Chapter 005

KALON SALVATORE

Kalon had his phone pressed to his ear, his jaw tightening as he listened.

“...He ditched your brother, and after you dealt with your brother, he went straight to Dante Moretti’s house in London. Viktor is the rat, Boss,” Adrian said from the other end of the phone.

Dante Moretti was the one man Kalon had sworn to kill the moment he became powerful enough to do it.

Dante was responsible for his father’s death, but the truth was even worse than that. Kalon’s stepmother had secretly helped Dante orchestrate the murder, betraying the man she had once called her husband. After his death, she married Dante and allowed him to take his place as Kalon’s father.

Neither of them knew that Kalon had discovered the truth.

His stepmother still believed Kalon was slowly accepting Dante and even beginning to have feelings for her because of his affair with her, while Dante had no idea that the son he had deceived was already waiting for the perfect opportunity to destroy them both.

Kalon could have declared war on them, but that would have been foolish. Dante had more power, more men, and more supporters than he did. A direct confrontation would only put everything he had built at risk.

Kalon was patiently earning their trust, piece by piece, until the day they lowered their guard completely. And when that day came, he would put a bullet in both of their mouths himself.

“I’ll make sure he’s dead before he can do any more damage. Prepare for my arrival. I’ll be there,” he commanded before cutting the call.

“Raphael!” Kalon called.

The door opened, and Damian appeared instead.

Kalon’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not Raphael.”

“Raphael was fired, Boss.”

The memory of what Raphael had done in K.J.’s room flashed through Kalon’s mind, and his expression hardened.

“I remember.” He paused for a moment before looking at Damian. “Get the private jet ready. We’re going to London today.”

༻ ─·─·─·─·─ ༺

Her eyes snapped open, and a smile of joy slowly spread across her face. She couldn’t wait any longer. Eliana quickly sat up in bed and reached for her phone, which was lying on the nightstand beside her. She immediately dialed Roxy’s number, already feeling excited about the opportunity that awaited her.

“Good morning, Roxy. You can be on your way.”

“It’s 7 a.m., Ellie…” Roxy murmured in a low, sleepy voice. It was obvious that Ellie’s call had been the alarm that woke her up.

“You’re such a sleeping beauty,” Ellie teased, and they both laughed.

“I’ll be there… soon,” Roxy said before the line went dead.

Ellie wore her best corporate outfit and headed out, waving goodbye to her mother before leaving. She couldn’t tell her mother about the job because she needed to keep up the story that her father was still alive and working on a major contract abroad. Whatever money she earned, she planned to give it to her mother while making it seem as though it had come from her father, just as she had promised herself she would.

Some minutes later, Roxy’s car pulled up at the gate, and Ellie quickly stepped inside as the car roared to life.

About an hour later, they entered the mansion area, and something in the distance caught Ellie’s attention. Her eyes widened as she stared through the car window at a private jet sitting on the mansion’s private landing area. She had never seen a private jet up close before, and the sight left her momentarily speechless.

Before she could say anything, the jet suddenly began to move as it lifted from the ground. Ellie watched in amazement as it rose into the sky and disappeared into the distance.

“They have a private jet?” Roxy blurted out, staring after it in disbelief.

Ellie turned to look at her. “Apparently.”

Roxy remained silent for a moment, her eyes still fixed on the sky. Seeing the kind of wealth that surrounded the mansion made her wonder if she had made the right decision sending Ellie here. For a brief moment, she thought about her own life and the work she had been doing. She had been considering leaving her hooker work behind, but she knew she could never simply walk into a place like this and expect to be accepted.

And now that she was seeing the kind of people who lived here, she couldn’t help wondering how someone like Ellie, with her innocent nature, had even gotten the chance to come this close to their world.

“The job description said we had to call the number when we arrived at the gates,” Roxy pointed out as she slowed the car and stopped a short distance away from the enormous iron gates.

Four guards stood outside, all dressed in identical black suits and dark shades. Their posture was rigid, their expressions cold, and the moment they noticed the unfamiliar car approaching, all four of them turned their attention toward it with immediate suspicion.

Ellie quickly pulled out her phone and typed in the number provided on the job description. The call rang once before someone picked up.

“Hel… hello.” Ellie’s soft voice came through, revealing just how nervous she was as she held the phone tightly against her ear.

“Who are you, and how did you get this number?” Donel’s cold voice came from the other end.

“Good day, sir. My name is Eliana Rose, and I’m calling because of the caretaker position I saw in a job posting,” she explained, trying her best to keep her voice steady despite the fear rising in her chest.

The guards had grown even more suspicious of the car, and one of them began walking toward them. Ellie’s heart skipped as she watched his tall figure approach.

“Oh, well, give the phone to one of the men at the gate,” Donel said.

The guard reached the vehicle and bent slightly toward the window, his cold expression fixed on the two girls.

“What business do you have here?” he demanded.

Ellie immediately stretched her phone toward him. The guard took it and pressed it to his ear, listening silently for several seconds before lowering the phone and looking directly at Ellie.

“He’s only expecting one of you,” he said.

Roxy glanced at Ellie and gave her a small nod.

Ellie swallowed hard before slowly stepping out of the car. The guard turned and began walking toward the gate, and she followed behind him.

The enormous gates slowly swung open, and Ellie stepped through them. She stopped immediately, her eyes widening as she stared at the mansion before her.

It was nothing like any house she had ever seen. The mansion stood several stories high, massive and breathtaking, with towering glass windows and tall pillars framing the grand entrance, while perfectly trimmed gardens stretched across both sides of the long driveway. Expensive cars sat neatly parked beneath a covered section, and the entire compound was so vast that Ellie couldn’t even see where it ended.

Everything about the place showed wealth. It was the kind of wealth she had only ever seen in movies.

Ellie slowly lifted her gaze toward the entrance, and her breath caught when she noticed a man standing at the top of the wide marble steps.

He was dressed entirely in black, his expression serious as his eyes remained fixed on her. After studying her for a moment, he finally descended the steps and walked toward her.

“Eliana Rose?” he asked.

Ellie nodded quickly. “Yes, sir.”

“I’m Donel.” He gave her a brief nod before turning toward the mansion. “Come with me.”

The moment she stepped through the enormous entrance, her eyes widened.

“Wow…” she whispered under her breath.

The interior was even more breathtaking than the outside. Everything looked expensive, from the polished marble floors beneath her feet to the massive chandelier hanging above them. Elegant furniture filled the spacious living area, while large pieces of artwork decorated the walls. Ellie couldn’t help looking around in disbelief.

Donel noticed her reaction and shook his head with a smile. He had expected that reaction.

He led her through a long hallway before stopping in front of a quiet sitting room.

“Have a seat.”

Ellie sat down carefully, placing her hands together on her lap as Donel took the seat opposite her.

“Your file,” he said, extending his hand.

Ellie’s eyes widened. She didn’t even think of that. She had no reasonable qualifications, and the cleaning job she was currently in didn’t require any certification.

“I… I’m sorry, sir. I d… didn’t.”

Donel stared at her for a moment before casually lowering his hand.

“It’s fine. We only need your personal information.”

Ellie breathed a small sigh of relief.

Donel leaned back slightly. “Let’s start with the basics. How old are you?”

“Nineteen.”

“Any previous experience working with children?”

“I’ve never worked as a professional caretaker before, but I’ve spent a lot of time around children. I used to help take care of my younger brother when we were growing up, and I’ve always loved being around children.”

Donel watched her closely. “Why do you want this job?”

Ellie hesitated briefly before answering. “Because I need a better-paying job, and I believe I can do this well. I’m hardworking, patient, and I’m willing to learn whatever I need to learn.”

“Are you comfortable living or working around a child who may… be a bit arrogant?”

“Y… yes.”

“Can you cook?”

“A little.”

“A little?”

Ellie smiled nervously. “I can cook more than a little, actually. My mother taught me.”

Donel nodded, studying her for several seconds.

There was something about her answers that caught his attention. She wasn’t trying too hard to impress him, and she wasn’t giving him exaggerated answers just to secure the position. Everything about her seemed straightforward. Her attitude was exactly what he was looking for.

“And if the child refuses to listen to you?” he asked.

“I wouldn’t force him,” Ellie answered. “I’d try to understand why he doesn’t want to listen first. Children don’t always know how to explain what they’re feeling, so sometimes you have to be patient with them.”

Donel’s expression changed slightly. That answer impressed him.

He had interviewed enough people to know when someone was simply saying what they thought he wanted to hear. Ellie didn’t seem like that. She was nervous, obviously inexperienced, and far too innocent for the kind of world surrounding this mansion, but there was something genuine about her.

Finally, Donel closed the folder resting on his lap.

“I think you’re hired.”

Ellie’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes.”

A bright smile immediately spread across her face.

“Thank you, sir. I promise you won’t regret it.”

Donel stood up. “We’ll see about that. Well, be here tomorrow.”