Cruel Muse Chapter Five
- Ro Salarian
- Dec 19, 2025
- 10 min read
It was foggy when they arrived for the first day of work, a thick, heavy blanket of vapor that obscured the narrow, winding road and made them late. Dorothea seemed not to notice the time, and greeted them at the door in a sweeping black nylon nightgown with a matching chiffon peignoir, her hair hidden beneath a gold turban that matched her slippers.
There was not a thread out of place, not a wrinkle or tear or speck of dirt. So much attention was given to every detail of the garments she slept in, and yet she had no regard for the state of the house outside her bedroom. She was also unbothered by two near-strangers seeing her in such a state, the salacious curves of her body barely hidden by the thin fabric that clung to her figure as if it knew what a privilege it was to touch her.
Ernesto blushed and looked away, politely. Val was frozen, unable to breathe, her eyes wide with awe and some other, unfamiliar feeling that made her heart pound. Dorothea sighed and made a show of closing her robe. “Come in, come in darlings,” she said. “Have you eaten already? I’ve made breakfast. Croissants with creme fraiche and jam, poached eggs with hollandaise, and veal sausages. Have as much as you like.” As if on cue, the smell of it all hit their noses, calling them like sirens into the kitchen.
