Elena Carter stood at the bus stop, her old canvas bag slung over her shoulder and her sneakers worn thin from too many miles walked. The morning sun was hot, but the pit in her stomach made her shiver.
She stared at the piece of paper in her hand — the address of her new job. The mansion of Adrian King.
The richest man in the city.
The coldest, most ruthless CEO anyone had ever heard of.
And now… her boss.
Her hands trembled. Don't screw this up, Elena. If you lose this job, Liam will be pulled out of school, and we'll be on the streets by the end of the month.
Liam. Just thinking of her little brother gave her the strength to breathe again. His smile, even in their shabby little apartment, was the only light that kept her going. She'd promised him she'd make things better.
This maid job wasn't glamorous, but it paid more than her last three jobs combined. She had to hold onto it, no matter what.
When the bus finally screeched to a halt, Elena hopped off and stared up at the massive black gates before her. Beyond them stretched a driveway so long she couldn't even see the house yet, lined with manicured hedges and marble statues that looked like they belonged in a museum.
Her jaw dropped.
"This place is bigger than three hospitals combined," she muttered, clutching her bag tighter. "What on earth am I doing here?"
But she didn't have the luxury of doubting herself. She squared her shoulders, shoved the paper into her pocket, and stepped through the gates.
---
The mansion was even more overwhelming up close. Massive glass windows gleamed in the sunlight, fountains danced in the courtyard, and the doors were so tall Elena wondered if giants lived there.
Inside, she was greeted by a stern woman in a black uniform — the head maid.
"You must be the new hire," the woman said, scanning her from head to toe with disapproval. Elena felt every patch on her worn sneakers burning under that sharp gaze.
"Y-yes, ma'am. Elena Carter."
"Kitchen duty first. You'll be assisting with staff refreshments. Keep your head down, do as you're told, and—" the head maid's eyes narrowed, "—above all else, stay out of the master's way."
Elena nodded rapidly. "Yes, ma'am. I promise!"
She quickly changed into the stiff black-and-white uniform provided, tied her messy brown hair into a bun, and tried not to gape at her reflection. She looked like a child playing dress-up in someone else's life.
---
In the kitchen, she found a tray of steaming coffee cups waiting.
"Deliver these to the office staff," the head maid ordered. "And don't spill a drop. That coffee costs more than your entire month's salary."
Elena gulped. "Y-yes, ma'am."
She carefully lifted the tray, her arms wobbling under the weight. She whispered to herself with every step: Steady… steady… one foot at a time.
The halls stretched endlessly, filled with priceless vases, golden-framed portraits, and rugs that probably cost more than her entire apartment building. Other maids glided gracefully past her, perfectly balanced, while Elena stumbled like a toddler learning to walk.
She overheard two maids whispering as she passed.
"Did you hear? Mr. King fired an assistant last week just for stuttering in front of him."
"They say he hasn't smiled in ten years. Cold as ice, that man."
Elena's grip tightened on the tray. Great. Just great. I'm working for a dragon in a suit.
---
She rounded a corner—too fast.
BAM.
She collided with something solid. The tray tilted, cups clattered, and before she could save it—splash.
Hot coffee drenched a crisp white designer suit.
Elena froze, horror flooding her veins.
The man she'd crashed into was tall, broad-shouldered, and carried an aura so intense it made the air around him heavy. His dark hair was slicked back, his jaw sharp, and his storm-gray eyes locked onto hers with a look that could freeze lava.
Her stomach sank to her shoes.
It wasn't just any man.
It was Adrian King.
The billionaire CEO.
The master of the house.
The one man she'd been told to avoid at all costs.
And she'd just baptized him in coffee.
---
Gasps filled the hallway. Staff members who had been passing by froze like statues. One maid actually dropped the stack of linens she was carrying, her face pale with shock.
Elena's mouth moved before her brain caught up. "I—I'm so sorry! I didn't mean—It was an accident, I swear!"
Adrian's jaw clenched, a muscle twitching. He slowly pulled a silk handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his ruined shirt, never breaking eye contact.
"Do you," he said finally, his deep voice like a knife's edge, "have any idea who I am?"
Elena swallowed hard. Of course she did. Everyone knew Adrian King. He was the CEO of King Enterprises, the billionaire who controlled half the city's economy, the man who could make or break anyone's future with a single phone call.
She nodded weakly. "You're… the boss."
A cold smirk touched his lips. "And yet, here you are. Ruining a suit worth more than your entire life."
Heat rushed to Elena's cheeks. Her pride flared despite her fear. "I said I was sorry! It's just coffee, it'll wash out—"
Gasps erupted again. No one ever dared talk back to Adrian King.
His eyes narrowed dangerously, but instead of exploding in fury as everyone expected, he studied her, silent, as though she were some strange puzzle.
---
Finally, he spoke.
"Head maid."
The older woman jumped to attention. "Y-yes, sir?"
"Keep her," Adrian said, his tone clipped and icy. "I'll deal with her myself."
Whispers broke out instantly. Deal with her? Did that mean punishment? Immediate firing? Something worse?
Elena's throat went dry. She wanted to ask what that meant, but Adrian was already striding away, the ruined suit clinging to his powerful frame.
The staff parted for him like the Red Sea, their eyes darting between Elena and their retreating master.
The head maid turned back to her, pale as a ghost.
"You… you have no idea what you've just done," she whispered.
Elena stood frozen, her heart hammering in her chest.
She didn't know if she'd just been spared… or sentenced.
End of Chapter One.