When Belle was a young girl, it was her mother who was opposed to the idea of having a governess in the house. It was because of the number of betrayal and distrust that went by people during a period of time.

And now her very own mother had hired a governess when Belle was not having an issue with the butler teaching her.

It wasn’t that she wouldn’t be able to see him as he would still be in the mansion but something just didn’t feel right about it right now. Belle was a bit on the trouble-making side but that didn’t mean she wasn’t sharp. After all, she was a vampiress. Chewing the side of her cheek, she finally came to realize it was her aunt Irene’s fault. Because of the little incident, she had relayed to her mother but then, Belle and Lucas were not in a relationship.

Belle had only come to notice Lucas’ presence as a man and not a guardian but was that why her mother had hired a governess? Did she notice her staring at the man?

She sighed, running her hand through her hair which was tied in a braid that now rested on one side of her shoulder.

“Mr. Fluffs, I don’t like Mrs. Whitaker,” said Belle to the stuffed rabbit which she had placed on her bed, “I was looking forward to today’s studies but I didn’t expect mother to change who would be teaching me. I will be seeing him but…” she trailed running her fingers on the long ear of the rabbit.

Almost a week passed by and Belle came to realize how the butler was always busy. He didn’t have more than five seconds to spare as he often went to continue what he was doing. The distance instead of making her let go of her newfound feelings, it only dug itself deeper and deeper, the distance making it worse and making Belle more aware of her changing feelings for the man who had been her guardian all these years.

On one noon when she was spending her time with Mrs. Whitaker, “I have finished the papers. I will be taking a break,” Belle said getting up from her seat.

Mrs. Whitaker said, “Not bad. It looks like you have got most of the answers right,” said the woman staring at the parchment where Belle had scribbled down her answers, “I have prepared the next set of questions,” she said, pulling out more parchments and placing it on the table.

“You must be joking,” Belle said, staring at them.

“Do I look like I am joking to you, Miss Adams?” asked the woman back to her.

“Yes. Yes, it does look like that so I will be taking a break now. Thank you,” Belle pushed her chair and started to leave to hear the woman say,

“We are not done yet. I ask you to come back and take your seat,” but Belle walked out of the room. A little irritated and annoyed at the same time. She had done everything her Mrs. Whitaker wanted her to do and the woman was crazy enough to ask her to sit down and continue for the next hour.

Her footsteps were quick and she didn’t look back. She continued to walk when she noticed that there were guests in the parlor room. It was her mother, her aunt and some other women who were talking in there.

Because of the door which was left slightly ajar without closing it completely, she could hear a woman’s voice say, “He will do really well at the mansion.”

“Oh, he will. It has been so hard to find the right person. I am so glad, Lady Mabel, that you are offering him. Not to forget he has agreed to it,” Belle’s eyebrows knitted together as she heard the women inside speak, “Lucas is a doll. I mean finding a butler-like him who is good looking, smart. I was worried that you wouldn’t agree to it, after all, it was long back I last asked you for him,” the woman chuckled.

“Apologies for the delay but now that you are offering such a price for him. I think it would be quite rude to be refusing such an enticing offer. Also, you have offered to find suitors for my daughter Belle. I must thank you instead, Lady Olivia,” it was her mother who spoke.

The same woman who had previously spoken said, “You don’t have to thank me. It is just exchanging offers, isn’t it.”

Another woman in the room spoke, “You can choose any butler you want, Lady Olivia.”

The woman laughed, a sweet sound like wind chimes, “Even for a lowly vampire, Lucas is a handsome man. I would like to use him to my fullest to please the way I want to be. I have wanted him to serve me since I first laid my eyes.”

Lady Olivia, Belle remembered the woman. She was one of the few pureblooded vampires who often hung out with her aunt which was how her aunt was influenced.

The woman had blonde hair parted at the center that curled as it went down until the length of her waist. She was one of the most beautiful woman she had come across with her perfect stature and body with emphasized assets.

“One cannot deny, the man is a looker. It is hard to find a handsome man who knows everything,” her Aunt Irene was the one who said this.

With her front facing the door, Belle who had initially planned to step in with her hand near the surface of the door to push it, she held it back to bring it back to her side. Belle’s hands turned cold as she eavesdropped on their conversation. Her mother was planning to send Lucas to another household? But why?

Like everyone agreed, Lucas was the finest butler and her mother had already decided to give away him to the little vampiress named Olivia. Her hands clenched in anger and when she took a step back, her back hit a wall and the wall was none other than Lucas who had been standing right behind her.

When Belle turned around, she came to look up at Lucas’ face that appeared to be passive. She stared into his eyes, silently demanding answers as the woman inside had mentioned how he had agreed to it too.

But he gave her none. Not a single word.

As if her mother cutting down her time with him wasn’t enough, Lucas would be going to another mansion to live and work while leaving this one behind. Instead of answering or speaking about it, he offered her a smile and then stepped towards the door while Belle moved back so that no one in the room would be able to see her.

“Good that you are here, Lucas,” Aunt Irene said as the butler bowed his head. As the people inside spoke to him, Belle saw how promptly he answered the questions promptly to them.

“Come here, Lucas,” called Olivia to him as she used her fingers to make a come hither action in it. The woman was a pureblooded vampire who had everything she needed and bought things and people she didn’t have next to her. Belle who stood outside and against the wall heard the woman say, “Next to me. Have you ever kissed a woman before?” this shameless woman, she gritted her teeth together. She heard the other women in the room who giggled at her question.

“I have, milady,” came the polite response of the butler.

“That’s good. More the experience the better. I am sure these women will enjoy it much better than the night theater,” she heard the couch softly creek to indicate that Lucas had taken his seat next to the woman.