Chapter one

Melissa’s POV

I stood nervously in front of the huge, ornate door of Salvatore Moretti's mansion, my heart pounding in my chest. As the door creaked open, I was greeted by an old lady dressed in a black and white uniform. She introduced herself as Maria, the senior maid.

"Welcome, Melissa. Your mother has told us a lot about you. We are glad to have you here," Maria said, her tone kind but firm.

"Thank you, Maria. I'm a bit nervous, to be honest," I replied, feeling relieved to have someone to talk to.

"Don't worry, dear. We'll show you the ropes and make sure you settle in smoothly. But you should know, Melissa, that Mr. Moretti is not a man to be trifled with. He can be wicked and mean, and he doesn't tolerate mistakes."

I felt a chill run down my spine at the mention of Moretti's name. I had heard stories about him from my mother, about how he was a dangerous and ruthless mafia kingpin who ruled over his empire with an iron fist. I prayed that I wouldn't cross paths with him, that I could just do my job and stay out of his way.

As Maria led me on a tour of the mansion, I couldn't help but marvel at the opulence of the place. The other maids were kind enough, but it was clear that they were wary of me. These women had probably worked for Moretti for years, and here I was, a complete stranger, taking the place of my own mother.

The first few hours of my shift went by in a blur as I tried to keep up with the other maids. I was assigned to clean the bedrooms on the upper floor, which meant I had to climb a winding staircase that seemed to go on forever. As I worked, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled over me.

Later that night, as I made my way back to my room, the power went out in the mansion. I stumbled in the darkness, barely able to see my hand in front of my face.

"Maria? Is everything okay?" I called out, my voice shaking with fear.

Silence was my only response. I continued to make my way down the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. That's when I heard footsteps, coming from the end of the hall.

I froze, unsure of what to do. I couldn't see who was approaching me in the dark, but I knew that I had to be careful.

"Who's there?" I called out, my voice barely above a whisper.

The footsteps grew closer, and my heart raced faster. Then, suddenly, a hand grabbed my arm, and I screamed.

The hand on my arm tightened, and I could feel the anger radiating from the person behind me. "What are you doing here?" a voice growled, and I couldn't tell who it was in the dark.

“Let go off me!” I snapped, irritated by the rough treatment. “I'm lost, and I was trying to find my way back to my room.”

“Who are you?” the guard asked gruffly.

“I'm the new maid,” I said, rolling my eyes at his tone.

The guard didn't answer, but his grip on my arm tightened even more, and I winced in pain.

“Let go!” I said, struggling to free myself.

At that moment, the power came back on, illuminating the hallway. The guard loosened his grip on my arm, and I turned to face him, ready to give him a piece of my mind.

But as soon as I saw his face, my words died in my throat. He was tall, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes. And he was the most handsome man I had ever seen.

For a moment, we stared at each other in silence, and I felt a strange sensation in the pit of my stomach. But then he spoke, his voice cold and hard.

“Don't speak to me like that again,” he said, his eyes narrowing. “And don't ever wander around the mansion at night. It's dangerous.”

I wanted to argue with him, to tell him that I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself. But his cold demeanor and the way he towered over me made me feel small and insignificant.

So I nodded mutely and hurried back to my room, feeling a mixture of fear and attraction. I still had no idea who he was, but I knew that working for Salvatore Moretti was going to be a lot more complicated than I had anticipated.

The next day, I woke up early, still feeling uneasy after my encounter with the mysterious guard in the hallway. As I got dressed in my maid uniform and made my way to the kitchen, I tried to shake off the feeling of dread that lingered in my chest.

As I entered the kitchen, I was greeted by the sight of several maids bustling around, preparing breakfast. I smiled at them nervously and greeted them, trying to fit in with the group. The senior maid, an old lady named Maria, approached me and asked me to help with some chores.

As I worked, I couldn't help but wonder about the guard from last night. Who was he? And why had he been so harsh with me? I had the feeling that he was someone important, but I couldn't quite place it.

My thoughts were interrupted when Maria approached me again. "Melissa, Mr. Moretti wants to see you in his office," she said.

I froze, my heart racing. Salvatore Moretti? Why would he want to see me? I had only just started working here, and I was sure he didn't even know who I was.

"Did he say why?" I asked, trying to hide the fear in my voice.

Maria shook her head. "No, he didn't say. But you better hurry, he doesn't like to be kept waiting."

I nodded, feeling the eyes of the other maids on me as I left the kitchen. As I made my way to Salvatore's office, my mind raced with possibilities. What could he want from me? Was I in trouble?

When I arrived at his door, I took a deep breath and knocked. There was no answer at first, and I was about to turn and leave when I heard his voice from inside.

"Come in," he said, his voice cool and distant.

I pushed open the door and stepped inside, my eyes darting around the room. It was a spacious office, with dark wood paneling and leather furniture. Salvatore was sitting behind a large desk, his eyes fixed on a stack of papers in front of him.

"Close the door," he said, without looking up.

I did as he asked, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't see his face clearly from where I was standing, but I could feel his eyes on me.

"Sit down," he said, gesturing to a chair in front of his desk.

I did as he asked, my hands shaking as I took a seat. He finally looked up at me, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

It was him. The guard from last night. Salvatore Moretti.