Sid’s breath hitched. The realization hit him like a blow this wasn’t just a threat or some twisted intimidation tactic. This version of Evelise truly meant every word she said. She was a monster wrapped in silk and beauty.

"She’s... she’s serious in that torture jokes. She’s not bluffing. She’s—"

But then something else struck him. He turned sharply toward the man who had spoken.

"Wait... you can see me?"

Sid asked. The servant’s confused eyes met his.

"See you? Of course I can. Why wouldn’t I?"

Sid’s blood ran cold.

"So this isn’t just a vision."

He wasn’t an observer. He wasn’t a ghost drifting through Evelise’s memory.

He was in it.

Time seemed to crawl by, marked only by the shifting shadows of the perfect topiary and the constant, subdued movements of the terrified servants. Sid was now pulled into a new duty: preparing for dinner in the vast, echoing kitchens of the manor. The entire operation was a silent ballet of panic and precision. He watched as chefs in pristine white uniforms shouted muffled orders, and younger servants polished silverware until it gleamed with unnatural brightness.

Sid had to carry heavy silver trays filled with crystal glasses and escort them to the formal dining hall. The setup was absurdly grand, reflecting the wealth and pride of the family: the Mayor, his drunkard son, Evelise (who was the son’s fiancée), and the Mayor’s two young daughters.

"Look at this,"

Sid muttered to himself, balancing a heavy pitcher of wine with a shaking hand.

"They’re living like it’s the 18th century, but with electricity. They cling to this noble systemeven now."

The thought of all this opulence, this waste in a supposedly modern era made his stomach churn, especially knowing the level of suffering happening just outside these walls.

The dining table itself was a monstrosity of gilded excess. A hand-stitched lace tablecloth draped nearly to the floor, and a towering, multi-tiered floral centerpiece dominated the space. Every place setting was laid with five different forks, three knives, and two spoons, each meant for a specific course Sid couldn’t even name. As he placed a final, highly reflective wine glass beside the seat designated for Evelise, he couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of dread. The dinner wasn’t just a meal; it was a performance, and any imperfection would result in a savage "correction."

"This is completely ridiculous,"

He whispered, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow.

"This whole setup is a disaster waiting to happen. The sheer scale of this just to feed five people... It’s a miracle no one has snapped and started a revolution."

The opulence of the scene stood in stark contrast to the brutal, hidden reality of the household, where a misplaced piece of silverware could lead to a beating. He knew that the worst part of this evening would be observing the human Evelise up close, sitting at the table as the honored fiancée, surrounded by her family’s crushing expectations.

The transition to the dinner service was a tense, silent affair. Sid stood pressed against the wall near the double doors, a silent statue in his servant uniform, watching the family take their seats. The Mayor, a stout man with a polished mustache and a deep, commanding voice, sat at the head of the table. Beside him was his son, Henry— his bloated face and flushed cheeks marking him clearly as a habitual drunk.

Evelise sat across from them, poised and elegant in a red silk dress, her calm presence carrying an edge of quiet authority. Opposite her were two little girls, their eyes glued to their tablets, completely absorbed and oblivious to the world around them.

The formal ritual began with agonizing slowness. Then, the Mayor set down his heavy silver fork and fixed his son with a withering look.

"Henry, I am warning you, boy. Your behavior is becoming intolerable. You show up at my table drunk and useless almost every night. You need to focus on what matters: securing the future of this family. Namely, impregnating Evelise."

The command was delivered without a hint of subtlety, hitting Sid like a physical shockwave.

" Impregnating her?"

The bald, transactional nature of the marriage was sickening. Henry, surprisingly lucid at the moment, managed a sneering reply.

"Don’t worry, Father, I am well aware of my duties."

He leaned in conspiratorially, his voice just loud enough for Sid to hear,

"I assure you, I am working on it every damn night. There isn’t a single chance this bunny lady will get a night off from tasting my dick."

Henry’s crude boast, delivered with a callous smirk, caused a wave of white hot revulsion to rush over Sid. Without thinking, driven by a surge of pure, protective anger for the monster he knew, Sid took a deliberate stumble near Henry’s seat.

The heavy, ruby-red wine pitcher in his hand tipped just enough to spill a generous, crimson amount directly across Henry’s pristine white trousers. The air immediately froze. Henry rocketed out of his seat with a roar of disbelief.

"You clumsy idiot! I’ll have you thrown into the—"

Sid froze, his heart hammering but his face calm.

"My deepest apologies, sir,"

He said evenly, bowing just low enough to sound convincing.

"Silence!"

The Mayor’s voice thundered, cutting Henry off instantly. The Mayor’s face was dark with annoyance, but he remained seated.

"I will not have this sacred dinner tainted with such a vile act, boy. This table is for family matters, not petty commotions."

A head servant immediately rushed over, grabbing Sid’s arm and hauling him out of sight.

"You fool!You are unbelievably lucky that the Mayor is in a kind mood tonight,"

The servant hissed, shoving Sid toward the kitchen.

"But mark my words: Lady Evelise saw that, and she will be keeping a very close eye on you from now on."

"Yeah, yeah."

Once dinner concluded, Sid was put back to work cleaning and resetting the massive dining room. As he scraped expensive leftovers into the slop buckets and wiped down the gilded table, his anger boiled over.

"This is infuriating!"

He muttered, tossing a stained napkin onto a tray.

"I didn’t ask for this! I wanted to see who she was— just watch her, maybe from a damn screen with a popcorn and a freaking ice soda in my hand!"