The morning after the party, the mansion felt strangely subdued. Staff moved quietly through the halls, tidying up remnants of the night before. Elena worked silently among them, her head down, cheeks still hot with remembered humiliation.
The whispers hadn't stopped.
She caught fragments as she passed: "Did you see the spill?" … "She'll be fired for sure." … "Surprised she even showed up today."
Elena forced herself to ignore them. She had survived worse. But the memory of champagne dripping down her front, the laughter of strangers, and Victoria Hale's smirk—all of it replayed like a cruel loop in her mind.
Still, she clung to one thought: I need this job. For Liam.
So she scrubbed floors, polished banisters, and served breakfast as if her pride hadn't been shattered just hours before.
But Adrian King was watching.
---
He sat at the head of the long mahogany dining table, unreadable as ever, the morning paper open in his hands. From the corner of her eye, Elena could see him watching her movements, though he said nothing.
When she set a fresh cup of coffee before him, his voice cut through the quiet.
"Sit."
She froze. "Sir?"
He folded the paper neatly and looked up at her, his gaze direct. "Sit. Across from me."
The staff around them stiffened. Maids exchanged startled looks. No one sat at the billionaire's table.
Elena's heart pounded. "I—I can't. It wouldn't be proper—"
"I wasn't asking," Adrian said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Reluctantly, Elena lowered herself into the chair opposite him, her hands trembling in her lap. She could feel the stares of the staff burning into her back.
Adrian studied her for a long moment, then said, "What happened last night won't happen again."
Elena blinked. "Sir, it was my fault. I wasn't careful—"
"It was not your fault," he cut in sharply. "Victoria orchestrated it. I saw enough."
Her lips parted, but no words came.
Adrian's gaze softened slightly. "You have nothing to prove to them, Elena. You work hard. You endure more than most. That deserves respect."
Elena's throat tightened. She had expected scolding. Instead, she heard… protection?
She lowered her gaze. "Thank you, sir. But respect isn't something women like me get easily."
A flicker of emotion passed over his face—something she couldn't quite place. "Then perhaps it's time that changes."
---
The rest of the morning passed in a haze of whispered rumors. By noon, word had spread like wildfire among the staff: Adrian King had made the maid sit at his table.
Some were scandalized. Others envious. Most simply waited, curious, for what would happen next.
The answer came sooner than expected.
That evening, Adrian attended a charity gala at one of the city's grand hotels. As always, his name alone guaranteed media frenzy. Flashbulbs exploded as he arrived, his tall frame cutting a striking figure in a tailored black tuxedo.
But the real shock came when he entered the ballroom—with Elena just two steps behind him.
---
Elena's hands trembled as she adjusted the modest black dress the wardrobe mistress had pressed into her arms just hours earlier. It was simple compared to the gowns around her, but elegant. She felt like an imposter, every step beside Adrian a reminder of how little she belonged here.
Whispers erupted the moment they crossed the threshold.
"Who is she?"
"Is that his date?"
"No, impossible—she's just a maid, isn't she?"
Elena wanted to sink into the marble floor. But Adrian didn't falter.
When a group of business associates approached, he greeted them smoothly, then gestured to her with calm authority. "This is Elena Carter. She's under my protection."
The words hung in the air like a bombshell.
Elena's breath caught. Under my protection?
The men nodded stiffly, clearly stunned, but none dared question Adrian King.
---
Hours passed, and Elena stayed at his side, enduring the curious glances, the veiled whispers, the sharp stares of women who had once dreamed of standing where she stood.
And then Victoria arrived.
She swept into the ballroom in a gown of glittering silver, her beauty undeniable, her confidence unshaken. But the moment her gaze landed on Elena, her smile faltered.
"Adrian," she greeted sweetly, though her eyes burned. "I didn't realize you were bringing… company."
Adrian's expression didn't change. "Elena is with me."
"With you?" Victoria's laugh was sharp. "As what? Entertainment?"
Elena flinched, shame crawling up her neck. But Adrian's voice was like steel.
"As someone who deserves respect. Something you seem to have forgotten, Victoria."
The crowd around them hushed. Victoria's face tightened, her composure slipping for the first time.
"You can't be serious," she hissed. "A maid? Adrian, this is beneath you—"
Adrian's gaze cut through her. "Enough."
The single word silenced her.
He turned, placing a steadying hand on Elena's back. "You're wasting my time, Victoria. Don't try me again."
Gasps rippled through the ballroom. Elena's heart thundered.
For the first time since she had entered Adrian's world, she felt something shift. She wasn't just the invisible maid anymore.
She was the woman Adrian King had chosen to protect.
---
Later, away from the crowd, Elena leaned against a marble pillar, her knees weak. "Why did you do that?" she whispered.
Adrian regarded her steadily. "Because I don't tolerate cruelty. And because…" He hesitated, his jaw tightening. "Because I won't see you humiliated again."
Her breath caught. The sincerity in his voice rattled her more than Victoria's venom ever had.
She shook her head, overwhelmed. "You can't keep defending me. It will ruin your reputation."
Adrian's lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Let them talk. They always do. What matters is the truth."
"The truth?"
"That you belong here more than they ever will."
Elena's heart stuttered. For the first time, she dared to meet his eyes—and what she saw there both terrified and thrilled her.
Something dangerous. Something undeniable.
And something that felt a lot like desire.
---
End of Chapter Six.