The heavy oak front door of the villa clicked shut behind me, the sound echoing through the grand marble foyer. I stood there for a fraction of a second, adjusting the cuffs of my tailored shirt, before tossing my car keys onto the gold console table. The meeting with the European shipping executives had been a grueling exercise in corporate bureaucracy, but the moment I stepped back onto the estate, the tension in my shoulders began to ease.
"Welcome back, Monsieur Ray," Monique’s formal voice broke the silence. She stepped out from the corridor leading to the kitchens, a silver tray tucked under her arm. Her expression was a fraction tighter than usual.
"Monique," I acknowledged, unbuttoning the top button of my shirt. "Is Ruby upstairs?"
"Madame Ray is currently in her chambers,
