All Chapters of Their Beautiful Madness: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Then reality sinks its claws in.I have no experience. No references. No degree. Just a high school diploma and years of making it work by sheer force of will. I don't have any professional housekeeping credentials. Just me, twenty-two, burnt out, and holding everything together with hope.Still... I can clean. I know how to make something livable out of chaos, how to organize around madness, how to keep things running even when everything's falling apart. If that doesn't count for something, then what the hell does?My hand hovers over the touchpad. My heart thuds. Then I click apply.The form loads slowly. I type out a short message, keeping it simple but honest: "I may not have professional housekeeping skills, but I know how to clean and manage a household. I'm a fast learner and a hard worker. This opportunity would mean the world to me."I attach my resume, if you can call it that. It's bare bones; my name, age, current address, phone number, and a list of jobs I've held. It's n

He lets out a low, amused huckle that feels warmer than the morning air. "Oh, no." A slow, knowing shake of his head follows. "I'm Sebastian, the Morgans' personal driver. I've been behind the wheel for them since they were just boys. They've grown into quite the pair of gentlemen."There's two of them?The drive is smooth. No sudden swerves, no honking. Just the occasional low murmur of Sebastian's voice cutting through the silence. I don't mind the quiet though. I've always been better at listening than talking. He seems to pick up on that quickly.We make small talk, mostly driven by him. He's good at it, casual but not nosy. There's an air of professionalism to him that makes it easy to relax a little in his presence. He doesn't push too hard, doesn't ask questions that feel loaded. He's polite, well-spoken. He seems like the kind of man I wish my mom brought around instead of the drunk losers who never take their shoes off when the enter they house or care to remember my name."H

It should be reassuring but it isn't. It's the first lie she's told me. Not maliciously, not even consciously. But I know she wouldn't come to me. Not unless she had no choice. She's used to swallowing things down, handling them herself, brushing off what hurts until it festers.That won't work here. Not with me. Even if she doesn't tell me, I'll find out and I'll handle it for her.Damn. I could sit here and talk to her for hours. Just listen to her soft voice, the way she pauses to think before she speaks. I've already asked every relevant question this interview requires, yet I find myself tossing out more. Stupid shit, if I'm being honest. Things I don't need to know. Like what her favorite food is. Whether she prefers sunrise or sunset. Fucking pointless. But I don't want her to stop talking.I don't normally have time for chatter. I run a multi-million dollar empire. My life is back-to-back meetings, deals, and strategic bullshit.With Beatrice, I don't feel the need to wear tha

Silas walks beside me. His hand stays firmly on my lower back the entire time. I try not to overthink it, but it's hard to ignore the weight of it.It's as if he doesn't want me to stray too far from him. Then again, in a house this big, getting lost wouldn't be that hard. So, I stay close. Close enough that every now and then, my arm brushes against his side and holy hell, the man is made of stone. Solid muscle beneath an expensive dress shirt. Just being near him makes my insides spark.We step down into a living room first, which dips one level lower. A sunken lounge. Sleek black leather couches are arranged in a way that makes conversation feel effortless but still commands attention toward the massive flat-screen TV mounted on the far wall. It's so big that it looks like it belongs in a movie theater.Speaking of theater, the next room he shows me is exactly that. A full-blown movie room tucked deep into the mansion, no windows, just velvet covered recliners in tiered rows facing

I lean back in my chair, swirling the wine in my glass just to give my hands something to do besides reaching across the table and tucking the damn loose strand of hair behind her ear."What's something you've always wanted to try but never did?"She blinks, caught off guard. Her gaze shifts up toward the chandelier, thinking about it. "Hmm... there's a lot," she murmurs, tapping her finger on her glass. "Drive a fast car with the windows down and the music blasting," she says grinning. "I've never ridden a horse, but that sounds fun."Fuck the horse. She can ride me. My jaw tenses with the thought, and I have to force myself to look away before I betray myself and say it out loud."I've never been on a boat," she adds softly. Then even quieter, almost like she was hoping I won't hear it. "And... skinny dipping."My eyes snap to her. A slow smirk spreads across my face as I raise a brow. "What was that last one?"She flushes, laughing nervously and shaking her head. "Nothing. I didn't