Chapter 7

To be honest, I felt a little like an automaton in that outfit with the white apron over the black dress and stockings. It was the very first time in my entire life that I wore a dress of that kind.

I let out a long sigh, and then I stepped out of the room and looked around for the kitchen, which is where I was meant to get the juice from. I had no idea where Ryder had gone after abandoning me. He was undoubtedly a pest, but at the very least, he had a duty to keep an eye on things.

The mango juice was ready in the kitchen, and it had already reached the fill line on the jug. I went into the adjacent room to get a glass and then poured the juice into it before setting it down on a coffee tray and proceeding towards the main hall, which was constructed approximately twenty steps in front of the kitchen.

Since I was the most victimized by life, I joyfully accepted his absence. I moved over to the man who was standing there with his back against the wall. I asked him what was going on. Perhaps he could enlighten me with the haughty's footprints.

"Pardon me, but... Alpha... I mean his Majesty... did you see him?" I inquired while attempting to come across as courteous and gentle. Until I found out about my mother, I could not bring myself to accept the possibility of losing this job.

The man stared down at me from his perch. He had dimples on his smooth cheeks, just below his savory gray eyes.  "I am sorry, I didn't recognize. Who is this, exactly?" He inquired while prodding the piece of paper he had been holding in his hand a moment earlier in the pocket of his jacket.

"His personal maid." I supposed that he would be able to tell who I am by my clothes.

His countenance became gloomy almost instantaneously, and his brows became furrowed. "When did he go and acquire himself such a charming maid? That jerk never shares any information with me about anything." He couldn't stop mumbling to himself.

"Pardon?" After hearing what he stated just now, I found myself bewildered and unable to comprehend his words.

The dimples in his cheeks were beginning to pucker. "I am his best friend, Alex." He then offered his hand to shake before introducing himself. "I just wanted to say that you are simply gorgeous. Are you single, Miss?"

Gorgeous? Single? Oh, I should have known better. He was more of a flirt than a kind guy. "In point of fact... I am not..."

"Stop flirting with her." The harsh sound of a man's voice almost caused me to jump. When I turned around, I saw Atlas standing just behind me.

He had a hardened expression on his face and was staring angrily at the individual in front of me.

Alex, his closest friend, looked at him and said, "You are here."

"You are likely to run into me very soon. Stay where you are." Atlas stopped what he was doing and stared at me for a while, most likely taking his time to try to remember me. "And you, follow me."

I blinked my eyes twice before giving him a quick nod of the head and rushing after him in close proximity. I had no idea where he was heading, but I followed the instructions given to me.

After traversing the staircase, we were now making our way along the corridor, which had a number of different rooms. I had no idea where I was going until he finally stopped and entered a room.

Incredible decorations employing flowers, vases, and picture frames made the place shine with their splendor. Even the ceiling was covered with intricate engravings of fascinating motifs and glowing stones. Each and every piece of furniture had been meticulously polished.

"Please come in." He ordered. Oh my, he truly reigned supreme around here.

As I entered the room and set the tray down on the coffee table that was surrounded by a pair of plush couches, I had to exert a lot of effort to prevent my blood from racing to the top of my head.

The focus of Atlas's eyes shifted to the tray. "The tray... it's not even mine." He spoke in a low voice.

It's possible that Harris neglected to mention the tray to me while we were talking earlier. "I am sorry. I shall... switch out the tray, and then I will return."

"It is not required. I am no longer interested in the juice." While saying this, he reached his hands into the pockets of his black jeans.

What the living hell! After putting me through all that trouble, how can you say you don't want it?

"Okay." I was being patient here, his luck was good enough. After picking up the tray once again, I started to turn back, but his voice prevented me from doing so.

"I am not finished yet."

I tried my best to contain a disgruntled groan as I stared at him. "I am sorry." Already I was feeling exhausted. This man was a real pain in the neck.

His glare was so icy that it was nearly impossible to decipher what he was thinking. "You're not actually married, right?" Suddenly, he gave off the impression of complete contentment and joy.

I gave another false statement, shaking my head. "I am."

The man approached me in a deliberate manner before grabbing my left hand. Cold. It was really chilly in his hand. My spines tingled all over as a shiver ran through them. I let out a gasp and clenched one of my hands around the tray to keep it from toppling over. "W-what in the world are you..."

He gave me a sly grin as he looked down at my fingers. "Can you please locate your ring?" He had made several observations about the primary evidence.

I quietly berated myself for not being as intelligent as others. It was silly of me to have forgotten about the ring. "I completely forgot to..."

"Newly wedded girls don't forget these things." He made the assertion as if he had a great deal of experience in relation to the subject at hand.

I was successful in adding sarcasm to my tone of voice. "You seem to know a lot about girls."

He nodded proudly. "I do. I had girlfriends previously. And at this point, I am engaged to be married. I have an urge to spend time with her on occasion, despite the fact that I have no romantic interest in her."

What a jerk! He took great pride in the fact that he was uninterested in his fiancee and had a number of other women. "I don't see why you're telling me all of these." I had no idea that a king would treat his maid with such respect and courtesy.

"Exactly. Why am I?" He cocked his head to the side and moved in even closer. After experiencing some fear, I quickly retreated a few steps. Yet, it didn't stop him. He got closer to me and lowered his face until his nose lightly brushed against mine as he closed the distance.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to hold my breath. Several times in a row, my heart missed a beat. Before this moment, I had never been able to get so close to a man.

While he was still holding my hand in his, he gave a quiet giggle and took a look at my lips before meeting my gaze. He did this while maintaining his grip on my hand. "Could it be that I am interested in you?"