As Damon reached the bottom of the grand staircase, the heavy front door swung wide open from the inside. Damon halted instantly in his tracks.
Carl, who was right behind him, stopped abruptly, his laughter dying in his throat as his jaw dropped completely wide open.
Standing in the doorway was Phoebe, dressed in a pastel pink kitchen apron with the words 'I'm just a girl' printed across the front. The apron was stained with flour. She held a wooden spatula in her hand, her smile so wide and genuine that her eyes crinkled at the corners.
Behind her, the household staff stood in a line with their heads bowed respectfully. The head butler looked entirely apologetic, bracing up for the consequences.
Damon's eyes darkened. For one full second, he stood there. He had genuinely believed some
