Don't Make it Painful

"…it's… not good, though…" Keagan murmured. She was holding onto her fork and knife, not knowing how to eat after what happened. Still, she wanted to say something. "If she does that to other people, she will be slapped for sure. Not only you but her parents will also be spoken to about her behavior. Is she doing well in school? She could be projecting…"

"That's…" Hansel and Dacian were surprised. Keagan didn't look like she had that kind of wisdom, but she still chose to care about the child.

"…I want to open my estate to Grandfather for tonight, but his great-grandchildren seem to not like my company." Wren glanced at the angry expression the little girl had on her face. "Do you need help booking a room? That's the very least I can do."

Hansel gave up and didn't realize this child would behave like this tonight. He wanted to speak to Keagan and see her character more, but he figured he could just return to this estate in the future. In the end, he had to take Wren's offer. As for apologies, he would speak to Wren about it at a later date.

…

The dinner didn't go as planned, but Keagan couldn't find a reason for her to feel that it was her fault. She didn't say too much to the bad child, and it was Gephardt who escalated things. Wren also seemed unhappy about what happened, but would she reprimand her cat? To be honest, the reason was nothing more than Belle's bad behavior. Should it turn into a worse matter?

Keagan watched the other guests leave from a waiting room's window on the third floor. She could see how the little girl pulled on the two males as if the house was going to eat them alive. Then again, she couldn't blame a child for being afraid.

"Keagan?" Wren's voice soon came from the side, and Keagan twitched from where she sat. How long was she spacing out again? Moreover, she had yet to change out of the youthful clothes while already sitting cross-legged on a bay window seat. She even had a cup of hot chocolate in her hands.

"Madam, I'm sorry I brought trouble to you. If only I didn't dress like this…" Keagan cringed at herself inwardly. How was that her fault again? Did she get blamed so much that her responses had become automatic? She figured she should learn not to do that anymore.

Maybe if she turned a new leaf, Elijah wouldn't hate her all that much anymore. She had yet to look for him again, either.

Wren walked inside the room and closed the door behind her. She was still donning her white blouse, but her feet only had slippers. The tall stilettos were already ditched for comfort. The madam looked out of the window and saw the front yard where she saw off Hansel and the others just earlier. A strange light glinted in her eyes as she asked without looking at Keagan.

"Did she make you feel bad? Her tongue is too sharp and needs to be reshaped."

"It's her parents' job, Madam. Let's just help her when she gets older and in trouble more often than imaginary." Keagan didn't want to talk about threatening the girl anymore. It was just a little girl. "Madam, you look like you like your grandfather a lot. I'm sorry you have to go through that when you opened your doors to them."

"Why aren't you getting angry?" Wren chuckled, but her smile was a little mocking. She took a seat at the edge of the bay window and looked at Keagan, who sipped on her mug. "Keagan, you should have at least stayed your ground. That was your seat."

Keagan shook her head and looked down at the mug. "That was just a chair. My dilemma at that time was where to sit so I wouldn't bother anyone to pass food to me. Madam, I've heard worse things. No need to go after a child because of what they said to me."

Instead of an understanding hum, Wren only stared at her. Keagan felt the weight of her gaze and looked up at the madam. Unlike earlier, the look in Wren's eyes was nothing kind. It was cold and sharp as if she was looking at a corpse that deserved its end. Wren then looked away and out the window.

"I hate to think that your association with Elijah Jenkins turned you into this. You don't even choose to protect yourself from others." Wren clutched on the cloth on the seat. "You're treating yourself nothing more than a rug under their feet."

"Don't say that. Elijah didn't turn me into this." Keagan brought her mug down and frowned at Wren. "Madam, you don't know him, so please don't speak badly about him. I choose peace because there's nothing wrong with it. As long as I don't get hurt, it's fine to act like I'm second to everyone."

Wren gritted her teeth and threw her gaze at Keagan. "Would you tell the same to yourself if the event at the party went the way they planned? How are you going to live peacefully after being ravished by men you cannot fight?"

Keagan wanted to drink again, but her hands froze in midair. She looked up at the angry woman before smiling again. "Were you scared for me, madam? I'm sorry you have to think about it. Don't worry, it didn't happen, so there's no point in thinking about it. I'm just going to avoid them—"

"Keagan Allard, what are you doing?" Wren growled, making Keagan look up at her again. "What made you think it's all right for you to do this to yourself? Why do you see yourself so lowly? Don't you know how awful that is to us, who can only watch you?"

"Huh? I don't understand, madam. Why are you getting worked up?" Keagan moved her mug away in case she might spill it on the seat. She just waved her hands and laughed. "I'm fine. No need to feel awful about me. I won't cause you any trouble—"

Before she could say more, Wren lunged at her and pinned her against the window. Keagan gasped as she stared straight at those dark eyes that glinted with a red hue. The madam even clawed at the window, her nails growing sharper and drawing lines on the glass.

Wren growled under her breath. "Keagan, if I kill you right now, will you just smile at me and say it's not my fault for being evil? If I tear your flesh off your bones, will you fight for my right to act beastly because I am one?"

"Madam…" Keagan watched Wren's beautiful face warp into a monstrous lady with white skin, red eyes, and sharp teeth. Tears dripped from her eyes. "I'm sorry I angered you. Please don't make it painful."

Instead of a fatal bite from the monster Wren had become, Keagan felt soft lips on her mouth.

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