ログインMaya stood before her mirror, the soft amber glow from her bedside lamp brushing her skin like gold dust. The dress Ethan had sent fit her perfectly — elegant, but not loud. It was the kind of dress that whispered confidence rather than shouted for attention.Sarah leaned on the doorframe, grinning. “You look stunning, Maya. Are you sure this isn’t a date?”Maya smiled faintly. “It’s just dinner, Sarah. Nothing more.”“Dinner, with a guy who sends you a designer dress?” Darren teased from the couch. “Yeah, totally not a date.”She threw a napkin at him, laughing. “Behave, you two. I’ll be back before ten.”When the sound of a car horn drifted from outside, Maya felt a flutter in her stomach — not quite nervousness, but close. She turned to the twins one last time.“Don’t wait up. There’s food on the table, and no arguments about bedtime.”Darren saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”Sarah smiled warmly. “Have fun, sis. You deserve it.”Outside, a sleek black sedan waited at the curb. The driver step
The night was still young when Ethan found himself staring at his phone again. He’d been thinking about Maya all week — her quiet grace, her laughter that always seemed to linger. After everything that had happened, she had earned a little joy, and he wanted to be the one to give her some.He called.“Hello, Maya.”Her voice lifted instantly. “Ethan! I’m happy to hear your voice — it’s been a minute.”“Yes,” he said with a small laugh. “Work’s been chaos. But I was thinking... maybe dinner tonight? My treat.”There was a small pause on the line. “When? I’ve got school in the morning, and tonight’s my off day.”“I promise not to keep you out past ten,” he coaxed gently.She hesitated just a second longer, then smiled into the phone. “Alright. I’ll be ready.”“Perfect,” he said, relief warming his voice. “I’ll send a car at eight.”They hung up. For the first time in days, Ethan felt light.At home, Maya sat cross-legged at her study table, textbooks open, her hair tied loosely in a bun
Days passed. Pamela had officially returned and was now part of the D’Angelo household staff.Valentina called for her one afternoon. Pamela arrived promptly, her uniform neatly pressed and her posture perfect.“You sent for me, Ms. Valentina?” she asked politely.Valentina lounged on the couch, her sharp eyes scanning Pamela with a smile as false as her charm. “Yes, Pamela. How are you settling in?”“Very well, ma’am. Everyone here is nice and respectful,” Pamela replied.“Good,” Valentina said, leaning forward slightly. “Now, listen carefully. I hired you because I need you to be my eyes and ears in this house. Don’t let the smiles and polite nods fool you — everyone here has an agenda.”Pamela stared at her, momentarily frozen between surprise and irony. The opportunity she’d been searching for — to be close to her daughter — had come unexpectedly. Yet, she couldn’t understand why Valentina wanted her to spy in the home of the man she was soon to marry. Her thoughts drifted to Alic
The morning sunlight had barely settled across the D’Angelo estate when the echo of laughter faded down the marble hallway. Leo and Luca had just left for the office, their voices drifting away with the hum of the departing car. The house felt quiet afterward.Valentina stood by the window, watching the taillights vanish through the front gate. She folded her arms, uneasy. The conversation before breakfast still replayed in her mind — Leo’s tone, too sharp and too probing.Cristiano, who had been about to leave the dining room until Valentina stopped him about Antonio, stood with his jacket half-buttoned, the faint scent of cologne lingering as he decided to pour himself a glass of water after the disaster of a breakfast.“I think Antonio probably said something to Leo,” Valentina said, her voice low but edged with irritation. “He was acting strange this morning when I went to call him for breakfast.”Cristiano’s brow lifted slightly. “Strange how?”“He didn’t say much, but the way he
Pamela Cabrera waited quietly in the garden beside the servants’ wing, clutching her small purse in her lap. Her hands trembled slightly, though her gaze stayed steady.Antonio passed by, offering a polite nod. “You must be the new hire. Mrs. Conti’s still in a meeting with Mr. Lorenzo. She’ll be down soon.”Pamela smiled faintly. “Thank you.”He gave a small, reassuring grin. “You can wait here. She doesn’t like to keep people waiting long.”When Mrs. Conti appeared a few minutes later, Pamela stood. The older woman carried herself with quiet authority, years of service carved into every movement.“Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said briskly. “Ms. Valentina said you’d be reporting to me?”“Yes, ma’am,” Pamela replied politely.“She’s already interviewed you?”Pamela nodded again.“Good. Fill out this form and bring it back to me. I’ll prepare your schedule and duties for tomorrow.”Pamela accepted the paper, thanking her softly. When the older woman left, she let out a long, slow br
Sleep didn’t come to Maya that night. She sat on the edge of her bed long after Leo left, staring at the spot near the door where he had stood, not sitting, not struggling, but standing, balanced, and alive.Her hands were still trembling, though she couldn’t tell whether it was from shock or something deeper. Leo’s voice echoed in her mind, every word stubbornly refusing to fade.“You didn’t just leave the job, Maya. You left me.”It made no sense. Why now? Why tell her all that when she was finally trying to step away from his world and all the chaos that came with it? When Ethan had just begun to fit into the quiet corners of her life, his kindness steady and unintrusive?She pressed her palms to her eyes.“Why did he come back when I’m trying to move on?” she whispered into the silence.Outside, the street was empty. A single car passed below — maybe his — carrying Leo back into the world he belonged to, a world of marble walls and gilded lies.And yet, part of her heart followed







