CHAPTER 5

Alexander

"Sir, these are the files you were asking for," Jonathan, his assistant, stated professionally.

Alexander took the folders and immediately began to examine them. He had recently made an agreement with Samuels regarding their new corporate initiatives. As a result, he needed to meticulously review all of the data before making a final judgment.

"Like always, you're going to get the deal, dude," Adrian, his childhood friend, smirked from across the office.

Alexander didn't respond to the comment and simply continued with his reading. To Alexander, his friend Adrian often acted like an immature twenty-seven-year-old child.

"Come on, dude. Why are you always so moody?" Adrian complained, rolling his eyes.

This earned a sharp glare from Alexander. "I am busy. Can't you see that?" he said bluntly.

"Whatever, man. Sometimes you seriously bore me. Now, just tell me—are you arranging a party for your birthday?" Adrian asked seriously.

"I'm not a teenager who has to throw a massive party every year on his birthday. I have important things to do other than throwing stupid parties," Alexander said, firmly placing the file down on his heavy oak desk.

Adrian stared at his friend as if he had completely lost his mind. "What? Come on, don't do that, man! Everyone in our circle is excited about your birthday. Everyone expects you to have a blast," he stated emphatically.

Alexander was becoming highly irritated by his friend's persistence. However, he recognized that Adrian would not leave him alone until he finally consented. Adrian was the only person on earth who got away with speaking to Alexander this way, purely because they had been close childhood friends.

"Fine. You can plan it if you want," Alexander finally relented.

Adrian grinned like a small child on Christmas.

"But you have to arrange absolutely everything. I'm not doing shit for it," Alexander warned him coldly.

"Yes, of course!" Adrian cheered, quickly leaving the massive office before Alexander could change his mind.

Once Alexander finished his work for the afternoon, he recalled that he needed to stop by his father's house to retrieve certain documents. Going back to that estate implied that he might have to confront that girl again.

Emma.

No woman has ever had this effect on me, and yet that little maid is playing with my head.

He couldn't tear his mind away from her stunning green eyes. He longed to touch her silky-smooth skin and taste her full, pink lips. He wanted to bury his hands in her long hair.

How do I stop this?

For God's sake, she is just a maid. It should not be this difficult for me to forget about her.

Desperate for a distraction, he pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hey, Alexander," Jessica purred into the receiver.

What a whore.

"Come to my office, right now," he commanded coldly.

"I'm on my way," she said before hanging up.

Emma

Emma was having an incredibly rough day; she had an endless list of chores to complete. Martha had informed the staff that Alexander's birthday was fast approaching, and his friends were planning to celebrate at the estate. As a result, the maids were required to deep clean the entire home. Emma had to tidy up the massive living rooms where visitors were expected to gather. The kitchen staff had to prepare a luxury lunch for at least a hundred people, which meant the maids were rushing to plan everything well ahead of time.

Emma let out a quiet groan as she scrubbed the hardwood floors on her hands and knees. Once she was absolutely sure the floor was spotless, she stood up and dropped her dirty rag into the mop bucket. She picked up the bucket full of soapy water, which was so incredibly heavy she had to take tiny, shuffling steps just to keep it from slipping out of her grasp. After the common areas, she was also responsible for cleaning the family bedrooms.

She honestly couldn't see why they had to clean the private upstairs bedrooms when the guests were going to be partying downstairs, but she didn't dare complain. She shook her head and walked inside Mr. and Mrs. King's master chamber. She twisted the doorknob, pushed the door open, and meticulously cleaned the massive room, taking extreme care not to destroy any of the priceless artifacts.

Alexander's chamber was next on her list.

Standing in front of the heavy black door, Emma swallowed hard, terrified. The man frightened her to her core and made her incredibly nervous. After what occurred in the hallway the previous afternoon, she was absolutely certain she would be unable to face him. But, terrified as she was, she had to admit he was entirely different from any man she had ever encountered. He possessed a dark, powerful aura that effortlessly made others kneel before him.

Taking a deep breath, she tapped lightly on his door, praying silently that he wasn't inside. When no one responded, she knocked once again. Silence.

He must be out at work.

Relieved, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. Her entire back was aching as a result of all the heavy cleaning. Grabbing her supplies, she dropped to her knees and began scrubbing his floor.

Suddenly, after a few quiet moments, she heard the distinct sound of an interior door opening and closing. She flinched violently and whirled around to check the main bedroom door, but it was still securely shut.

So, what was that noise?

She froze completely as heavy footsteps echoed against the hardwood. Was she imagining things?

"What are you doing in here?" a deep, familiar voice demanded.

The sudden noise startled her so badly she let out a small yelp. When Emma turned around, she spotted Alexander standing in an open doorway across the room—completely shirtless!

Her eyes went wide, her cheeks instantly heating with a furious blush as she immediately whirled back around to face the wall.

He chuckled quietly at her panicked reaction. Did he just laugh? I never knew he could.

Emma heard his heavy footsteps stalking closer to her.

"I asked you a question, and I expect an answer," he demanded, his tone hardening.

"I-I was cl-cleaning, Master," she stuttered blindly into the wall. "I-I will just g-go now. I-I'm sor-sorry, sir," she whispered, taking a blind step toward the main exit.

"Wait," he ordered sharply.

She immediately froze in place, waiting for him to continue.

"You can finish your work," he stated simply before turning around and walking back into the room he had just emerged from.

Peeking over her shoulder, she realized it must be his personal, attached gym. His lightly perspiring body and the white towel draped casually around his neck explained everything.

Ten agonizing minutes passed. She was completely exhausted, but her task was nearly over. The entire time she scrubbed, she had the distinct, chilling impression that someone was keeping a very close eye on her. But she was far too terrified—and far too exhausted—to turn around and check.

---

He was keeping an eye on her. Standing quietly in the shadows of his private gym, he watched her every single move. Even in her cheap, filthy maid's uniform, he thought she looked absolutely gorgeous. His heart unexpectedly raced when she reached up to brush a stray lock of hair away from her face with the back of her wrist. He simply stood there, silently observing her as she focused intently on her menial task.

He could clearly see that she was entirely different from other girls; in fact, she was a true rarity. She wasn't a money-hungry socialite, nor was she a desperate young woman who would gladly die just for the chance to sleep with a billionaire like Alexander King.

Usually, women would discreetly watch him, gazing at his body with obvious, lustful eyes. But when he looked at Emma, he could tell she was genuinely terrified of him; her wide, expressive eyes portrayed it all. She wouldn't even dare make eye contact with him. Her panicked, modest reaction to seeing him without a shirt was entirely distinct from how any other woman would have responded. He couldn't help but grin at her naive, innocent personality.

Something in his dark life had shifted the exact moment she walked through the front doors of his father's house. He wasn't sure if this new obsession was a blessing or a curse, but he was rapidly becoming acclimated to the change.

His life had always been a mystery, even to himself. Everyone, including his own family, was deeply perplexed by his ruthless personality and cold views on the world. He lived in a metaphorical cave, surrounded by nothing but darkness and control.

In a world full of greed, girls like Emma were incredibly uncommon. Any man would be incredibly lucky to be with a woman so pure.

Just the mere thought of her being with some other male made his blood boil with sudden, violent anger.

Pondering his dark thoughts, he stepped fully back into the gym, locked the door, and finished wiping the sweat from his body with his towel. When he finally opened the door to head into his massive bathroom for a shower, he noticed she had already finished her chores and quietly slipped out of his room. He stepped into the glass shower stall, shut the door, and turned the cold water on full blast.

He knew, deep down, that he would go to any length to make her his forever. Every time the possessive thought crossed his mind, he stubbornly refused to accept it, even though his dark soul already knew the truth. He was entirely unaware of it at the moment, and he was desperately trying to run away from the unfamiliar sensation, but he had absolutely no idea that the presence of this quiet little maid was going to change his fate forever.