Chapter 002 - Kaydance Walton

Rohan wakes up, exhaustion filling him up. Sunlight streams in the window, yet he feels overwhelmed. He stares at the familiar ceiling of his bedroom but finds no comfort. Dread builds–it’s Saturday morning.

Ignoring the trembling of his legs, he goes to the washroom. Splashing water on his face, he notices the swelling and pain in his stomach. After a bath and fresh clothes, he returns to his room and sits on the bed, feeling heavy and numb.

A knock comes at the door. Rohan opens it and finds a female servant holding a breakfast tray. He frowns at the coffee and the food.

“Sir Kaden sent me. He mentioned you got into an accident last night.”

Rohan nods, and Sara, Kaden’s personal maid, enters. Sara is tall and slender with a plain face. Her hair is pulled back in a bun. She is dressed in a gray uniform and black apron and carries an air of confidence.

She sets the tray down and pats the bed. “If you would sit here, I can look at the wound on your face,” she says. “And anywhere you are wounded.”

Rohan nods, and she inspects and cleans his injuries. “It’s fine now, Sir Rohan,” she reassures.

Rohan clears his throat. “I’m not a sir anymore.”

She frowns. “Why?”

“I’m not part of the Walton clan anymore.”

“Because you are cleaning the house and transferred to this room?” she asks.

Rohan shakes his head, embarrassed. “I’m no longer treated as a proper son-in-law.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Rohan averts his eyes and says nothing as he takes the food.

“Are you done?”

“Yes,” he replies.

Sara leaves, and Rohan locks the door. Since he finished his tasks yesterday, he can rest and tend to his wound. Before he can take a step, someone bangs on the door.

Rohan opens it again and finds Kaydance Walton, Kyndra’s youngest sister.

“Ewww, what happened to your face?” she asks, pointing at his cheeks.

“Accident,” he replies. “What are you doing here?”

“My friends are here,” she informs. “We need a taster for our cakes. The butler says you are free all day.”

Rohan follows her into a luxurious kitchen that is humid and bathed in the sunlight, like egg yolk dripping into a giant waffle. Kaydance’s friends are busy chattering and laughing. He hears steel pans, eggshells crunching, and frying.

“Here’s my brother-in-law!” Kaydance announces. “At our service!”

“Hello,” he greets, and the smell of freshly baked bread and pastries assaults his nose.

“This is your brother-in-law?” the young woman with pale skin and freckles asks.

“Yes, Lilian,” Kaydance answers beside her.

“Let him try the chocolate one,” the tall, dark-haired one suggests.

“No, Delora! Make him wash his hands first,” the girl in the pink shirt says, grimacing at his fresh wound.

“You don’t have to sound so disgusted, Vina,” Lilian scolds her.

“But it’s disgusting.”

“Enough,” Lilian scolds. “You! Wash your hands first just so Vina is satisfied.”

Rohan washes his hands and takes a seat. The girls give him a small cake, emitting the smell of chocolate, butter, and cinnamon.

Vina explains, “This is the chocolate one.”

Rohan bites into it. “This is delicious,” he praises.

The girl passes around cakes. After eating two, Rohan is full and sleepy. He rests his head on the table and dozes off while listening to the girls’ chatter.

“The private party for the elites will be tomorrow.”

“I heard it’s two hours of drive away.”

“It’s a hassle,” Delora remarks. “But there will be wine and whiskey. Not to mention gorgeous actors and models.”

“You don’t have to be so crude about it.”

“But it’s exciting!”

“You see actors and models all the time,” Lilian points out. “Besides, we can’t go. Kay has no boyfriend.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll take him,” Kaydance says, pointing at him.

“Didn’t you say he was disgusting?”

“I thought we were going to a party, not the poorhouse?”

Vina rolls her eyes at Kaydance. “Why take that?”

“It’s supposed to be Kyndra,” she replies. “I need to substitute.”

Rohan raises his head at the young women. “I’m full. Can I leave?”

“No!” The young women circle him, pushing him back to the chair. “You can’t leave without eating all these up.”

“Can I play him, Kay?” Delora asks.

“Sure, go ahead,” Kay replies.

Delora grabs a cake and presses it on his chest.

“What the!?” he exclaims.

Delora drops another cake on the floor, sending crumbs and whipped cream everywhere. Then she pushes a cake onto his face.

“Hey, stop it!” he shouts. Delora looks at Kaydance and says, “Can I have him, please?”

Kaydance shrugs. “You can’t. He is already our dog.”

The door bursts open, and a butler enters. “How could you let this happen?” she scolds Rohan. “You should be ashamed of yourself! Your wife just died a year ago!”

Rohan stands up. “I did nothing wrong. I just tasted their cakes.”

The butler stares coldly at Rohan. “You are a disgrace, pervert.”

Rohan doesn’t argue, asking instead if he can already leave. He knows Kaydance will turn the tables on him again. The butler steps aside and allows him to leave.

However, that’s after calling him a “low-life.”