He stared at me, his eyes widening with disbelief. “Eighteen? Seriously?” He then scrutinized my face, making me feel self-conscious. “You’re pretty, and your legs are… impressive. But what caught my attention the most were your eyes. They’re so captivating. I wonder how they’d look under me.”

At first, I didn’t understand what he meant, but after a few seconds, the realization hit me like a ton of bricks. My cheeks burned with anger. “I’m here to work as your maid, nothing more. No touching, no flirting, or I’ll file a harassment charge.”

“Whoa, you’re a sharp one, Elena,” he said, his voice tinged with amusement.

“I am,” I shot back. “So you’d better watch yourself.”

For a moment, he seemed to consider something, then he groaned but said nothing. He turned toward the door, as though to leave, but then stopped short. “It’s just you and me in this house,” he added, “and there are plenty of rooms. Pick whichever one you like. I’ll be back in a minute.”

His offer to let me choose a room instead of relegating me to the servant’s quarters was generous, but I couldn’t help but feel annoyed at how he’d left me in the dark about what was expected of me. Still, I obeyed and followed his instructions. He’d gone left, so that’s where I went.

“Hey, come here,” Leo called, his voice drawing the attention of a brunette who was seated nearby. Nervously, she stood and walked toward him.

Without a word, Leo wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered something in her ear. The woman nodded, and within moments, they were in bed. My eyes widened in disbelief as I watched him strip her of her clothes.

“Baby, spread your legs,” Leo ordered, his voice low and commanding.

The woman complied, her body arching under him. He sank into her, and I gasped, feeling a strange mix of anger and discomfort at the scene unfolding before me. I couldn’t tear my eyes away, even though every instinct screamed at me to leave.

They moved together in a heated rhythm, the air thick with their moans. The woman’s voice echoed through the room as she called his name repeatedly. I wanted to run, but my feet felt as if they were cemented to the floor.

As Leo pulled away from her, I snapped out of my trance, panic flooding me. I turned to leave, but in my haste, I knocked over a vase from the console table. The sound of it crashing to the ground was too loud to ignore, and Leo’s head snapped toward the hallway.

I bolted down the corridor, but Leo was already on my heels. “Stop, or you’ll regret it!” he called after me, his voice sharp.

I didn’t dare look back, but Leo’s long strides quickly caught up to me. “I’m sorry, Leo. I got lost,” I lied, my heart pounding in my chest.

He scoffed at my excuse, clearly unconvinced. “What did you see?” he demanded.

“Nothing,” I lied again, my voice wavering slightly.

“Are you sure?” he pressed, his suspicion thick in the air.

I cursed under my breath. This man was relentless. “Fine. I admit it. I saw you with that brunette… doing things… like wild animals. Happy now? Can I leave?”

“Are you sure that’s all you saw?” Leo’s eyes darkened, and I could tell he didn’t believe me.

I let out a long sigh. “Yes, that’s all. Can I go now?”

Leo’s anger flared, and he took a step closer. “Don’t you ever talk to me like that, Elena.”

I met his gaze, unflinching. He was furious, but I didn’t care. “If you don’t want me here, just tell me, and I’ll leave.”

“No one leaves without my say so!” he bellowed, his voice booming down the hallway.

“I am not your prisoner!” I exclaimed, turning on my heel and walking away.

“Wait a minute!” Leo called after me, his voice filled with frustration. Every time he was disrespectful or insufferable, I regretted ever crossing paths with him.

“If you’ll show me to my room, I’d appreciate it. You know what? I’m not in the mood to argue right now. And if you want me to cook, you’ll let me take a nap first,” I added, crossing my arms.

Leo took a deep breath, trying to keep his cool, but I could see the flare of his nostrils as he fumed. “Of course, you’re welcome to my demands,” he muttered, his tone tight. He turned and started walking toward the hallway, gesturing for me to follow.

I couldn’t help but feel a little triumphant that he gave in to my request. Should I push my luck with another one? “I hope you don’t mind, but could you keep your voice down when… you’re with her?” I asked, not even bothering to hide my irritation.

Leo froze, and his jaw clenched when I used the word ‘fuck.’ He seemed genuinely taken aback. Well, it wasn’t new to me. I had heard worse, and the vulgar word no longer had the power to shock me.

“Whether I scream or grunt, it’s none of your business, Elena. Or do you want to experience it with me?” His taunt was laced with arrogance.

I knew he was trying to provoke me into submission, but I wouldn’t bite. Not now, not ever. Sebastian Cruz might have held power over me, but this man—Leo—had nothing on me. I’d do what I had to do for love, but no one, except my father, could boss me around.

“I’d rather please myself than do it with you,” I said firmly, my voice cold and defensive. It wasn’t an insult to his abilities, but more of a defense mechanism against his arrogance.

Leo’s face twisted with fury. “Oh, my God, just go to your room and don’t come out unless it’s to cook,” he snapped, storming off after he led me to the guest bedroom.

“Thank you,” I called after him, though I wasn’t sure if he even heard.

I sighed, shaking my head in disbelief. How had I gotten myself involved with such an impossible man? When I opened the door to the room he had given me, I couldn’t help but be surprised. It was a beautiful space. Would his wife have been this kind to me? I doubted it.

The room was tastefully furnished with modern, sleek fixtures. The four-poster bed looked grand, and there were comfortable seating areas scattered around. As I moved toward the window, I noticed a beautiful view of the garden below.

It was considerate of him to let me use such a lovely room with access to the garden. For a moment, I actually felt a small pang of appreciation.

I stretched out my muscles, feeling the exhaustion in every fiber of my body, before sinking into the massive bed. It had been an exhausting day. The journey here, then meeting Leo—it was all too much.

Maybe it wasn’t such a horrible twist of fate after all. I had to admit, Leo had done more for me than most people ever had. But that didn’t mean I was going to let him walk all over me. Not for one second.

I closed my eyes, the fatigue from the long journey taking over my body. I had meant to set an alarm, but I was too tired to care. Let fate decide if I would wake up in time.

The sound of the clock ticking on the wall was the last thing I heard before sleep claimed me.

Hours later, I jolted awake in a panic. The faint glow of dusk trickled through the curtains, and I groaned. Dinner! I had overslept!

I scrambled out of bed, pulling on my shoes as I rushed to the kitchen. Sure enough, Leo was already there, his brow furrowed in frustration when he saw that his meal wasn’t prepared yet.

“I’m so sorry,” I apologized, my voice strained with embarrassment. “I overslept.”

He grunted in response, clearly unimpressed. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, Elena,” he muttered. “By the way, I didn’t see anyone else except you and… your wife.” I figured I should ask, though I already had my suspicions.

“I don’t have a wife,” Leo replied shortly.

“Then who was that woman I saw earlier?” I pressed, trying to be nonchalant. “The brunette.”

“Oh, her?” Leo said, his voice almost bored. “She’s one of my mistresses.”

I blinked, my mind taking a moment to process his words. “Are you serious?” I asked, stunned. “How many are there?”

“Don’t ask if you don’t want to be one of them,” he replied, his tone colder than ice.

“Should I cook for all of them when they’re here?” I asked, mostly to gauge his response.

“No. They can manage on their own. Just cook for us,” Leo answered firmly.

“Okay, I’ll need about an hour to prepare dinner. You can come back then,” I told him, trying to hide my discomfort.

“Thirty minutes,” he bargained, his eyes narrowing. It was clear he was starving, and I had no choice but to agree.

“Fine,” I said with a sigh. My cooking skills were limited, but I would manage. At least, I hoped I would.

I had learned how to use the rice cooker pretty quickly. Isabella had shown me the basics, the things every woman should know before getting married. Although I wasn’t interested in marriage, I didn’t have the heart to refuse her lessons when she insisted so warmly.

Cooking rice was as easy as 1, 2, 3, but since Leo gave me only thirty minutes to prepare his meal, I had to work quickly. I checked both the pantry and the fridge, looking for something I could make within the time frame.

After heating up some oil, I crushed a few cloves of garlic. When the oil was ready, I added the garlic to the pan, careful not to let it burn. Before it had a chance to scorch, I added the corned beef, stirring it until it was well mixed before cracking a couple of eggs into the pan.

Perfect.

Once I plated the dish, I topped it off with a few onion rings and set it on the table. I checked the time—still fifteen minutes to spare. I went back to the fridge and grabbed a can of spam, slicing it into even pieces while heating more oil. It didn’t take long before the spam was sizzling in the pan. I served it with the rice.

Leo’s fridge was stocked with drinks, so I grabbed two cans of pineapple juice and added them to the table. The food was ready. The table was set. But Leo still hadn’t shown up. Instead of waiting around, I helped myself.

“What are you doing, Isabella?”

I nearly spilled my food when he suddenly appeared.

“Eating,” I replied nonchalantly.

“What’s that? Where’s my meal?”

“This is our meal. Sit down and eat,” I told him firmly.

“It’s unhealthy!” he complained.

“Then I’ll eat it all myself. Wait a moment; I’ll make you something healthier.”

I returned to the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge for fruits and veggies. When I found a cucumber, I knew it would be perfect. I peeled it, sliced it to perfection, and added a little mayo. Simple, but effective.

“What is this?”

“Your dinner. It’s healthy,” I replied, placing the plate in front of him.

“Are you trying my patience?” he asked, his voice sharp.

“Shhh, be quiet while we’re eating,” I reminded him. It wasn’t good etiquette to complain about the food, something I had learned from living in tough conditions.

“I’m going to die because of you,” he grumbled.

“It’s a pity. If you die, I’ll have to find another employer,” I joked, though I couldn’t suppress a smile. Teasing him over the smallest things gave me a strange sense of joy.

Fuming, he snatched the plate with the spam and began eating. “Try cooking something different and tastier in the morning,” he ordered.

“Okay, boss!”

We somehow survived dinner without an all-out war. Leo was still furious, but I didn’t back down. I could tell he was frustrated, but it was hard to stop poking fun at him when he was so serious.

I thought I’d won.

After dinner, I was assigned the task of washing the dishes, while Leo retreated to the living room. I could hear the basketball game blaring from the TV, the volume so high it shook the walls. I couldn't believe that a man of thirty-two could act like such a child. His parents must have had their hands full raising him—he was so different from anyone I knew.

Once I finished with the dishes, I decided to approach him. He turned toward me with a look in his eyes that I couldn’t quite place. Was it desire? Lust? I wasn’t sure.

“Why don’t you give me a back massage?” he suddenly asked.

For a moment, I thought he had lost his mind. I stared at him, waiting for him to laugh it off as a joke. But he didn’t. He looked calm, as if it were completely normal for him to ask his maid for a massage. What a tyrant!

“Why should I?” I asked, trying to hide my disbelief.

“Because I’m tired,” he said simply.

“Then go to bed, take a hot shower, and rest,” I suggested. A hot shower would help him relax, especially after whatever he had been up to with the brunette earlier.

I turned to leave, ignoring his request, but then he sighed heavily, looking completely drained.

“Fine,” I muttered.

He glanced up at me with a look of satisfaction, clearly pleased that I had given in. I promised myself it would be the last time. I walked over to him and began massaging his shoulders. They felt stiff beneath my fingers.

“Back massage,” he repeated impatiently.

“I don’t want to hurt your back, Leo.”

“Come on, Isabella. Stop being coy and just do it!”

“I said no. You should respect that,” I replied, pressing my fingers gently to his temple. He let out a low moan, the sound strangely familiar, like something I’d heard before.

It was the same sound he made when he was with a woman. The realization hit me, but I couldn’t let it show.

I stopped massaging his head, preparing to leave, but I couldn’t help the way my mind raced.

He looked at me like I had made a monumental mistake. “Did I tell you to stop?” he asked, his voice laced with irritation.