chapter 9

**Chapter 9

**Lisa’s POV*

I stood frozen in the hallway for a moment before I rushed out, my footsteps echoing softly against the floor as I made my way straight to my room—leaving the master standing there, watching. My chest rose and fell with shallow, uneven breaths. My back still tingled from where he had pressed me against the wall, and my lips felt oddly warm, as if his words had branded them..

*“Don’t run from me next time, Lisa.”*

My name had never sounded like that before—low, intense, threaded with something dangerous I couldn’t quite name. It wasn’t a command. It wasn’t a threat. But it lingered like one. I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to quiet the erratic beating of my heart. What was happening to me?

I was used to avoiding attention. Fading into the background. Doing my work, keeping my head down. But now… there was no pretending that the master didn’t see me.

He saw me.

And the way he looked at me… I couldn’t get it out of my head. That fire in his eyes. The intensity. He looked at me like he wanted to unravel me—and I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to run or let him

What was wrong with me? Why did I feel so… flustered?

This was all so confusing. He was married. He was the master of the house. And I was just the help. A maid. A maid who should’ve known better than to get swept up in a moment of… whatever that was.

Still, I couldn’t help but relive it—the way his hand caught my wrist, the way he stared at me like he could see right through me, like he was trying to figure me out and undress me with his gaze at the same time. It made my stomach twist in the most unfamiliar way.

I tried to shake it off, focusing on the day ahead. Thankfully, it was our day off. Clara and I had planned to go into the nearby village, maybe get something sweet to eat and just breathe for a bit away from the mansion. I needed it now more than ever.

By the time the sun was up, I had managed to calm myself enough to slip into a simple dress and tie my hair up in a loose bun. Clara was already waiting in the common area, perched on the edge of the couch with her usual sunny smile and a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Took you long enough,” she teased, standing and giving me an exaggerated once-over. “You look cute. Trying to impress someone?”

I laughed nervously, brushing off her words. “Don’t start. It’s just a dress.”

“Mm-hmm.” She linked her arm through mine and started dragging me toward the door. “You’ve been acting weird since yesterday, you know. Zoning out, blushing randomly… what gives?”

I froze for a second, then forced a laugh. “I’m just tired. It’s been a crazy few days.”

Clara gave me a side glance, but thankfully didn’t press further. Instead, she leaned in and whispered, “You should’ve seen the master’s friend at dinner last night. That man is fine.”

I chuckled. “You and your crushes.”

“I’m serious, Lisa! He looks like he walked straight out of a romance novel. Tall, charming, and that smile? Dangerous.” She fanned herself dramatically. “Honestly, if I weren’t working here…”

I laughed more freely this time. “You’d get fired for flirting with the guests.”

“Oh, please.” She waved me off. “Tell me you didn’t notice him.”

I shook my head, amused. “I didn’t get the chance.”

“Well, you should’ve. He looked at you a few times.”

“Me?” I blinked. “Why?”

Clara grinned like she was onto something. “I don’t know… but he looked impressed. I think he’d look good for you.”

I rolled my eyes, but the smile tugging at my lips betrayed me. “Stop it.”

“No, really! I’m just saying. If I were you, I’d give him a chance.”

"oh come on girl he has not even said a word to me, I don't even know him." I said giving her a strange face...

We both burst out laughing as we stepped out into the fresh air, the light breeze lifting some of the heaviness from my heart.

Clara didn’t know. She had no idea about what had happened in the hallway. About the storm that had stirred inside me ever since Vincent Lucas Ford Jr. stepped back into the mansion.

And I wasn’t ready to tell her. Not yet.

Some things… were better kept to myself.

At least for now..