Chapter 6

The next day was calm and lovely. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and the weather was just right. I was enjoying the peaceful morning until my phone rang. Thaddeus. The moment his name appeared, my heart sank.

“I hear Gerrard is back from his trip. It's time you start getting us the information we need,” he ordered coldly.

“I’m working on it,” I replied, trying to sound confident.

“You’d better be, or your father will pay the price,” he warned before ending the call.

Tears filled my eyes as I thought about my father. I cried into my pillow, feeling overwhelmed. But after a while, I told myself to stay strong. I got up, took a shower, and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. With the kitchen staff helping me, I decided to prepare one of Gerrard’s favorite dishes; Chilaquiles Verdes.

“This looks smells and looks delicious, Miss Lily. Sir Gerrard will love it,” said Luke, the sweetest of the staff, said with a warm smile. He was the first to warm up to me, always eager to lend a hand..

"Thank you, Luke." I smiled, satisfied with the meal. Then I headed to the pantry to check on the fruits. "Where are the oranges? I asked for them yesterday." I turned to Brenda, the staff responsible for groceries shopping, and the sassiest of all the household staff.

She shrugged. "Oops, I must've forgotten."

"I'll go get them right away," Luke offered quickly.

"I'll come with you. We need to get breakfast ready before Gerrard wakes up," I said, grabbing my coat.

---

On our way back, Luke and I chatted casually. I tried to pry for information about Gerrard’s business, even flirting a little, but Luke didn’t seem to know much.

He cracked a joke about Mama Rosa calling Gerrard a “pumpkin,” and we both laughed as we entered the house.

The laughter stopped when we saw Gerrard sitting at the dining table, his face dark with anger.

Luke quickly slipped away to the kitchen, leaving me to face him alone.

"Is this what you do? Flirt with the staff instead of doing your job?" Gerrard snapped, his voice sharp. He raised his wrist, tapping his watch with a pointed finger. "It’s 7 a.m., and breakfast isn’t ready. But you have time to giggle like a schoolgirl?"

“I’m sorry, I...”

"Get the car ready," he barked at his driver, cutting me off. Then he turned back to me, his gaze was ice-cold. "I don’t tolerate incompetence. If this happens again, you’re out."

The door slammed shut behind him, and I felt a crushing wave of disappointment. I wanted to impress him, to get close enough to gather the information Thaddeus demanded. But instead, I had only managed to get on Gerrard's bad side.

“I’m sorry, Miss Lily,” Luke said gently behind, making me jump. “Sir Gerrard’s always grumpy when he misses breakfast.”

I gave him a weak smile and nodded.

---

An hour later, still at the dining table. I thought of my father. It was memories of him that gave me comfort at difficult times. I remembered how he used to bring me food at school whenever I skipped breakfast. The thought gave me a spark of determination. I decided to make things right. I’d bring Gerrard breakfast at his office to show him I could be reliable.

I packed the food, dressed nicely, and took a taxi to the casino where Gerrard worked.

Inside, the air smelled of smoke and perfume, and the sound of slot machines filled the space.

I looked around for Gerrard, but I couldn't find him. Then I wandered toward the back, I noticed some men unloading boxes into a secured room. Curious, I stepped closer, hoping to catch a glimpse.

“Hmmmm,” someone cleared their throat behind me. I turned and saw Antonio, Gerrard’s bodyguard, glaring at me. He grabbed my arm and dragged me away.

I was taken to Gerrard's office, where he was in the middle of yelling at a man who was groveling at his feet. Gerrard’s face was cold, as he shoved the man to the floor in anger. “Get him out of my sight,” he ordered, and the guards dragged the man away. My heart clenched... this side of Gerrard reminded me of Sir Bruno, and my helpless father. In that moment, Gerrard looked terrifying.

His eyes landed on me, and I froze. His face darkened even more. “What’s she doing here?” he demanded, his voice low but dangerous.

Antonio stepped forward. “I caught her snooping around in the back.”

Gerrard’s eyes narrowed as he turned to me. “What were you doing back there?” he shouted, his voice so loud it made me jump. My hands shook, and I felt so small under his sharp gaze.

“I… I’m sorry,” I stammered, stepping back. As he moved closer, his shadow loomed over me, and I squeaked, thinking he might hit me.

Gerrard stopped, his face softening just a little, though he still looked annoyed. He waved Antonio away. The door closed behind us, leaving us alone.

“Lilly,” he said, his voice much softer now. “I’m not going to hurt you. You don’t have to be scared.” He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “But you shouldn’t have come here.”

I nodded quickly, trying to calm down, but I still couldn’t look him in the eye.

“What are you doing here?” he asked again, sounding calmer this time.

I held up the food basket. “You… you didn’t eat breakfast, so I brought some,” I said, my voice shaking but steady enough.

Gerrard sighed deeply and sat down in his chair. “Alright. I’ll let this go, but don’t come here again. Got it?”

“Yes,” I whispered, nodding.

The room went quiet. I could feel his eyes on me, watching, as if trying to figure me out. My heart pounded in my chest, but I stayed still, holding the basket tightly.

After a moment, Gerrard stood up and nodded for me to follow. “Come,” he said quietly. “I want you to meet some important people.”