Solaris awoke with a slight pain in her forehead. She frowned and reached up to touch the injury, but her hand halted midway. Opening her eyes, she looked at her wrist in confusion.
At that moment, the door to her left swung open, revealing a man in his twenties. His hair was slicked back, with a few strands falling beside his ear. He wore black-rimmed glasses perched on his attractive, tall nose, giving him a gentle appearance.
Dressed in a simple white shirt and black pants, he approached the room in black leathered shoes, his striking green eyes fixed on Solaris.
Recognizing him, Solaris felt a surge of alarm and instinctively backed away, raising her hands defensively.
The man paused at her reaction, briefly studying her before moving to the table. Solaris noticed he had brought a tray of food. He pulled out a chair and sat down, and the two exchanged glances—hers wary, his curious.
Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and quickly accessed his optical brain bracelet to type a message.
'Are your wounds okay? Does your arm still hurt?'
After reading the text, Solaris looked at him in confusion. Was he really asking if she was alright? When she didn't respond, he typed again.
'I'm Evan Loussel.'
Solaris remained silent, but her eyes grew darker. I know, you're the mute and good-for-nothing son of Earl Ricardo. Solaris replied in mind.
'What is your name?'
Solaris hesitated, considering whether to introduce herself. Ultimately, she decided it was best to be polite to him. It seems like this person saved her and doesn't harbor any ill intentions towards her.
With that in mind, she nodded and replied softly, "Solaris."
Evan nodded slightly and gestured toward the food on the table.
'You should eat. I'll be outside. Let me know if you need anything.'
He said before gently closing the door behind him.
Left alone in the room, Solaris felt bewildered. She glanced at her carefully bandaged arm and the wounds on her body, still carrying the scent of disinfectant.
A sudden gust of cold wind from the open window brushed against Solaris' skin. She turned her head to the left and noticed the window was wide open.
Rising from the bed, Solaris approached the glass window and leaned forward to take in the view below. The city lights and the lively sounds of traffic suggested it was a bustling night.
If I escape through here, maybe I can...
Solaris dismissed the idea and closed the window then turned around. If she chose to run away now, there would be consequences.
Solaris glanced on the slave ring on her wrist. Especially since I had an owner now. First, I need to find away to get rid of this.
At this moment, her main goal was to gain the trust of the man, which would make it easier for her to manipulate others. He seemed easy to fool, perhaps she could use him to escape.
Being the son of an earl, he had significant access within the tower, which could be advantageous for her revenge or even as leverage.
With her teeth clenched, Solaris firmly resolved in her mind, "I, Solaris, will never submit to anyone."
___________________
Days went by without any significant changes in Solaris' life. However, she remained vigilant, especially since the man in front of her always seemed suspicious.
Why isn't he causing her any trouble, as her wicked sister desires? Instead of hurting her, he's actually assisting her in her recovery. He must have some ulterior motive!
Solaris's instincts have always been accurate, and she needs to know the reason behind his actions. And today, she will reveal his true intentions.
As Solaris looked at the clock on the wall, she realized it was 6:30, the time Evan typically returned home after being out. He usually made his way to her room around 7 pm.
There's one thing that Solaris has always in mind. She often saw him getting out of the flying car with a large box in his hands, which varied in size from as big as a cabinet to as small as a shoe box, and sometimes even as large as a coffin.
There were moments when the box was so heavy that he had to clumsily drag it toward the house, occasionally bumping his elbow or shoulder against the door frame. Observing his foolishness, Solaris muttered 'idiot' quietly to herself.
Tonight, she'll find out what's inside that box.
As soon as she heard the sound of the car engine, Solaris immediately stood up from her chair. To avoid being caught, she chose to exit through the window rather than the door.
Solaris skillfully climbed through the window, swinging her body to gain momentum. On the count of three, Solaris leaped to the side, landing gracefully on her feet. With her injuries nearly healed and her shoulder pain subsiding, she felt free to move as she pleased.
At that moment, Solaris heard footsteps approaching. Quickly, she ducked behind a pillar, straining to listen.
"Evan, you need to do this," a deep male voice urged.
Then, silence fell. The flickering candlelight allowed Solaris to glimpse the scene behind her. Solaris saw two figures cast in shadow. The shorter man was typing something on his optical brain bracelet, likely Evan trying to communicate.
Suddenly, the voice spoke again, "No, Evan, you're not going to harm anyone. Just add two drops of this. Trust me, it won't have serious consequences."
What was he talking about? Solaris leaned in slightly to catch the next part, but the man went quiet. She observed as he whispered something to Evan and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder before leaving.
After waiting a moment to make sure he was gone, Solaris stepped out from her hiding place. She saw Evan with his back turned, getting ready to add something to a nutritional liquid.
Just as Evan was about to mix it, he felt a cold, sharp object pressed against his neck.
A woman's voice, both pleasant and authoritative, said in a warning tone, "Don't move."
Solaris grabbed Evan's arm, twisting it behind him and pushing him against the wall.
"Ugh!"
Evan groaned in pain, trying to escape, but Solaris quickly held him in place by pressing the knife against his neck again.
"Stop! I'm not going to hurt you. I just need to ask some questions!" Solaris lied. If Evan attempted anything, she wouldn't hesitate to cut him.
Evan finally ceased his struggles after hearing her words.
Solaris smirked slightly and asked, "Blink once for yes, twice for no. Understand?"
Evan stared at her for a moment before blinking once.
"Alright, first question. Is that nutritional liquid intended for me?"
Evan blinked twice.
No? Who is he planning to give it to?
Solaris wanted to ask him, but unfortunately, this guy is mute, he couldn't speak.
"Second question. Did you add poison to that nutritional liquid?"
Evan blinked twice. No again? Solaris frowned, contemplating her next question.
"Last question. Is there someone behind me?"