Save the Baby

pte

e Luca, she was on her knees, scr

the crystal chandeliers above. But in the quiet aftermath of the night's extravagance, the illusion of elegance ha

e metallic scent of blood seeping into her skin. She had learned long ago not to ask questions about what happ

foolish to think

resence that felt colder than

d. Deep, smooth, and tainted wi

longed to before s

n De

essed in a sharp black suit, his tie undone, the top button of his shirt loosened as if the weight of the evening ha

llowed ha

the stain she was scrubbing

ave

r fingers still gri

d leav

raced the movement, sharp and assessing, as if he were searching

which would disa

amily," he said. I

es

nreadable passing over his fac

reason you s

ade his lips curve into the faintest

at her to retreat. There was something suffocating about his presence

teries, Elena Vas

w. "Then it's a goo

nd too long, then, just as abruptly

walk away. Should have n

ht, fate had

th his scent on her skin and a mista

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voice curling around her thoughts like smoke. But she had been exhausted, her body aching from hours of work, and when one of the older maid

ad li

eir bunks in the servants' wing. Elena had taken a seat at the small, dimly lit table

n she heard

xpecting to see another staff me

tensity in his gaze. He didn't look like the perfectly polished heir he had been hours ago. His tie was gone, his sleev

be drinking a

on the glass. "I didn't k

d at the corner of

ntion. Men like him didn't notice women like her.

en, pouring himself a drink from the same bottle. He sat acros

en working

then answered,

nd in all that time, you've

o my

s if considering her words.

ned, charged with something u

rself. She should have end

sked, "And wha

gaze never leaving hers.

her lips before she could

e, but something in his eye

this mansion wasn't kind to people like her. Because

at. Instead, she met his gaz

died her, as if trying to unravel a puzzle he ha

don

i

he bottle to pour another drin

opped then. Should

he di

sions, by the time his lips found hers in the dim glow of the kitchen

ade the mistake t

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