RYL Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Sabrina’s activities outside never really concerned him.
At least, not until he saw that scene.

On his way back to the capital after finishing some work outside, he passed through an area filled with slums. As his carriage stopped briefly, he happened to glance outside and saw a familiar figure.

Her outfit was different, but there was no mistaking it—it was Sabrina.

She was with a group of men, and they all looked rough and dangerous, their large builds making them even more intimidating. The sight of them gathered in a dark alley looked too dangerous to ignore, so he ordered the carriage to stop.

Worried she might be in trouble, he rushed over.

But then…

“Stop messing around!”

“Hehe, no, ma’am!”

Sabrina restrained one of the massive men in a headlock, using just one arm effortlessly.

That’s when he realized—he had completely misunderstood the situation.

She wasn’t in danger. If anything, she was the one causing trouble.

Strangely, instead of relief, an unpleasant feeling settled in his stomach.

“Nuna! Teach me a lesson too!”

“Me too!”

“You idiots! Get back to your places before I make you regret it!”

At her sharp command, the men immediately straightened up, their expressions tense.

“Yes, ma’am!!!”

Leaning against a wall, Theo watched the scene for a while before turning back toward his carriage.

The image of that man, grinning while wrapped in Sabrina’s arm, wouldn’t leave his mind.

He had never been that close to her. Yet here she was, touching those men so casually.

It irritated him to no end.

Back in the carriage, his aide noticed his sour mood and hesitantly asked,
“Do you want me to investigate those men from earlier?”

“Yes.”

Though the aide seemed confused, he nodded without further questions, recognizing that the duke was in no mood for discussion.

It didn’t take long—less than half a day—for the investigation to be completed.

The men Sabrina had been with?

They were a notorious gang that controlled the outskirts of the capital and nearby slums. Even the city guards had given up on dealing with them, leaving them unchecked as long as they didn’t cause too much trouble in the noble districts.

And yet, Sabrina was hanging around with them?

‘Hehe, no, ma’am.’
‘Nuna! Teach me a lesson too!’
‘Me too!’

The memory of those grinning thugs replayed in Theo’s mind.

After struggling with his thoughts, he finally gave up and decided to summon Sabrina.

***

When she entered his office and heard his command, she frowned.

“Why should I?”

He had ordered her to stay inside the mansion for the time being.

Of course, there was no way Sabrina would quietly obey.

Theo, on the other hand, had expected at least some cooperation—after all, he was her employer, and she was technically a maid.

“You’ve been spending time with a dangerous crowd,” he pointed out.

“Who I spend time with and what I do isn’t any of your business, is it?”

He doesn’t want any counterargument.

Sabrina gave him an unimpressed look before turning around and walking straight out of the office.

She might as well have said, Fire me if you don’t like it.

But the real problem?

Despite her attitude, Theo had no intention of letting her go.

“Damn it.”

With a bitter curse, he buried his face in his hands.

Why the hell was he letting that woman control him like this?

What was so special about her…?

***

Lately, Sabrina had started going out at night, something she never used to do.

Theo had assigned his men to follow her, but somehow, she kept slipping away—no matter how skilled they were.

Their excuses only made things worse.

“She disappeared like a ghost the moment we blinked!”

And these were the men he was paying…?

Frustrated, he decided to handle it himself.

Rather than following her directly, he rented a different carriage and trailed her from a distance.

Since she was only looking for people on foot following her, she never even considered that a carriage might be tailing her.

Even then, he almost lost sight of her several times.

Just where was she going?

Eventually, she entered a building.

Strangely, it wasn’t just her—several other noble carriages were parked outside as well.

Why were so many nobles gathering in the outskirts of the city?

He didn’t have time to dwell on it. He quickly stepped out of his carriage, scanning the area for her.

But everyone around him was wearing masks.

“…Damn it.”

With a frustrated sigh, Theo ran a hand through his hair.

***

“The information about the salon you asked me to investigate, sir.”

His aide handed him a report.

Theo frowned as he skimmed through it.

‘Clina Salon.’

A salon that had suddenly appeared on the outskirts of the capital.

No information about its owner. No real background.

Just another mysterious establishment.

Why was Sabrina involved in something like this…?

Was she working there?

Thinking back, he remembered the large men guarding the entrance.

They looked familiar.

‘If that’s the case, then it makes some sense…’

But still—why this place?

After another sleepless night spent agonizing over it, Theo finally made a decision and summoned Sabrina.

“I’ll pay you twice your current salary.”

“…What?”

Sabrina’s confused expression deepened as Theo got straight to the point.

“In exchange, stay inside the mansion.”

She frowned.

“Sorry, but that’s not happening.”

“Why not?”

“If that’s what you want, you might as well process my resignation.”

At her sharp reply, Theo’s expression hardened.

“That’s not an option.”

“Then neither is yours.”

For the first time, cracks appeared in Theo’s usually expressionless face.

“You are a maid of the duke’s household.”

“That’s what you think. I already submitted my resignation a long time ago.”

“I never approved it.”

This ridiculous back-and-forth was testing Sabrina’s patience.

“What kind of workplace forces someone to stay against their will? I said I’m leaving! What right do you have to stop me?”

She couldn’t hold back her frustration and raised her voice.

Theo, who had been silently watching her, finally stood up and slowly approached.

Sabrina instinctively stepped back, keeping her guard up. But she didn’t break eye contact.

Staring directly into her violet eyes, Theo finally spoke in a low, deliberate voice.

“As long as I don’t allow it… you’re not going anywhere.”

Then, in an unsettlingly gentle voice, he called her name.

“Sabrina.”

His darkened eyes locked onto hers, making her uneasy.

It was at that moment that she realized—something was very wrong.

The villain of the story seemed to be losing his mind just a little too much.

***

That night, Sabrina fumed in her room, debating whether she should escape immediately.

But sneaking out in the middle of the night wasn’t a great plan. She couldn’t go to Lilianne or Claire’s place at this hour.

‘If I leave at dawn, I’ll have somewhere to go. I just need to wait until morning.’

As soon as the sun rose, she packed her bags and headed for the door.

Click.

“…Huh?”

She turned the handle again.

Click. Click!

It was locked.

From the outside.

‘…This crazy bastard.’

The villain had actually locked her in.

This wasn’t just restraining her—it was outright imprisonment.

The fact that the door was designed to lock from both sides was proof of just how prepared he was.

Sabrina stared at the door in disbelief.

Then, her expression darkened as she clenched her teeth.

‘Does he really think this will stop me?’