Chapter 8 A Fragile Throne

The morning sunlight poured into the room, illuminating every corner of the lavish space, but to Elsa, it felt like a cruel joke. She lay on the majestic bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Yesterday should have been the beginning of a new chapter in her life-a celebration of love, unity, and family. Instead, it had become a nightmare.

Her parents were gone, and the emptiness they left behind weighed heavily on her chest. She replayed the events of the past days in her mind, searching for answers, for some sign that it wasn't real. But the silence of the room and the ache in her heart reminded her that it was.

A knock on the door shattered her thoughts. Slowly, she turned her head toward the sound.

"Come in," Elsa said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The door creaked open, and two maids entered, balancing a tray of food. Their expressions were neutral, almost robotic, as they placed the tray on the table by her bed.

"Good morning, ma'am," one of them said curtly. "Breakfast is served."

Elsa barely acknowledged them. Her gaze lingered on the tray for a moment, but the thought of eating made her stomach churn. She hadn't eaten since the previous morning.

"Where's Liam?" Elsa asked softly, her voice tinged with desperation.

The maids exchanged a glance before one of them spoke. "The boss left early this morning, ma'am. He didn't say when he'd be back."

Her heart sank. Liam had promised to investigate her parents' death, to uncover the truth behind the tragedy. But he was nowhere to be found.

"I'm not hungry," Elsa said firmly, pushing the tray away.

"Ma'am," the other maid replied, her tone unusually sharp, "if you don't eat now, there won't be anything else until tomorrow."

The coldness in the maid's voice jolted Elsa out of her daze. She sat up slowly, her eyes narrowing. "Excuse me?"

"We have orders from the boss to make sure you eat," the maid continued, her voice steady but lacking the respect Elsa was used to.

Elsa felt a flicker of anger rise within her. She had tolerated too much already-the grief, the confusion, the loneliness. Now, even the staff in her own home dared to disrespect her?

"Leave the tray and get out," Elsa said firmly, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.

The maids didn't move. Instead, one of them crossed her arms, a defiant expression on her face. "We're not leaving until you eat."

Something inside Elsa snapped. She rose from the bed, walked over to the tray, and picked up a plate of neatly arranged toast. Without hesitation, she threw it to the ground, the sound of shattering porcelain echoing through the room.

"Now clean that up and get out!" Elsa commanded, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and frustration.

The maids exchanged another glance, and before Elsa could react, one of them grabbed her wrist.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!" Elsa struggled, but her strength was no match for the maid's grip.

The other maid picked up a piece of toast from the floor and shoved it toward Elsa's mouth. "When we say eat, you eat."

Tears welled up in Elsa's eyes as she tried to break free. She had never felt so humiliated, so powerless.

The sound of the door opening made everyone freeze.

"What's going on here?" Liam's voice was calm but commanding as he stepped into the room.

The maids immediately released Elsa and stepped back, bowing slightly. Elsa sank to the floor, trembling and breathless.

"Sir, we were only following orders," one of the maids said quickly. "She refused to eat."

Liam's eyes swept over the room, taking in the shattered plate, the crumbs on the floor, and Elsa's bruised wrist. He walked over to her, kneeling down and gently brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"You need to eat, Elsa," he said softly. "You're not taking care of yourself."

Elsa looked up at him, searching his face for some sign of compassion, of understanding. "Liam... they-"

But before she could finish, Liam stood up and addressed the maids.

"Make sure she eats," he said, his tone firm but eerily calm. "Do whatever it takes."

The words sent a chill down Elsa's spine. She stared at him in disbelief as he turned and left the room, leaving her alone with the maids once more.

As the door closed behind him, Elsa's tears began to fall freely. The man she had trusted, the man who had promised to protect her, was slipping further and further away. And with him, so was her sense of safety.