Jack's legs trembled as he stepped onto the gravel drive. The adrenaline crash hit him like a wave, draining his strength and leaving him unsteady. Through heavy-lidded eyes, he watched the medical team guide his mother's gurney toward the mansion's grand entrance.
A blur of movement caught his eye. Lily burst through the front doors, her face tight with worry. Her uniform—the same one from earlier—hung wrinkled against her frame, as if she'd been pacing anxiously for hours.
"I heard explosions." Her voice caught in her throat. "The security teams wouldn't tell me anything."
"Ms. Hart." Dr. Chen's voice sliced through the morning air. "Please escort Mr. Reeves to his room while we settle his mother." She turned to her team. "Careful with those IV lines. Direct to the medical wing, standard isolation protocols."
Jack's gaze followed them as they disappeared inside with his mother. Exhaustion battled with his instinct to follow. The memory of his father's training games—what he'd always thought were just silly childhood fun—now weighed on him like concrete blocks.
"This way." Lily's fingers brushed his arm. "You look dead on your feet."
They walked in silence through the mansion's corridors. Each step of Jack's combat boots—still coated with dust from the valley battle—left smudges on the pristine marble. He noticed but couldn't summon the energy to care.
"Your grandfather ordered the staff to prepare a bath and fresh clothes," Lily said. "And there's food if you're hungry."
"My grandfather." The word felt foreign on his tongue. "Did you know? About any of this?"
Lily shook her head. "I just serve meals and keep rooms tidy. Though I did wonder about all the security. It's not normal, even for wealthy families."
They reached his room. Someone had drawn the blackout curtains, leaving only a bedside lamp glowing. The massive bed beckoned him like a siren.
"The Crimson Hand," Jack murmured. "They killed my father. All this time, I thought it was a factory accident."
"Jack." Lily's voice softened. "You don't have to explain."
"But I want to. I need someone normal to talk to. Someone who isn't part of this..." His hand waved vaguely at their surroundings, encompassing the mansion, the security, the entire insane situation.
"I'm here." Her fingers squeezed his. "Whatever you need."
Jack met her gaze and found genuine concern there. No hidden agendas, no family secrets, just honest worry for him. The simplicity nearly broke him.
"Thank you." His voice roughened. "For not changing how you treat me, even after learning who I am."
"You're still Jack. The same guy who tackled me yesterday, remember?" A hint of playfulness crept into her voice. "Though now I know why your reflexes are so good."
Despite everything, Jack's lips curved upward. "Yeah, turns out Dad's 'games' weren't just games."
Lily pushed open the door to his room. The space sprawled before him, alien in its opulence. Antique furniture gleamed with polish, and a massive four-poster bed dominated the center, draped with fabrics that whispered of wealth and power. Jack stared at it, the promise of comfort almost overwhelming.
"You should clean up," Lily suggested, her tone gentle but firm. "You've been through a lot. A hot shower will help."
Jack nodded, every muscle screaming in protest from the day's exertion. His eyes followed Lily's gesture toward the en-suite bathroom, a cathedral of marble and gold fixtures.
"Go on," she encouraged. "I'll check if the water's warm."
Jack stood frozen, the morning's events swirling through his mind like a hurricane. His fingers fumbled with his shirt buttons, suddenly numb and uncooperative. The garment slipped from his shoulders to the floor as he worked at his pants, the fabric clinging to his skin with dried sweat and dust.
Lily turned away, moving to adjust the shower temperature. Jack's eyes remained fixed on her—his anchor to normalcy in a world spinning out of control. He stepped out of his pants, standing in just his boxers, thoughts scattered like leaves in a storm.
"It'll just be a moment," Lily called over her shoulder, her voice echoing slightly against the marble walls. "The water takes a bit to heat up in these old pipes. Fancy as this place is, some things still need patience."
In his dazed state, her words blurred into the background hum of exhaustion filling his head. The steam began to rise from the shower, curling in hypnotic patterns that seemed to bend time itself. Jack's consciousness slipped sideways, reality warping around him like a dream. Suddenly, with startling vividness, he saw himself and Lily in the shower together, bodies slick with soap and water, her chestnut hair darkened and clinging to her shoulders, her hazel eyes looking up at him through the steam. Her curves, usually hidden beneath the maid's uniform, glistened as water cascaded over them. The vision gripped him with such clarity that the actual bathroom around him faded into mist, replaced by this impossible future.
His fingers moved of their own accord, hooking into the waistband of his boxers. He slipped them off mechanically, mind trapped in a future that hadn't yet materialized, couldn't materialize. The cool air against his skin barely registered as he stood there, completely vulnerable, completely unaware.
When Lily turned, one hand still testing the water temperature, intending to tell him the shower was ready, her words died in her throat. Her eyes widened, taking in the sight before her – Jack stood completely naked in the middle of the bathroom, moving toward the tub with slow, unfocused steps. His gaze seemed to look through her rather than at her, as though his mind had wandered somewhere far beyond the marble walls surrounding them.
"Jack!" she gasped, cheeks flaming crimson. She stumbled backward as Jack reached out to steady her.
His grip was too firm, his balance compromised by exhaustion. As he tried to catch her, they both lost footing on the slick tiles and tumbled into the tub with a splash. Warm water engulfed them, instantly soaking through Lily's uniform.
She sputtered, hands sliding against porcelain in search of purchase. Jack found himself sprawled atop her, the water rendering her uniform nearly transparent, clinging to every curve of her body.
For one suspended moment, time stopped. Cold reality crashed over Jack, clearing the fog from his mind. Horror dawned as he realized what had happened.
"Lily, I'm so sorry," he stammered, pushing himself off her and standing in the tub, face burning. "I didn't mean..."
Lily sat up, water streaming from her hair and clothes, her expression caught between shock and embarrassment. "It's... it's okay, Jack," she managed, voice unsteady but determined. "I shouldn't have startled you like that."
Jack extended his hand, his own nakedness forgotten in his concern. She accepted his help, and they clambered out, water sloshing across the already flooded floor.
"I... I don't know what happened," Jack said, voice thick with regret. "I thought I saw..."
Lily waved him silent. "It doesn't matter. What's important is that you're safe, and you're here." Her waterlogged smile flickered to life. "Let's just get you dried off and into some clean clothes, okay?"
Jack nodded gratefully, watching as she gathered towels and clothing with efficient movements.
As he dried himself, the incident replayed in his mind, making him cringe at his own clumsiness. Yet beneath the embarrassment glowed a strange gratitude. In this surreal new existence, Lily remained constant—a reminder of who he was and who he wanted to be.
Dressed in fresh clothes, Jack found Lily waiting for him. She'd changed into a dry uniform and had mopped up most of the water.
"Feeling better?" she asked, her tone light and teasing.
"Much," Jack replied, embarrassment still warming his cheeks. "And again, I'm really sorry about—"
"Forget it," Lily cut him off, her smile widening. "Consider it a... a 'welcome to the family' hazing."
Jack chuckled, the tension finally breaking. "In that case, I guess I'm officially an Altiar now."
Lily's laugh rang out, anchoring Jack amid the chaos of his new life. As he followed her from the room, he realized that despite the danger and uncertainty, he was grateful for her presence. She was his lifeline in this turbulent sea of wealth, power, and secrets. For the first time since arriving at the mansion, a flicker of hope sparked within him that perhaps he could navigate this strange new world after all.