions and the sharp eyes that were actively dissecting my features. Moving with frantic speed toward the exit, I forced a hurried, artificial enthusiasm into my voice:
