The System Gave Me A Yandere Husband

Chapter 19: Who Are You?

Without a word, she walked back towards the staircase. She didn’t look up at Eveyr as she ascended the staircase, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her defeat.

She returned to her room, and slammed the door shut. Her blood was boiling with a cold, helpless anger.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!!

When will I be able to escape this nightmare of a world????

As she cursed her life, a glowing red interface flickered in her vision with a mocking chime.

[Defiance registered. +50 Points.]

"You have got to be kidding me," she muttered.

Fifty points felt like a consolation prize. She needed thousands to buy any real chance to escape from this situation, not some pocket change for a fleeting glare.

She needed something big enough to break the prison Eveyr had built around her. She knew if she stayed here, playing the role of the reluctant but compliant lover, she would slowly die on her own.

A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. The door opened, and an unfamiliar maid stepped inside. Her head was bowed and her hands were trembling slightly as she held a tray.

"How are you here?" Esme asked. "Didn’t Your Grace ban servants from entering here?"

"His Grace told the head maid...you might not want to see him right now," she stammered a little. "So she sent me to you with chamomile tea to calm the nerves on His Grace’s orders."

"Of course," Esme sighed and gestured towards the sitting area. "Just put it on the desk. Thank you."

As the maid set the cup down, the silver spoon fell from the tray.

"My deepest apologies, My Lady," the maid gasped and quickly bent to pick it up.

She put the spoon back on the tray, but as she stepped away, she paused. She lifted her head and met Esme’s gaze, for only a brief second. She didn’t look afraid. Instead, she looked at her with calculation in her eyes. Then she bowed again and walked out of the room quietly.

Esme frowned and walked to the desk to pick up the tea cup. But she stopped when she noticed a rolled piece of parchment under the spoon.

Who was she? A spy...like me???

She wanted to open it right there. But it was risky. Eveyr could enter anytime.

I need to wait!

After dinner, Eveyr went to his study downstairs. She finally sighed in relief. She took out the parchment hidden in her sleeve and unrolled it quickly.

The cage is suffocating, isn’t it? Meet me in the greenhouse at midnight. The estate has a blind spot where the old ley lines cross.

S.

S? Sylas? Julian’s spymaster?

She stared at the fire, her mind racing. It was obviously a trap. Sylas didn’t do favors; he played chess, and she was currently a highly valuable pawn. He wanted to use her access to Eveyr.

And then a cold, calculating thought came into her mind.

"Interacting with a male rival...especially someone as dangerous as Sylas right under Eveyr’s nose? Inside his own locked territory?" she whispered. "That could give me a lot of points."

At midnight, Eveyr lay asleep beside her. Even in his sleep, he was her warden. His arm was draped over her waist possessively.

Esme stared at the canopy above, thinking of a way to free herself from his grip. She tried to move a little and his grip immediately tightened on her waist. He murmured something and buried his face into her neck.

She closed her eyes and accessed the system interface.

[Activate: Low-Level Sleep-Aid Buff]

[Target: Eveyr]

[One Time Use Only]

[Cost: 50 Points]

[Duration: 20 Minutes]

Relief flashed across her face. She bought it immediately. Within a second, Eveyr’s breathing deepened and his grip around her waist finally slackened.

Esme slid out from under his arm, holding her breath. Then she quickly put a pillow on her space. Eveyr moved and his brow furrowed slightly. But he just pulled the pillow against his chest with a possessive grunt.

Esme grabbed her cloak, threw it over her shoulders, and stepped outside into the corridors. She walked like a shadow, holding her breath every time she heard the sound of a patrolling guard’s armour.

Outside, it was freezing. The greenhouse was at the edge of the estate. It was a massive dome of exotic plants, glowing under the pale moonlight. Esme opened the door and stepped inside.

The greenhouse was warm and humid. The air inside smelled of damp earth and night blooming jasmine. Fern leaves brushed against her legs as she walked on the narrow stone path, looking around.

"Punctual. I always appreciated that about you."

Esme froze as she saw Sylas casually sitting on a bench, illuminated by moonlight. He looked calm on the surface, but his eyes gleamed in the dark, watching her every movement.

"Lord Sylas," she said, keeping her voice steady. "You took a big risk coming here. My husband’s patrols are doubled tonight."

"I am aware," Sylas replied, still sitting and slowly tapping his fingers on his knee. "But you took an even bigger risk by meeting me. Eveyr is not known for his forgiving nature."

"Let’s skip the formalities," Esme said as she crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

Sylas stopped tapping and looked at her.

"You’re standing slightly to the left," he said. "Is it because of the pain from the arrow wound you took in the western gorge?"

Esme’s mind raced.

Arrow wound? Western gorge?

She knew nothing about it. There was no mention of any injury in her diary.

"Something like that," she smiled. "We don’t have time for a medical evaluation, Lord Sylas."

Sylas leaned forward, narrowing his eyes.

"You didn’t check the perimeter before entering," he said softly. "Esme Sterling was one of the best female scouts I ever trained. She would have checked the southern ventilation grates when she walked in. She would have noticed the displaced gravel by the door. She would never make a mistake like that."

He stood up and walked towards her.

"And...Esme Sterling took an arrow to her right shoulder in the gorge, not her leg."

Esme’s stomach dropped.

"So tell me who are you?" he whispered. "I want to know who is wearing my spy’s face?"