The threat

Two weeks passed and Maya could feel Georgia's growing hostility towards her.

Maya was cleaning the mirror in the corridor when she heard it.

The reluctant click of heels on marble brought her sharply back into focus. The sound was slower now, deliberate.

She caught sight of Georgia's image in the mirror before she turned, deep red silk again, hair curled into a perfect twist, eyes flashing like cut glass.

"You're thorough," Georgia told her, the voice thick with false praise as she advanced. "Polishing mirrors, serving trays… I suppose that's all you can do."

Maya remained standing but held a flat expression. "It's my job, ma'am."

Georgia's smile thinned. "Yes, of course. But here's the thing about jobs, some of them have very short shelf lives. Especially when you… get under people's skin.".

The tone was soft, verging on playful, but the venom beneath was evident.

Maya gripped the polishing cloth more tightly. "I'm here to work."

"Oh, sugar," Georgia crooned, insinuating herself close enough that her perfume clung to Maya's skin, "that's exactly what the last girl said. Any idea where she is today?"

Maya was silent.

Georgia tilted her head, studying her like an insect under glass. “Stay in your lane, little maid. Or you’ll find yourself… gone.”

Her heels clicked away, each step echoing down the hall.

Maya exhaled only when she was alone, but her hands still trembled.

From somewhere in the house, Lucien’s voice called for her.

And suddenly, Maya wasn’t sure whether that was a relief, or another kind of danger entirely.

Maya smoothed the apron front and stepped into Lucien's study. It was perfumed with leather and tobacco, the air heavy but for the gold light streaming from the desk lamp.

Lucien sat behind the desk, jacket off, shirtsleeves rolled to reveal strong forearms. His head rose as she approached, dark eyes locking onto hers with the same piercing attention she'd witnessed that morning.

“You called for me?” she asked, careful to keep her voice steady.

He gestured to the chair opposite him. “Sit.”

She hesitated. The maids had all warned her, never sit unless told twice. But something about the way he watched her made her obey.

“You’ve been here… what? Two weeks?” he said, leaning back in his chair.

“Yes, sir.”

“And already, Georgia has spoken to you.” It wasn’t a question.

Maya’s stomach tightened. “Briefly.”

His mouth curved in something that wasn’t quite a smile. “She’s protective of me. Some would call it loyalty.”

Maya doubted that was the right word, but she kept her opinion to herself.

Lucien studied her for a long moment. “She can be… territorial. You’ll ignore her.”

It sounded like an order, not advice.

“Yes, sir,” she murmured.

His gaze lingered, and then he pushed forward, setting his forearms on the desk. "If you hear from her again, I want to know."

The command startled her, his tone tougher now.

Maya's throat closed. "Why?"

Lucien's gaze was observant, unreadable. "Because I don't enjoy people playing games in my house."

He didn't afford her time to respond when the study door burst open without a knock. Georgia stood there, a wicked, triumphant smile spreading across her face.

"Am I interrupting?" she asked sweetly.

Maya's heart raced.

Lucien didn't look away from her. "Yes."

Georgia did not step back at Lucien's answer. Instead, she entered the room as if she owned every square inch of it, the soft rustle of silk behind her. She ignored the chair beside Maya and went instead to stand beside Lucien, laying a manicured hand on the edge of his desk.

I thought we could wrap up tonight's plans," she replied, her voice light, but her gaze darted to Maya like a knife seeking flesh.

Lucien didn't lift his head from the papers before him. "Later."

Georgia cocked her head. "Later may be too late. You know how these dinners are. fragile.

I said afterward," he echoed, slower this time, and without adding to the level of his voice, the words carried the intensity of a threat.

For an instant, Georgia's smile had faltered before she regained it, tracing the edge of a crystal glass on the desk with her tip of finger.

"I was attempting to be helpful."

"Help is more graciously given when asked for," Lucien responded, finally glancing up at her.

The room air grew heavy. Maya braced in her chair, attempting to turn invisible, but Georgia's attention returned to her.

"You're new here," Georgia stated, the sweetness in her voice strained to thinness. "I suppose you haven't yet learned the… boundaries."

Maya's expression was still void. "I do my best to obey."

Georgia's smile extended further, but never softened her eyes. "Good. Because some regulations aren't written, but contravene them, and you won't last long."

Lucien's chair scraped as he stood, a quiet interruption that filled the room. "That's enough."

Georgia's gaze remained level with Maya for that last second before she turned and departed, her scent remaining behind like a possession she wouldn't give up.

Lucien's gaze trailed after her to the door before flicking back to Maya.

"We will speak again," he told her softly.

The shutting study door behind them left an uncomfortable hush. Maya's fists clenched in her lap, her heartbeat still racing from Georgia's implicit threat.

Lucien stood for a second or two, his eyes still locked on the door as if weighing whether to order Georgia's return, or allow her to leave.

Instead, he turned to Maya. "You've been here how long?"

"Two weeks," she answered.

His eyebrow furrowed slightly. "And in that time, Mrs. Carbone has kept you locked in the kitchen."

"Yes, sir."

Lucien paced behind the desk, coming to a halt several paces from her. His presence was commanding but not threatening, at least, not yet. "From tomorrow, you'll be reporting to me personally. Personal assignments. Discretion required."

The announcement caught her off guard. "Sir?"

"I hate wasted potential," he said bluntly, as if that was the entirety of it. "Mrs. Carbone will be informed."

Maya hesitated. All of her senses shouted this was not safe. Going directly to the boss garnered more exposure, more risk, and more eyes like Georgia's marking her as an intruder. And still, she couldn't say no.

"Yes, sir."

Lucien's gaze roamed across her face, interpreting her look. "Good. You're dismissed."

She stood there, legs trembling a little, and walked towards the door. Walking into the hallway, she felt her life in this house had turned. Whatever lay ahead, she was no longer one of the anonymous servants.

Behind her, in the study, Lucien poured a glass, the small ring of glass ringing, a muted toast to a step only he understood

Maya had barely reached the base of the staircase when she heard it, soft footsteps behind her, unhurried, deliberate.

She didn’t have to turn to know who it was.

“Enjoying your new promotion?” Georgia’s voice was smooth as silk, but laced with an edge sharp enough to cut.

Maya turned, keeping her face neutral. “I just follow instructions.”

Georgia crept closer, her free heels tapping on the marble in slow, deliberate rhythm. "Of course you do. But let me tell you something, Lucien's instructions change up. Mine don't."

Her scent wrapped around them both, lush and suffocating. "Girls who get too close to him… become nonexistent. Do you understand?"

Maya's stand was firm. "I'm not here for him."

Georgia's smile was icy. "You're here. That's all I need."

With a final glance, Georgia slipped by, the hem of her red dress brushing against Maya's skirt.

Maya caught her breath only when the woman was gone, but her heart would not calm.

On the other side of the hallway, a guard watched her quietly, his expression blank.

Whatever was inside the house had shifted, and now every shadow seemed to have the possibility to contain eyes.