I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started

Chapter 60 The fire that seemed like it would devour a small girl like me. When I woke up engulfed in flames, an unimaginable fear came over me.Waking up surrounded by fire, I had been overwhelmed by a terror I could never have imagined.Lost in thought, I barely noticed Daniel, kneeling beside the rock, let out a faint chuckle. His dark eyes gleamed as if an amusing thought had crossed his mind.I tilted my head, puzzled by his expression, and he began to speak, a trace of amusement in his voice.“There was a girl at the almshouse—bright, like you.”“Really?”My ears perked up at the mention of a girl like me.“Even in that miserable place, she had the boys her age running for cover like rats being chased.”“…Hey. Are you done talking yet? When have I ever done that!”I snapped at him indignantly, and he laughed, thoroughly entertained by my reaction.“When she wandered through the house, even the sick and starving kids couldn’t help but laugh along with her.”“…….”“That’s what reminded me of you.”Daniel took my foot and placed it on his thigh, unintentionally dirtying his tailored trousers with dirt. Yet he didn’t seem to care as he focused on applying the ointment to my ankle. His eyes, deep with thought, were somber.“Sometimes I think that the kids at Hollis Orphanage survived those five years with us because you brought some light into their lives.”“What? I didn’t do anything special…”Feeling embarrassed, I fiddled with my fingers. Each time his hands touched my ankle, I felt more self-conscious.“You did for me. That noisy, miserable orphanage… I could bear it because someone like you was there, bright and always talking to me.”“…….”“Do you remember when you came to our orphanage?”He asked softly, and I didn’t respond right away.“When they said a kid from another orphanage was being transferred, I sighed. There was barely enough food for us as it was, and now we had another mouth to feed. Life felt like it was becoming even more of a battlefield.”He paused, lost in the memory. Perhaps he was picturing the day I arrived.He spoke as if the scene were unfolding in front of him.“You stepped out of the carriage with the most miserable expression I’d ever seen. Back then, you were no different from any of us—just a kid who had learned despair, not hope.”“…Me?”Noticing my awkwardness, Daniel chuckled and nodded.He said that I had the same tattered clothes as the other children, my hair was all messed up, and my face looked like it was going to suffocate.Daniel acted as if the incident was as vivid as yesterday.“For the first week, you shut yourself in a room we called the library—not that it had more than a dozen books. You barely ate. Colin thought you might starve to death, and the director said he would fix your bad habits, but he didn’t even give you soup on purpose.”“…….”“But then, after a week, you suddenly burst out of the library with a bright face.You were the first to take care of Lucas, comforting him when he cried for his mom every day.”At only eight years old, you’d stepped into the role of caregiver for a boy who missed his mother terribly.“You acted cheerful and mature, always looking out for the other kids. But I knew you had your own sadness buried deep inside.”He seemed drawn into the past, a time both painful and indelible. His memories of those days seemed to define him, like a tattoo on his soul.“Because you brought so much light to the orphanage, even Lucas stopped whining as much and started listening to you.”“…….”“Maybe that’s why I came looking for you.”“…….”“I wanted to give back as much as I received from you.”However, Daniel said in a bewildered tone that he never imagined that he would end up in such a ridiculous employer-maid relationship.“I thought that I had grown up so well and came looking for you, that I was now capable of it, and that I had become a great man that feeding and sheltering you is no big deal.”When he said that, Daniel shut his mouth tightly as if embarrassed. He had been lost in his memories and had been talking freely, but now he seemed embarrassed that he had opened up so honestly.When I stared at him, he covered his face with his hand.“…What are you looking at? Just pretend you didn’t hear that.”His defiance only made his awkwardness more obvious.Pretend I didn’t hear? You’re making it impossible to ignore.I stared at his reddened ears and dark hair for a moment before speaking.It wasn’t just his flushed cheeks that caught my attention—I wanted to address something that had been bothering me.Placing my hands firmly on his shoulders, I made him look up at me. His eyes widened in surprise.“What? What’s this about?”I ignored the blush creeping up his neck and asked, “You said I was gloomy when I first came to the orphanage. Are you sure?”“Huh?”Daniel looked at me as if I’d just asked something absurd.“That’s what I said. Why?”“You’re certain I was that miserable when I got there?”He hesitated before nodding. I scratched my forehead, puzzled.“Why don’t I remember that time?”“…….”“You didn’t mistake me?”“…….”“Are you sure you’re not mixing me up with someone else? Like, maybe you’re confusing me with another girl…”I tried to joke, but Daniel’s face twisted into an expression of pure disbelief.  ***** Why would I mistake you for another girl?Daniel had been on the verge of saying it, but he stopped himself, realizing how foolish it would sound.Instead, he stood up abruptly, his mood visibly soured. The soft, sentimental look in his dark eyes had vanished, replaced by a glint of betrayal.“I’m the idiot for saying all that to you… Think whatever you want, you fool.”“Hey, Daniel…!”Ignoring me, he grabbed my boots from under the rock and shoved them onto my feet, as if to punctuate his irritation. Without sparing me another glance, he turned and started walking out of the forest.“Hey, wait! Are you mad?!”Rosieta tried to get up awkwardly and groaned. Even though she had applied ointment, the pain still remained.At her groaning, Daniel, who was about to leave the forest at a fast pace, stopped. Then he glanced over his shoulder at her.She, who was holding onto the rock, raised her head and shouted out what she urgently wanted to ask.“Wait! Are you going to the villa for Colin’s birthday party?”“What villa?”His expression became even more fierce, making Rosieta flinch. Come to think of it, she had to decide where to stay for Colin’s birthday party.Lucas had said that Daniel was busy with work and wouldn’t go to the villa, but it was still the birthday of his brother who he had spent almost his entire life with, so how could he miss it?Rosieta leaned against the rock and looked at Daniel.He was slightly annoyed at Colin’s name popping out again, but soon narrowed his eyes as if he was trying to gauge his intentions.“Why are you curious about that?”Could it be that he wanted to be with Colin, so she wanted me to include her as a maid going to the villa?Daniel couldn’t help but feel another annoyance. He hadn’t felt this way before Rosieta arrived. But now, even the mention of Colin’s name brought an unpleasant twist to his stomach, as if he were being drawn into a petty rivalry.However, Rosieta awkwardly smiled and said, contrary to Daniel’s expectations.“If you’re going to stay at the mansion, I’m going to stay too. Honestly, if you go to the villa, I’m not going to play, I’m going to work. In that case, it might be better to just stay at the mansion…”“…….”“And… I don’t know. The idea of just the three of us going feels a little cold. Not that I’d be partying with them or anything, but it feels weird to leave you here by yourself.”Her words softened his expression. So she wasn’t asking about Colin—she’d asked because of him.Clearing his throat, Daniel tried to hide the faint satisfaction creeping into his face.“I haven’t decided yet if I’m going to the villa.”“Really?”He hesitated for a moment, then turned back toward her, his earlier irritation forgotten.“It’s the villa near the seaside. Once the formalities are over, even the staff can enjoy some free time exploring the area.”“Hmm, that sounds nice, but…”“Don’t you want to see the ocean?”“Well, it’d be great if I could, but…”Rosieta tilted her head, unsure of what he was getting at.Daniel coughed loudly, clasping his hands behind his back as he cast her a cautious glance.“…Then should I go too?”His tentative question made her eyes widen in surprise.“It’d be great if all four of us went. But what about your work?”“I can bring my work to the villa. It’s no big deal.”“Really?”Her eyes sparkled with excitement. While she’d been willing to stay at the mansion with him, the idea of all four of them going to the seaside villa clearly thrilled her.“I thought you’d stay behind and keep working while everyone else went to the villa. That’s why I was considering staying too.”Rosieta began chatting excitedly.“It’d feel weird if you stayed here alone while the rest of us went to the seaside. But if all four of us go, that’d be really nice.”Hearing her say that made Daniel clear his throat again, trying to hide his pleased expression as he nodded.“Fine. I’ll go. Consider it decided.”“Really?”“There’s staff to manage the villa, so it won’t be as hard as working at the mansion. The party for Colin’s birthday might be busy, but there’ll still be plenty of time to relax.”Rosieta nodded enthusiastically, her excitement evident. The prospect of a seaside trip where she could earn a good wage while also having time to enjoy herself was too good to pass up.Daniel nearly chuckled at her reaction but held it in. Just as he was about to leave, he paused and turned back to her.“If there are any maids you want to bring along, let me know. You’ve made some friends, right?”It was a generous offer—letting her choose who she wanted to bring to the villa.Her face lit up at his words. She’d been worried about having to work closely with people she didn’t get along with at the villa, but now she felt relieved.She already knew exactly who she’d bring—and who she’d avoid at all costs.