The house felt different with Adrien back. Louder. Heavier. Like every room was suddenly forced to carry his arrogance on its shoulders.By morning, the halls buzzed again with Cecilia's sharp voice and Adrien's laughter echoing through the corridors, followed by the shuffle of staff rushing to meet their endless demands. For the first time in years, I longed for the silence.I had escaped to the library, the one place Cecilia rarely bothered with. I was perched on the edge of a leather armchair, sorting through Luca's schedule for the day, when the door creaked open."Well, well. If it isn't the little secretary," Adrien drawled.I stiffened, clutching the folder in my lap. He strolled inside, the smell of expensive cologne preceding him, his every step a performance."You really think sitting in here with a stack of papers makes you part of this family?" he asked, tilting his head, his smile mocking. "You're still the maid, Elena. Don't forget it."My throat tightened, but before I could reply, another voice cut in."She remembers who she is just fine."Luca leaned casually against the doorway, his presence filling the room in that effortless way he always had. His eyes were cool, unreadable, but there was steel in them as they locked on Adrien.Adrien scoffed. "Ah, the golden child speaks. Tell me, Luca , how does it feel to play Daddy's favorite while his real son is pushed aside?""You mean the son who nearly bankrupted two branches in New York?" Luca's tone was calm, almost too calm, but it landed like a blade. "The board still talks about that."Adrien's jaw tightened. "Watch yourself.""I don't have to," Luca replied smoothly. "Unlike you, I've actually earned my place here."The silence that followed was heavy, charged. I rose from my chair, the folder pressed against my chest like a shield. My heart pounded, caught between their clash.Adrien's gaze flicked back to me, cold and deliberate. "Be careful, Elena. Aligning yourself with him will only end badly for you. People like us… he gestured between himself and Cecilia, somewhere beyond the door "—we don't forget. And we don't forgive."With that, he brushed past Luca, the door slamming shut behind him.I let out the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.Luca stepped closer, his eyes scanning my face, softer now. "Are you all right?"I nodded, though my hands still trembled. "He hates me.""He fears you," Luca corrected, his voice low, certain. "That's different. And far more dangerous."I looked up at him, my chest tightening in a way that had nothing to do with fear. There was something in his gaze — protective, unyielding, and for a fleeting moment, meant only for me.But before either of us could say more, footsteps echoed down the hall again. A maid appeared, breathless, her eyes wide."Miss Elena… Mr. Luca… it's Mr. von Freuler." Her voice faltered. "He collapsed."The world tilted, my grip on the folder loosening until papers scattered across the rug. The sterile smell of disinfectant filled the corridors, heavy and unsettling. Elena sat on the hard plastic chair outside the intensive care unit, her hands clasped together so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Across from her, the Von Freuler family waited with an air of restrained impatience. Cicille Von Freuler dabbed her eyes with a silk handkerchief, though no tears fell. Adrian Von Freuler paced in slow, deliberate steps, his polished shoes clicking softly on the linoleum floor.It was Max who lay behind the doors, pale and unconscious. His sudden collapse had sent shockwaves through the family, though their responses had been mixed. His father worried about the implications for the company. His mother whispered prayers under her breath but also murmured about upcoming social obligations.Elena felt the weight of it differently. She thought of the laughter Max had once shared with her during quiet moments in the study, his kindness that set him apart from the rest. And now he was fighting to breathe, hooked to machines. Her heart squeezed painfully.The doctor finally emerged, tall and serious in his white coat. Everyone leaned forward."He's stable for now," the doctor said in a clipped, professional tone. "But we must monitor him closely. The collapse was due to exhaustion and stress. Rest is absolutely necessary."Luca e xhaled sharply, as though this was both a relief and an inconvenience. "But, at least it isn't something fatal. We can manage rest.""Rest?" Cicille repeated, her voice shrill. "Do you know how many dinners we have this season? People will talk if he doesn't appear!"The doctor's brows knit together. "Madam, I suggest you worry less about appearances and more about your husband's health."Elena's chest swelled with silent gratitude for the doctor's bluntness, though she dared not speak it. She stayed quiet, folded into herself, trying not to draw attention.But attention found her anyway. A tall man in a tailored suit approached from the far end of the corridor. Herr Klaus, one of ther Von Freuler's oldest business partners, exuded an air of arrogance with every step. He exchanged polite nods with the family before his eyes landed on Elena. His expression shifted, dismissive, almost irritated, as though her mere presence disrupted the picture of wealth and control."Ah," Klaus said with a smirk. "Fräulein Elena, you are here as well. Good, at least someone can be useful."Elena blinked, unsure what he meant.He continued, lowering his voice but loud enough for others to hear. "The family is tired, understandably so. Could you run downstairs and fetch us some proper Kaffee? The machine in this hospital tastes like water. You know how to handle such things, don't you?"The words stung more than Elena expected. It wasn't just the family who viewed her as the servant, the shadow in the background. Even outsiders saw it, confirmed it aloud. Her stomach tightened, her face hot with humiliation.Before she could respond, Luca stepped forward."Nein," he said sharply, his voice cutting through the tense air. His normally calm tone carried steel now. "Elena is not here to fetch coffee."Klaus raised a brow. "Excuse me?""She is not the servant you think she is," Luca went on, his eyes steady, his jaw set. "She is part of this family's work, an essential part. If anyone here deserves to be treated with respect, it is her."Murmurs rippled through the corridor. Even Cicille von Freuler looked startled, though she masked it quickly with a cough. Elena's heart pounded in her chest. No one had ever spoken for her like this not in front of others, not so directly.Klaus scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "Work? Her? Surely you jest."But Luca did not flinch. Instead, he placed a protective hand on Elena's shoulder, steadying her. "If you must know, she and I have an urgent meeting to prepare for. A conference that affects the corporation's future. So, unless you intend to join us in contributing, Herr Klaus, I suggest you find your own coffee."The silence that followed was thick, almost suffocating. Klaus's face tightened, his pride clearly wounded. But he said nothing further. He turned instead toward Max Von Freuler, who gave a small, noncommittal shrug, unwilling to challenge his adopted son publicly.Elena's breath caught in her throat. The world tilted slightly as she tried to process what had just happened. For the first time, she was not invisible. For the first time, someone had drawn a line, making it clear she was not to be treated as less.
