Chapter 5 The Name

Ari avoided him for two days.

Not intentionally.

At least, that's what she told herself.

The estate was large enough that servants could disappear easily if they kept their heads down, moved quickly, and stayed useful. Ari did all three.

She accepted every task given to her without complaint.

Laundry.

Cleaning.

Deliveries.

Anything that kept her away from the main halls.

Away from him.

Because every conversation with Emy felt dangerous now.

Not because he remembered.

He didn't.

That was the problem.

Some part of him reacted anyway.

And Ari didn't know what would happen if she let that continue.

"Claire."

Ari looked up automatically.

The housekeeper frowned at her from across the kitchen.

"Take this upstairs."

Ari stepped forward silently, accepting the tray carefully.

Tea.

Two cups.

Her chest tightened immediately.

"Lady Ari requested it for the west study," the woman added.

Of course she did.

Ari lowered her gaze. "...Yes."

The walk upstairs felt longer than usual.

Her thoughts stayed loud the entire way.

Maybe she should leave.

The idea had followed her since the first day.

Run before things became worse.

Before she made another mistake.

Before Emy started noticing too much.

But every time she thought about leaving-

she remembered his face.

Alive again.

Breathing.

Laughing.

Close enough to touch.

And suddenly leaving felt impossible.

Ari stopped outside the study door.

Voices drifted faintly from inside.

"...the families are already expecting an announcement soon."

Ari froze.

Another unfamiliar male voice answered calmly.

"The timing would be ideal."

Engagement.

Again.

The word settled heavily in her chest.

She shouldn't listen.

But her feet refused to move.

Then-

Emy spoke.

"...Do we really need to discuss this tonight?"

Tired.

Detached.

Ari knew that tone immediately.

The voice he used when he wanted conversations to end without causing conflict.

A woman laughed softly.

Not Meredith.

Older.

Refined.

"You should take these matters more seriously."

Silence followed briefly.

Then-

"What matters is that Lady Ari suits you well."

Ari's grip tightened painfully against the tray.

Lady Ari.

Not me.

Another voice spoke again.

"And House Valen would never approve of unnecessary scandals."

The atmosphere inside the room shifted subtly after that.

Heavier.

More careful.

Ari suddenly understood something important.

This wasn't just romance.

This was expectation.

Status.

Family.

Pressure.

A servant accidentally brushed past Ari in the hallway, making the cups rattle softly.

Inside the study, the conversation stopped immediately.

Ari inhaled sharply.

Too late now.

"Come in," a voice called.

Ari forced herself to move.

Careful.

Steady.

The moment she stepped inside, several unfamiliar eyes landed on her at once.

Older men.

Well dressed.

Sharp expressions.

Watching servants without really seeing them.

At the center of the room sat Emy.

And beside him-

her.

Lady Ari looked perfectly composed beneath the attention around her.

As if she belonged in rooms like this naturally.

Maybe now she did.

Ari lowered her gaze quickly and approached the table silently.

No one paid much attention to her after that.

Good.

That was safer.

She placed the tray down carefully beside Emy first.

His hand brushed hers accidentally.

A tiny touch.

Barely anything.

But Emy paused instantly.

Ari's breath caught.

The room remained deep in conversation around them.

Nobody noticed.

Except him.

Slowly, Emy looked up.

Their eyes met briefly.

And Ari saw it again.

That look.

Confusion.

Recognition trying unsuccessfully to exist.

Ari pulled her hand back immediately.

Too fast.

The movement drew attention this time.

"Something wrong?" one of the older men asked sharply.

Ari lowered her head instantly.

"No, sir."

Silence lingered for half a second too long.

Then the conversation resumed.

But Emy still looked distracted.

Lady Ari noticed that.

Ari saw it immediately.

The slight shift in her posture.

The brief glance toward Emy.

Then toward Claire.

Careful.

Observing.

Not suspicious yet.

But noticing.

Ari stepped back quickly after serving everyone else.

Just leave.

Before something happens again.

She turned toward the door-

"...Emy."

The name slipped out quietly.

Soft.

Automatic.

The room went silent.

Completely silent.

Ari froze instantly.

No.

No no no-

She hadn't meant-

Every pair of eyes in the room shifted toward her.

Emy looked up sharply.

The older guests frowned in confusion.

And beside him-

Lady Ari went completely still.

Ari's pulse roared painfully in her ears.

Think.

Think.

But her mind had already gone blank.

One of the men spoke first.

"...What did you just call him?"

Ari swallowed hard.

Young Master.

She should have said Young Master.

Not-

Emy stood slowly from his seat.

Not angry.

Not offended.

Just staring at her with an expression Ari couldn't understand.

"...Say it again."

The words came quietly.

But the entire room felt them.

Ari's hands trembled slightly at her sides.

"I-"

"Claire."

Lady Ari's voice cut in gently.

Smooth.

Controlled.

Saving the situation before it could worsen.

"She's new," she said lightly to the others. "Some servants become too familiar after overhearing conversations."

Soft laughter followed around the room.

The tension loosened immediately.

Ari understood what she had just done.

Dangerous.

Unacceptable.

A servant using the heir's personal name so casually-

House Valen would never tolerate it.

But Emy didn't sit back down.

His eyes remained fixed on Ari.

"...Where did you hear that name?" he asked quietly.

Ari's chest tightened painfully.

Because of course he would ask that.

Nobody called him Emy here.

Not publicly.

Not like that.

Ari forced herself to lower her gaze again.

"I made a mistake."

The lie sounded weak even to her own ears.

Emy took a slow step closer.

"...No," he said softly.

"That didn't sound like a mistake."

The room grew quieter again.

Lady Ari stood smoothly from her seat this time.

Elegant.

Perfectly calm.

And for the first time since arriving in this life-

Ari felt truly afraid of her.

Not because the woman recognized her.

But because Ari suddenly realized:

if she kept making mistakes like this-

someone eventually would.