Chapter 11

[ ARIA’S POV ]

I stood outside Luca’s office, my hand hovering over the doorknob, shaking. A million thoughts raced through my mind. Would he actually listen to me, or would he just throw me out?

It had started earlier that evening while I was watching a show. Seeing the clothes on screen had reawakened a passion for design I thought I’d buried a long time ago simply because I never had the help to pursue it.

"Are you just going to stand there, or are you coming in?"

Luca’s voice cut through the door. It was low, dangerous, and made my heart skip a beat.

I took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

I walked in slowly, my feet heavy. Three minutes passed. I just stood there in the middle of the room, not saying a word, my fingers tightly gripping the hem of my gown.

Luca sighed loudly and slammed his pen down on the desk.

"Are we going to do this all day, or are you going to speak? If you have nothing to say, Aria, get the fuck out."

"I... I want to do fashion," I sputtered, the words catching in my throat.

Luca leaned back. "What happened to that sharp mouth of yours? I thought you were bold."

"I want to start a design business," I said, finding a bit of courage. "I know about fashion, and I'm really good at it."

Luca raised a hand, cutting me off. "You mean you want me to build a company for you."

"No! No, Luca," I said quickly, waving my hands in panic. "I’ll pay you back. I swear I'll pay you back."

He didn't say a word. The silence stretched between us until it felt heavy.

"I'll do it," he finally said.

"What?" I blinked, completely shocked.

"I said I’ll do it. I’ll fund the company. But first, go build your portfolio. Bring it to me, and then I’ll decide if you’re actually worth the investment."

"Thank you so much, Luca! Thank you!"

Without thinking, I threw my arms around him, jumping up in excitement.

Suddenly, the study door clicked open. Reality hit me, and I pulled away instantly, my face burning as I realized just how close we were.

My chest tightened painfully. Of course she had heard everything. Elara never walked into a room without a reason. Every smile and soft word from her was just poison wrapped in silk.

I kept staring at Luca, waiting... hoping he would remember that I had come to him first. That this was my dream. Mine.

But he didn’t even look at me.

Elara’s lips slowly curved into a victorious smile when she noticed his silence. She crossed her legs elegantly and leaned closer to him, acting like she already owned the answer.

“You see?” she said softly, throwing a glance my way. “At least Luca knows talent when he sees it.”

I clenched my fists under the table, digging my nails into my skin so hard it hurt.

Luca finally looked up at her. “Bring me your portfolio first.”

For the first time, Elara’s confident smile cracked.

“What portfolio?” she scoffed, sounding a bit nervous. “Luca, you already know me. You know what I can do.”

“And I want proof,” he answered coldly.

Silence filled the office.

I looked at him, completely surprised.

Elara laughed awkwardly and stood up. “You don’t trust me?”

“I trust results,” Luca replied, his voice totally blank. “Anyone can say they want a fashion company. I need to see your designs, your sketches, your plans. Everything.”

Her face darkened for a split second before she quickly hid it behind another fake smile.

Unlike me… she had nothing.

No sketches.

No sleepless nights.

No ideas hidden away in notebooks.

She only wanted to ruin my chance before I could even touch it.

Elara turned toward me slowly, her eyes burning with hatred underneath that sweet expression.

“This must make you happy,” she said quietly.

I finally smiled back at her.

“No,” I answered calmly. “It just exposed you.”

The room went deadly silent.

Even Luca looked up at me this time.

Elara’s eyes narrowed the second the words left my mouth.

For a moment, the hallway went completely silent.

The soft smile on her face disappeared bit by bit until there was nothing left but coldness.

“Oh?” she said slowly. “So you suddenly found some courage?”

I crossed my arms tightly over my chest, trying to hide how wildly my heart was pounding. “No. I just got tired of being scared of you.”

A sharp, dangerous laugh escaped her lips.

“You think this is a game, Aria?” She took a step closer, her expensive perfume almost suffocating me. “You really think you can compete with me?”

I forced myself to stand my ground and refused to back down this time.

“You were the one who turned it into a competition,” I replied calmly. “Not me.”

Her jaw tightened.

For the first time since I met Elara, I saw something in her eyes that actually shocked me.

It wasn't confidence.

It was fear.

A tiny, hidden streak of fear.

Because deep down, she knew the truth. She only copied my dream because she felt threatened by it.

“You won’t survive in this house if you keep challenging me,” she whispered darkly.

I tilted my head slightly. “Maybe. But at least this time, I’ll go down fighting.”

That hit her hard.

Her face darkened instantly, and before I could even react, she grabbed my wrist tightly.

“You think Luca actually believes in you?” she hissed, her fingers digging in. “You’re nothing but entertainment to him.”

I winced from the pain, but I didn’t cry out. Not this time.

“Then why are you so threatened?” I asked quietly.

Elara froze.

A muscle twitched in her jaw before she suddenly shoved my arm away roughly.

“Keep dreaming, Aria,” she spat. “Because when you fail, I’ll be right there to watch.”

She turned on her heel and walked away, her loud footsteps echoing down the hallway.

I stood there, watching her leave.

My wrist still throbbed. My heart was still racing.

But strangely... I smiled.

Because for the very first time, Elara didn't look untouchable anymore.

I walked downstairs feeling lighter than I had in weeks.

Even the massive house didn't feel like a prison at that moment. Luca had left for the office right after our meeting, and for once, the quietness here didn’t suffocate me. My mind was too busy spinning with ideas fabrics, colors, sketches, and possibilities.

A small smile stayed on my face as I walked into the kitchen.

The maids all turned to look at me, totally surprised.

“Good morning,” I said softly.

They exchanged quick glances, looking unsure of how to respond, before muttering some greetings back.

I moved toward the counter. “I want to help out.”

One of the older maids almost dropped the tray she was holding.

“No, ma’am!” she said quickly. “You can’t do that.”

I blinked. “Can’t do what?”

“Help in the kitchen,” another maid added nervously. “If the boss finds out, we’ll get in trouble.”

I frowned. “In trouble for what? I’m just trying to make something.”

The women looked terrified.

“It’s not allowed,” the older maid whispered. “Mr. Luca does not want you doing any hard work around here.”

I almost laughed at that. Hard work? As if Luca actually cared about me getting tired.

Ignoring them, I reached for a knife to chop some fruit.

The maids gasped instantly.

“Ma’am, please!”

“You’ll cut yourself!”

“You shouldn’t be doing that!”

I looked at them in disbelief. “Why are you all acting like I’m holding a bomb?”

Nobody answered.

Right then, the head maid walked into the kitchen and froze when she saw me standing by the counter. Her eyes widened.

“Aria, ma’am…”

I slowly put the knife down. “What is it now?”

She walked over carefully, like she was approaching a wild animal. “Please leave the kitchen before someone reports this.”

I let out a tired sigh. “I’m not helpless, you know.”

“We know, ma’am,” she said gently. “But this house has rules.”

Rules. Everything in this place revolved around Luca’s rules.

I looked around the huge kitchen at the scared faces of the staff, and the happiness I felt earlier started to fade. Even breathing freely in this house required permission.

Just as I turned to leave, one of the younger maids spoke up shyly.

“Ma’am…”

I looked back at her.

She gave me a soft smile. “I heard about your fashion company.”

The older maids glared at her in shock, but the girl kept going anyway.

“I think you’ll do really well.”

A sudden warmth rushed through my chest.

“Thank you,” I whispered, meaning every word.

For the very first time since I came to this mansion, someone actually believed in me.

“I’m not leaving,” I said stubbornly, tying the apron around my waist before anyone could stop me.

The maids stared at me like I had lost my mind.

“Ma’am, please”

“I just want to help,” I interrupted, giving them a small smile. “And honestly… I’m bored out of my mind.”

The younger maid giggled softly, though the others still looked completely nervous.

Finally, the head cook let out a defeated sigh. “Fine. But if the boss asks, we’re telling him you forced your way in here.”

A small laugh escaped my lips. “Deal.”

After that, the tension in the room slowly melted away.

Soon, the kitchen got lively again. One maid was washing vegetables while another kneaded dough. I helped prep the ingredients, and to my surprise, I actually enjoyed it. The warmth, the casual chatter, the smell of food it felt normal.

Human.

It was a feeling I hadn't experienced in a really long time.

“You’re actually really good at this,” one of the maids said, watching in surprise as I chopped the vegetables perfectly.

I smiled proudly. “My mother made sure I learned.”

The cook nodded approvingly. “The boss likes people who know how to take care of themselves.”

I paused for a second at the mention of Luca.

The older woman kept speaking while stirring a large pot. “People misunderstand him a lot, you know.”

I leaned against the counter, quietly listening.

“He wasn’t raised with any softness,” she said. “His father was a very hard man. Everything was about discipline, punishment, and perfection. You weren't allowed to make mistakes.”

The younger maid quickly chimed in. “I heard his father used to lock him outside overnight whenever he disappointed him.”

My eyes widened.

“That’s enough gossip,” another maid whispered nervously, looking toward the door.

But the cook just shook her head. “It’s the truth. The boss grew up under an iron fist. That’s why he acts the way he does now.”

I stayed silent. For some reason, it was hard to picture Luca as a helpless child.

“He built this whole empire when he was still so young,” the cook continued. “People fear him because that’s all he was ever taught. That fear earns respect.”

I thought about the constant coldness in Luca’s eyes. The way he controlled everything. The anger that always seemed to simmer right beneath his words.

Suddenly, a few things started to make sense.

“He can still be really cruel, though,” one of the maids muttered quietly.

The cook nodded. “Yes. But he’s not heartless.”

I looked down at the vegetables I was slicing.

Not heartless.

I didn’t know if I believed that yet. But a small part of me remembered how he had agreed to fund my dream without mocking me.

And somehow... that confused me way more than his cruelty ever did.