When a bankrupt former mentee working as a discreet housekeeper hides her ex-mentor's starving seven-year-old secret niece holding a $4.5 million blackmail watch, she triggers an underworld war tha...
The pantry door creaked inward. Not Julian. Richard Montgomery filled the frame, his eyes narrowed, scanning the room. My breath hitched, my hand still resting on the laundry chute door.
“What’s going on here, Sarah?” he asked, his voice low, but the implied threat was clear. “I heard a commotion. And is that… food?”
My mind raced. Maya was curled up in the darkness, silent, behind the heavy metal flap. I smoothed my apron.
“Just me, Mr. Richard,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “Got a little lightheaded, thought I’d grab a quick bite before Mr. Montgomery arrives.”
I gestured vaguely at the half-eaten sandwich and a glass of milk on the counter. The lie felt flimsy, tasting like dust in my mouth.
Richard stepped further inside, his gaze sweeping over the pantry shelves. He wasn’t buying it. He walked past me, his hand brushing against the wall next to the chute, sending a shiver down my spine.
“Julian is already here,” he stated, not looking at me. “Pulled in a few minutes ago. He wants to see you in his study. Immediately.”
He turned, his eyes finally meeting mine, cold and assessing.
“And I don’t appreciate a mess in the pantry, Sarah. Especially not before dinner service.”
He picked up a stray crumb from the counter, his thumb and forefinger holding it up as if it were a dangerous insect.
“Clean this up. And then Julian.”
He walked out, leaving the door ajar, the click of his expensive shoes fading down the hall. I waited until I heard the heavy thud of the study door closing. My heart hammered against my ribs.
I leaned against the cool metal of the laundry chute.
“Maya,” I whispered, pressing my ear against the metal. “Are you okay?”
A tiny muffled sound came from within. I couldn’t risk opening it yet. Julian was here, and Richard was now on high alert, his presence a clear sign of tightened security.
I moved quickly, wiping down the counter, pouring the milk down the sink. Every second felt like a drumbeat. Julian didn’t just summon people for a chat.
As I put the sandwich plate back on the shelf, I heard Julian’s voice from the study, sharp and demanding. The words were indistinct, but the tone was enough. This was no ordinary evening.
I knew then that hiding Maya wasn’t just about Julian. With Richard Montgomery here, the entire estate was a cage, and I had just smuggled a bird inside.
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