Chapter 5

“How do you feel today, ma’am? And are you keeping up with your medications?” Tessa asked softly the moment she saw Eden approach, her hands still moving as she wiped down the polished counter. It had become part of her daily routine to check in with Eden’s health, and Eden truly appreciated it.

“I’m much better, thank you.” Eden smiled, her voice warm but faint. Both women soon focused on their tasks in the kitchen, falling into a quiet rhythm. When Tessa was done with the sweeping, she shifted to help Eden with the evening meal.

Upstairs, Jace slammed his fist against his desk. Rage surged through him, but this time, it wasn’t directed toward anyone in particular; it was anger at himself. He couldn’t stop the flood of thoughts and images of Eden since that morning. So, he had restricted himself to his study to give Eden some space while he purged her from his system.

Her blouse had been too thin, a pale cream against her skin, and he had seen more than he should have. The soft outline of her body beneath, and the way her body reacted to his gaze. The memory had branded itself into him. This was day two since the incident, and it was still fresh in his mind.

“This is insane! Absolute bullshit.” He cursed under his breath. He stubbed out his cigarette and lay his head on his desk. He wouldn’t think about a woman who irritated him simply by existing.

He forced his thoughts to Sky, which wasn’t usually hard. But his thoughts kept straying from her today. Instead, he was haunted by the wrong woman’s silhouette. "Shame, Jace," he chastised himself.

A hesitant knock broke into his train of thought, bringing him back to the present.

“Come in.” He barked, sharper than he intended.

The door creaked open, and there she was, the very reason for his recent troubles.

“What do you want?” His voice was harsh, and she immediately shrank back a step.

“I only came to say that your dinner is ready. Where would you want to have it?” She answered, her tone trembling and her eyes evading his.

“Bring it here,” he ordered, his eyes fixed on her. She had changed into sweatpants and a loose gray hoodie, trying to hide herself. But he still noticed she hadn’t bothered with a bra.

When she left, he groaned and pressed his palms to his face. The image of that morning flashed in his mind again, cruel and unyielding. Minutes later, she returned with his tray and set it on the table without a word. He dismissed her coldly, though his eyes never left her until she had gone.

Downstairs, Eden tried to steady her breathing. Why had Jace stared at her like that? Like he wanted to devour her. She despised him; she reminded herself firmly that she did.

She would be crazy as hell not to, but her cheeks warmed when she caught him staring at her, despite the hatred she clung to. She pushed the feeling to the back of her mind where it belonged. She would never harbor feelings of any kind for that monster.

***

“Ma’am, someone is here to see you,” Tessa announced quietly as Eden descended the staircase. It was almost a conspiratory tone, like she didn’t want Jace to hear.

“Who is it?” Eden asked, her brows creasing as she headed toward the living room.

“Mr. Kyrell.”

Kyrell was already seated comfortably on the sofa by the time Eden got to the living room. The moment he saw her, his face lit up with a wide smile.

“Good morning, Kyrell,” she greeted, returning his smile.

“Morning, Eden. How are you holding up today?” His concern was written clearly across his face. He had been uneasy since the day before, but work obligations had chained him to his desk in Jace’s absence.

“I’m much better, thank you. I heard you were the one who took me to the hospital. I don’t even know how to thank you.”

“Hey, it was nothing, okay?” Kyrell replied quickly, shifting in his seat. He always seemed uncomfortable around her because it was hard for him to hide how he truly felt about her. After all, she was his best friend’s wife, and that boundary was impossible to forget.

“I understand you came to see me and not your friend. Is there a problem?” Eden asked, avoiding his gaze.

“Uh, no. Not really. I actually came to see Jace. We’ve got a board meeting downtown, so I thought I’d check on you while I waited. Your maid probably heard wrong.” Kyrell mumbled.

“Thank you for your kindness. I’ll let you wait then.” She said, excusing herself. As she walked away, she couldn’t help comparing him with Jace. Kyrell was patient, thoughtful, and basically everything her husband was not; she would choose him a million times over Jace. But she shut the thought down fiercely, wishing for something else was useless. Since Jace was a monster, she could never be unfaithful.

She slipped back into the kitchen, where Tessa was doing the dishes, and without hesitation, Eden joined her.

“Ma’am, please rest. I can finish this; it’s not right for you to strain yourself.” Tessa objected quickly.

“I’m fine, really. Let me help,” Eden insisted, picking up a dishcloth.

“Please, this is my duty. You shouldn’t—” Tessa began, but stopped when she saw Eden’s determined look.

***

Weeks had passed since Eden’s private talk with Jace’s mother. She had settled into working within the mansion’s routines, though the weight of his presence never stopped pressing at her.

He was striking in a way that drew every eye. Of course, a tall man with a body to die for would definitely draw attention. His storm-dark eyes commanded attention; his sculpted lips held a constant severity that somehow made him more magnetic. Wherever he went, women whispered, swooned, and stared. She had been one of them, once, though from afar.

Years before, when she was still seventeen and living with her aunt, she had seen him during a televised interview. He had seemed unreachable then, cold, almost otherworldly. Yet she had been drawn in, watching every public appearance, falling for a man who didn’t even know she existed. He had been her first unreachable love. But then her aunt’s illness consumed everything, draining her family until all was lost. College had been sacrificed, replaced by desperate job hunts where too many employers demanded the unthinkable.

So when she finally found herself working for Mrs. Bellamy, Jace’s mother, she had been stunned to see portraits of him everywhere in the house. Her heart had lurched, but she said nothing. Then, one day, the doorbell rang, and she opened it to find the very man himself.

Her scream of shock and delight had earned her only a blank, cold stare.

“Excuse me.” He said, his baritone sharp enough to cut.

“Sorry, sir,” she muttered, quickly stepping aside to let him in.

He brushed past her and started up the staircase. Panic hit her. Where was he going? But before she could speak, Gretchen’s voice called warmly from above.

“Jace!”

The sight of them embracing had burned her cheeks with shame. How had she not connected the dots? Of course, the portraits weren’t just for decorations; they were there because he was family. She had been foolish to think otherwise.

After dinner that evening, she busied herself with dishes, humming a tune absentmindedly, an old song she loved, not one of the popular ones, but a slower ballad that always soothed her nerves. She didn’t hear him approach until his reflection appeared in the window above the sink.

Her heart lurched. She spun and nearly dropped the plate in her hands. He said nothing at first, just rolled up his sleeves and stepped beside her at the sink.

“Sir, please, this is my job,” Eden whispered, terrified that Mrs. Bellamy would see her son doing the job she was meant to do.

“I don’t mind.” He said quietly, his hands moving to rinse the plates she had already scrubbed. “I used to do this often when I still lived at home. I enjoy it.”

She froze, staring at him. His eyes lifted briefly to hers, and the intensity of that gaze melted her resolve. She dropped her eyes at once, focusing on the soap and the water. She couldn’t say no to him, not when he asked so gently, not when he was the man she had once dreamed of from a distance.

And so they stood side by side, their hands moving in rhythm, though her heart beat wildly in her chest.

***

Later, Eden walked to her room, exhausted from the day. She had insisted on helping Tessa despite being told to rest. She had become used to doing chores, so much so that even when Tessa was doing them, she felt guilty and even scared that Jace would show up. She collapsed into the chair by the vanity, then forced herself into the bath. Warm water massaged her, easing the tension in her body, and when she finally stepped out and wrapped herself in a towel, she paused before the mirror.

Her hand brushed her stomach, where the curve of her child had begun to show. A smile ghosted across her lips, soft and maternal. But as the joy filled her heart, so did sorrow. Tears rolled silently down her cheeks at the thought of the man who should have cherished this life but instead had only inflicted pain on her, threatening even the safety of the child.