CHAPTER 10 : A SIMPLE QUESTION
821 Words
Elenia woke early the next morning.
She had barely finished dressing when there was a knock on her door.
"Elenia?"
She opened it.
One of the senior maids stood outside.
"You're needed in the kitchen."
"The kitchen?"
"One of the cooks completed her contract yesterday. Her debt has been settled, so she's leaving the estate this morning. Until another cook is assigned, you'll assist the kitchen staff."
Elenia nodded quickly.
"Yes, ma'am."
She followed her downstairs.
The kitchen was already busy.
Pots clattered.
Workers moved from one counter to another.
The smell of freshly baked bread and cooked meat filled the room.
Elenia had helped in kitchens before, so the work itself wasn't unfamiliar.
But this kitchen was much larger than anything she had experienced.
She was given several small tasks and worked quietly.
After some time, one of the cooks approached her.
"You'll take this breakfast to Mr. De Luca."
Elenia froze.
"Me?"
The cook frowned.
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"No."
Her voice came out quieter than she intended.
She looked at the tray.
Breakfast.
For Damien De Luca.
Her fingers tightened around the edge.
She had seen him only briefly since arriving at the estate.
Once in passing.
Once from a distance.
And yesterday, she had seen his vehicle crossing the grounds.
That was enough.
Everyone in the household spoke about him carefully.
Nobody wanted to attract his attention.
And now she had to stand in front of him.
"Take it to the private dining room," the cook instructed.
Elenia nodded.
"Yes."
She picked up the tray.
Her heart was already beating faster.
---
The private dining room was separate from the workers' dining hall.
Elenia had never entered it before.
She walked down the corridor slowly, making sure nothing on the tray moved.
When she reached the door, she stopped.
She took a breath.
Then knocked.
"Come in."
His voice.
Deep.
Calm.
Elenia's stomach tightened.
She opened the door.
Damien was seated at the table.
He was dressed simply that morning, but there was still something commanding about him.
Elenia lowered her eyes.
"Breakfast, sir."
She walked toward the table.
Her hands trembled slightly.
She carefully placed the tray down.
She was about to step back when Damien looked at her.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Elenia kept her eyes lowered.
Then Damien asked,
"What's your name?"
Her heart skipped.
"Elenia."
He watched her for a moment.
"Elenia."
He repeated her name quietly.
She swallowed.
"Yes, sir."
Damien looked back at the breakfast.
"Okay."
One simple word.
Nothing more.
But to Elenia, it sounded like a warning.
Like something she was supposed to understand.
She stood there for another second, unsure whether she was dismissed.
Damien picked up his cup.
Elenia immediately lowered her head.
"Excuse me, sir."
She turned and walked out.
The moment the door closed behind her, she released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Her heart was pounding.
She pressed a hand against her chest.
"Why am I so afraid of him?"
She shook her head and hurried back toward the kitchen.
---
The rest of the morning passed without incident.
But Elenia couldn't stop thinking about that one word.
Okay.
It shouldn't have frightened her.
It was an ordinary word.
Yet coming from Damien De Luca, it had felt different.
Maybe it was because she knew what kind of man he was.
Maybe it was because she was still learning how to survive in his world.
Or maybe she was simply allowing fear to control her.
By afternoon, Elenia felt restless.
She needed somewhere quiet.
Somewhere she could breathe without feeling as though someone was watching her every movement.
She remembered the secluded garden.
She had discovered it during one of her earlier assignments.
It was far enough from the main mansion that the noise of the estate barely reached it.
Elenia slipped away during her free time.
The moment she entered the garden, she felt the tension leave her shoulders.
Flowers surrounded the winding paths.
Tall trees stretched toward the sky.
Green leaves moved gently in the breeze.
The farther she walked, the quieter everything became.
It almost felt like another world.
Elenia smiled.
She walked slowly between the flowers, occasionally brushing her fingers against their soft petals.
For a few minutes, she forgot about the mansion.
She forgot about Damien.
She forgot about the debt.
She forgot about everything.
Eventually, she found a large tree beneath which the grass was soft and cool.
She sat down.
She leaned her back against the trunk.
The breeze moved gently through the leaves above her.
Her eyes slowly became heavy.
She told herself she would rest for only a moment.
Just one moment.
But exhaustion had other plans.
Within minutes, Elenia had fallen asleep beneath the tree.
For the first time since arriving at the De Luca Estate, she slept without thinking about what might happen to her next.
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