As the elevator reached the ground floor, the doors slid open, and we stepped out into the bustling office space. The contrast between the serene suite and the chaos of the office was jarring, but Harrison’s strong presence at my side was reassuring. We walked back into the office, and just as we were about to enter his office, a male worker, sweat beading on his forehead, rushed over.
“Mr. Harrison,” he panted, his eyes flickering between us before focusing solely on Harrison. “Sir, Mr. Luca is looking for you. He said it’s urgent.”
Harrison’s grip on my hand tightened almost imperceptibly, his jaw clenching. “Tell him I’ll be there in a minute,” he said, his voice cold and dismissive. The worker nodded and retreated, his eyes lingering on me before the door swung shut behind him.
“What’s going on?” I asked, the worry in my voice unmistakable.
Harrison squeezed my hand reassuringly. “It’s nothing you need to worry about,” he said, his voice firm. “Just some business. I’ll be back soon.” He leaned down and kissed me gently on the forehead, his touch lingering for a moment before he released me.
I watched him go, feeling a strange mix of emotions-excitement, fear, and a desperate need to know what was happening. As soon as the door clicked shut, I couldn’t resist the urge to listen in. I tiptoed closer, pressing my ear against the thick wood, trying to make out the muffled words on the other side.
“What the fuck, Harrison?” Mr. Luca’s voice boomed through the door, sending a shiver down my spine. “You can’t just go around fucking the help like that!”
I froze, my heart racing as I realized the conversation was about me. I could hear the anger in Mr. Luca’s voice, the disdain with which he spoke of me. But Harrison’s reply was calm and measured. “It’s none of your business what I do in my own home,” he said firmly.
“It is when it affects the family,” Mr. Luca shot back. “our parents want to talk to you about it. They’re not happy with your choices, Harrison.”
And also they want to talk to you about your marriage to Adrianne. It’s not going unnoticed that you’re neglecting your duties as her husband to be.
I flinched, the words striking like a slap in the face. Marriage? To Adrianne? My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice, my mind racing with questions and fears. What kind of tangled web was I caught in? I quickly moved away from the door not wanting to hear the the rest of the conversation, I went back to the chair and sat down. Rachel’s warning echoed in my head, but it was too late to turn back now.
I sat there waiting for Harrison to come back, my hands shaking as I tried to compose myself. The room felt colder, the air heavier with the weight of unspoken secrets. The tick of the clock on the wall was the only sound, marking the passage of time in a place where everything felt frozen. The scent of our passion still lingered, a stark contrast to the icy dread that had settled in my stomach.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what Rachel had said. If Harrison married Adrianne, what would become of me? Would I be discarded like a toy that had lost its shine, forgotten in a corner of the mansion? Or would I be forced to watch from the shadows as he gave her everything I desperately wanted from him? The thought made my heart ache, a sharp pain that took my breath away.
Adrianne was indeed beautiful-beautiful and cold, with eyes that could cut glass and a smile that never quite reached her lips. She was the kind of woman that men like Harrison were expected to marry, to produce perfect, obedient children that would carry on the family name. I was just a maid, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who had stumbled into a world that I didn’t belong in.
But as the door opened and Harrison stepped back into the office, all those fears and worries took a back seat. He looked at me, his gaze intense and filled with a fiery determination that made me feel like I could face the world. His eyes searched mine, looking for any signs of distress. “You okay?” he asked, his voice low and gruff.
I nodded, trying to push down the bile rising in my throat. “I’m fine,” I lied, plastering a smile on my face. “What did Mr. Luca want?” I asked pretending not to know anything.
Harrison’s expression darkened, and he stepped closer, his hand resting on the back of my chair. “It’s nothing for you to worry about,” he said firmly, his eyes boring into mine. “But I need you to trust me, Emma. I’ll handle it.”
I nodded again, my heart racing. I didn’t know what to believe anymore. The mansion had always been a confusing place, but now it felt like a minefield I had stumbled into blindly. “Okay,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Harrison leaned down and kissed me, his lips lingering on mine for a moment longer than usual. When he pulled away, I could see the worry on his face. “You have to go Emma”, he said looking straight into my eyes,” I’ll handle Mr. Luca and Adrianne.” I know this is your first day at work but my parents will be attending a meeting soon and I can’t have you here because Adrianne might make a scene if she sees you.
My heart sank as I realized the gravity of the situation. “But where do I go?” I asked, feeling lost and scared.
“You’ll go back home to my place,” Harrison said, his voice filled with a sense of urgency. “It’s the only place you’ll be safe from Adrianne and Mr. Luca’s spite.”
I nodded, my thoughts racing. “But what about my job?” I managed to ask, clutching the edges of the chair.
Harrison’s expression softened, and he crouched down so we were at eye level. “You don’t need to worry about that,” he assured me, taking my trembling hand in his. “I’ll handle everything. Just go to my room, once you get home and wait for me there.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. “Here, take these. It’s my place. You’ll be safe there.”
I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and fear. As much as I trusted him, the thought of being alone in his room filled me with a nervous energy. But I knew I had no other choice. I took the keys, the metal cool against my palm, and stood up shakily.
“Thank you, Harrison,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I’ll do as you say.”
He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go. “Remember, it’s just for a little while,” he said. “Until I can sort this out.”
I nodded, trying to keep my emotions in check as I stood up and smoothed my dress. As I walked out of the office, I could feel the weight of the workers’ gazes on me, their whispers following me like a trail of fire. They all knew what had happened in that suite, and the thought of their judgement was almost unbearable. But I held my head high, refusing to let them see me crumble.
The corridor stretched out before me like a never-ending gauntlet, each step echoing on the marble floors. The whispers grew louder as I approached the grand entrance, the words “slut” and “whore” just audible over the din of the mansion’s usual activity. But I didn’t let them get to me. Instead, I focused on the warmth of the keys in my pocket, a symbol of the refuge Harrison had promised.
My eyes remained fixed straight ahead, ignoring the sideways glances and sneers from the other employees. They didn’t know the truth of what had happened in that suite, the tender moments we had shared. Their words were just empty sounds, as meaningless as the dust motes dancing in the sunbeams that streamed through the windows.