Maya, being tasked to care for Princess Rio, also by default has to care for Prince Mark too. And she hates it. She wishes she could never see his face ever again.

But, for the sake of the money and staying with Rio, she does so anyways.

Thankfully, Mako has taken care of a lot of the morning tasks already. But, she did tell Maya to go check up on him and see if he needs anything else. 

Of course, obediently, Maya heads over to the guest room Mark is staying in at the moment. Knowing that eventually, he would sleep in the same bed as Rio, a jealous fire burns within her.

Maya lightly knocks on his door before he gives her a cue to come in. When he does, she steps inside and bows to him.

"Good morning, your highness," she speaks, trying her best to stay calm. "Is there anything else that could be done to serve you at the moment?" She asks him.

"No, I'm fine," Prince Mark shakes his head. "You're lucky you weren't fired after what you did to me yesterday, you know."

"I am aware," Maya nods her head. "Nothing like that will happen again, your highness."

"What's your name?" He then asks her. Maya is shocked by the question, but answers anyway.

"My name is Maya," she answers him.

"Maya," Mark responds, his gaze suddenly darkening as he begins to approach her menacingly. "You have feelings for the princess, don't you?" He questions. "I've seen the way you look at her... and I've seen the looks you've been giving me."

Maya gulps nervously, feeling afraid of this prince. She is unable to make eye contact with him. She takes a slow step back. Prince Mark has seen right through her, no matter how much she has tried to hide it.

Maya didn't answer, but Prince Mark knew exactly what that meant.

"ing... nasty lesbian," Mark spits in her face. "You're so pitiful, you know that?" he laughs. "She'll never like a dirty pauper girl like you, dressed in all of your rags," he speaks harshly. "Even more of a reason for the king to fire you."

"Shut up," Maya responds coldly, clearly offended by his words. She is trying her best not to slip up and accidentally reveal their secret to him.

"You don't have the right to tell me what to do, peasant!" He snaps angrily, raising his voice. "Princess Rio is mine... and you can never have her."

Maya cowers back in fear.

Suddenly, he grabs her by the collar of her dress, pulling her in closer. He looks directly into her eyes, staring her down. 

"Maya," he repeats her name again. "Next month, Princess Rio and I are going to get married. Within these next few months, she'll be expecting her first child. The new heir to the Hanabashi throne," he speaks low, baring his teeth. "One day, I will be sitting next to her throne as her king. And all you can do is stand there and watch."

Maya has never been filled with so much anger and hatred for just one person.

Instinctively, she does what her mother has always told her to do if a man is threatening her. 

She lifts her knee and...

Knees him hard right in his manhood.

Maya has never seen a man more vulnerable and pitiful in her whole life. Prince Mark collapses down to the floor due to the pain, letting go of the collar of her dress.

Maya lets out a satisfied chuckle as she looks down at the so powerful prince curled up in a ball on the floor.

"If you dare tell a soul what happened in this room," she begins to threaten right back to him. "I won't hesitate to do that