LOGINGladys personally took charge of Elena's preparations, refusing to leave the task entirely to the younger maids. With the quiet confidence of someone who had managed the Castillo household for many years, she directed every detail with practiced precision, ensuring that nothing appeared rushed despite the number of servants moving about the room.One maid carefully prepared a warm bath infused with lightly scented oils, another laid out an assortment of elegant evening dresses upon the bed, while two others busied themselves arranging jewelry and accessories that had been selected from the estate's extensive collection. Throughout the entire process, Gladys remained composed, occasionally offering brief instructions or making subtle adjustments whenever she felt something failed to meet her expectations.Elena allowed herself to be led through the preparations with quiet reluctance. Although she disliked every second of allowing strangers to fuss over her appearance, she knew there
The words had barely left Elena's mouth before an uncomfortable silence settled over the room.Every maid present instinctively lowered her head, their expressions subtly changing as though they had just heard something they never expected anyone within the estate to say aloud.Even Gladys, whose composure had remained unwavering since entering the room, allowed the smallest flicker of surprise to pass through her eyes."...With Kaiser?" Elena repeated, still struggling to believe what she had heard. A faint frown creased her forehead before she let out a soft scoff. "That maniac actually wants to have dinner with me?"Several of the younger maids visibly stiffened.One of them even inhaled sharply before quickly lowering her gaze further, afraid that merely hearing such words might somehow implicate her.Gladys, however, neither frowned nor displayed any sign of offense. Remaining as poised as ever, she took a small step forward and addressed Elena in the same calm, courteous voice.
Meanwhile, completely unaware that the entire household had quietly begun preparing for an unexpected dinner at Kaiser's request, Elena remained inside her room with her thoughts hopelessly tangled around the brief encounter she had experienced only minutes earlier. She was still standing beside the window, although her attention had long since drifted away from the beautiful scenery outside. Instead, her mind kept replaying the same humiliating moment over and over again. The instant Kaiser had lifted his head. The way his eyes had seemed to look directly toward her window and the utterly embarrassing way she had reacted. A faint groan escaped her lips as she covered her face with both hands. "What was that..." she muttered to herself.The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous she felt. She had hidden not simply stepped away from the window, not calmly walked back into the room. She had practically thrown herself beneath the windowsill like a frightened child caught st
The polished marble floor echoed softly beneath Kaiser's footsteps as he crossed the grand foyer with the same composed authority that seemed capable of bending the atmosphere around him. The moment he stepped through the entrance, every servant within sight instinctively lowered their heads in greeting, and even those who had been quietly conversing only moments earlier immediately fell silent before returning to their duties with renewed efficiency. No orders were given, no reminder was necessary, because after years of serving under the master of the estate, everyone had unconsciously learned that his mere presence demanded discipline. Waiting just inside the entrance stood a woman dressed in an immaculate black-and-white maid uniform whose appearance carried none of the nervousness displayed by the younger servants. Although she had reached her mid-forties, Gladys possessed an elegance born from years of experience rather than youth, and the calm confidence reflected in her
Two days had passed since Elena's confrontation with Kaiser.The memory of that conversation continued to linger vividly in her mind, replaying itself whenever silence settled over the room, yet the man responsible for turning her life upside down had vanished as though he had never existed. Since walking out after declaring that she belonged to him, Kaiser had neither returned to see her nor sent anyone to relay a message on his behalf, leaving Elena alone with nothing but her thoughts and the steady passage of time.At first, she had assumed his absence was another calculated tactic designed to wear down her resistance, but as the hours stretched into an entire day before eventually becoming two, confusion gradually replaced her certainty. She had expected more arguments, more attempts to convince her, or perhaps another clash of wills similar to their previous encounter, yet none of that happened. Instead, the room remained quiet, the corridors outside equally peaceful, and the
Vincent studied her for a moment. Then turned away slightly, walking back toward the couch.For a brief moment, he said nothing when he finally spoke, his voice carried something different. “Even if I wanted to release her,” he said calmly, “I can’t.”Jessica froze. “What do you mean?”Vincent glanced over his shoulder. “Elena Jefferson is no longer in my custody.”The words hit the room like a second shockwave.Stacy blinked.Jessica frowned in confusion.Mia slowly straightened again, her expression tightening. “What are you saying right now? “Then where is she?” Stacy demanded.Vincent’s expression remained unreadable. “She is safe,” he said simply. “But she is not here.”Because for the first time since this entire nightmare began—They realized Vincent Ross was not their final answer.He was only another door.And whatever was behind it… was worse than they expected.Mia’s brows knitted tightly as Vincent’s words settled in the air, and after a brief silence she finally spoke, h
Richard glared at Ronald with utter disappointment before shifting his gaze back to Ross and spoke. His voice shook with fury and fear. “You can’t do this. He’s my son.”“Yes,” Ross agreed. “And he’s also a debtor…like you. It's true what they say -the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. He crouc
That same night, while the city drowned itself in neon and indulgence, a black Bentley rolled silently through an industrial district far removed from glamour.The vehicle came to a smooth stop in front of a small warehouse squatting at the edge of the docks, its rusted exterior deceptively modest.
Across the room, Mia and Stacy noticed the exchange. At first, they hadn’t been concerned—Kaiser looked composed, respectable even. But when they saw Elena struggling to free herself, alarm set in.The music was too loud to hear anything clearly, but Elena’s discomfort was unmistakable. With Jessic
The dance floor pulsed with energy.Multicolored lights sliced through the darkness, strobes flashing in rhythmic patterns as bodies moved in synchronized abandon. The bass vibrated through the soles of Elena’s heels, traveling upward until it settled deep in her chest. For the first time that nigh







