The drive to Lorenzo's mansion was silent, tension thick in the air. Elena stared out of the window, watching as the city's lights faded behind them, replaced by the vast, secluded estate that loomed in the distance. All her senses aware of the man beside her. Even when they were not sitting close to each other, her body was hot as if his skin was against hers and all this was due to his gaze that had been trained on her since the journey began.
When the car finally came to a stop, Elena jumped out running from his gaze. The view before her shocked her so much she almost choked on her breath. Before her stood a castle, not a house, not a mansion—a freaking castle.
It was impossibly grand, standing tall with its towering iron gates, intricate stonework, and perfectly manicured gardens. Every detail spoke of wealth, power, and an eerie loneliness. The kind of place that should belong to a king. Or a villain.
Elena swallowed with difficulty thinking of how someone could live here and not feel empty?
Glancing at Lorenzo, she noted how effortlessly he fit into this setting, his demeanor as cold and untouchable as the stone walls surrounding them. No smiles, no warmth—just a man who ruled the shadows.
And yet, despite his cold demeanor, her mind betrayed her, wondering how his smile would look in a place like this.
She immediately shook that thought away. Stupid. Absolutely stupid.
Before she could dwell on it further, the sound of synchronized footsteps filled the air. She turned to find an entire line of servants standing at the entrance, bowing slightly as they greeted them.
"Welcome home, Master Lorenzo." Then, to her shock, they turned to her. "Welcome, Miss Delacroix."
Elena stiffened, looking confused. Why are they greeting me with such respect, as if I belong here?
She was here to work like them. To repay her family's debt. Shouldn't they be looking down on her, whispering about her situation behind her back or had she watched too much series?
As she was about to clear the misunderstanding, a woman stepped forward, an older lady with sharp eyes and an air of strictness.
"You must be Elena," the woman said, inspecting her with a glance. "I am Nana." Despite her stern exterior, there was something in her tone that wasn't unkind. Elena hesitated before nodding. "It's nice to meet you, Nana."
The older woman hummed in approval. "Come along now. I'll show you to your room."
Elena instinctively glanced back at Lorenzo, who had been standing behind her and to her absolute shock, he was smiling.
The sight nearly made her stumble. Was she hallucinating? She had just finished wondering what his smile would look like in this setting with such castle and now he's standing there, smiling.
As if sensing her confusion, Nana chuckled before shooting Lorenzo a glare. "Go back to your business, young man. Leave us ladies to ourselves."
Lorenzo didn't move and for a moment, it seemed like he was going to ignore Nana. His gaze darkened slightly, a flicker of something passing through his expression.
But then, after a long pause, he nodded. "Fine." His voice very polite, but there was an underlying reluctance in it.
Elena couldn't believe what she was seeing; it was as if the world had turned upside down.
Nana only smirked before tugging Elena along. "Come now, dear."
As they walked through the halls, Elena whispered, "Did he just… listen to you?"
Nana laughed. "Surprised?" He wasn't always like this, you know."
Elena frowned. "Well, whenever I see him, he always has that… dangerous vibe."
Nana gave her an amused look. "That's because you don't know him yet." Elena wasn't sure she wanted to delve deeper into the enigma that was Lorenzo.
Finally, they reached her room—if she could even call it that. The entire floor seemed to belong to her alone, and the room itself was bigger than her entire house. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, soft golden light illuminating the elegant decor. The bed was large, covered in expensive silk sheets that looked too comfortable.
"This… is where I'll be staying?" Elena asked hesitantly.
"Yes. Now, get some rest. You'll be called for dinner later," Nana said, before exiting the room.
Elena hesitated before sitting on the bed. She couldn't help but wonder why the room given to her was so luxurious.
Does Lorenzo treat all his employees like this?
She had only meant to rest for a few minutes. But the second she lay down, the bed's warmth pulled her into a deep, dreamless sleep.
---
"Elena, wake up," a gentle voice pulled her from her slumber. She blinked, her vision clearing to see Nana standing over her.
"It's time for dinner," the older woman said before helping Elena wash up and dress. She tried to refuse, but Nana wouldn't take no for an answer.
"You have a good body, dear," Nana mused as she helped her fix her hair, combing it gently. "Strong and healthy. You'll be safe birthing strong children."
Elena choked on air. "W-What?!" Nana only chuckled. "Never mind, never mind. Let's go."
Still reeling from that comment, Elena followed Nana down the endless hallways, realizing that without guidance, she would definitely get lost in this place.
Finally, they reached the dining room which was so big that she wondered why it had been made into dinning room, it could have served another purpose but considering this whole place is a castle, it made sense that the dining is this big and inside, only one person was sitting at the long, luxurious table.
Lorenzo barely glanced up as she entered.
Elena hesitated before greeting him and taking a seat. The whole place was eerily quiet even before the arrival of the food. She wanted to speak, to at least break the silence, but the memory of their last encounter and his cold gaze made her reconsider. And so she decided to talk to him after dinner about her repayment of the debt owed to his family.
After what seems like an eternity the food was finally wheeled out, the plates uncovered, and the moment she saw the food—
She froze. All of it… were her least favorite food. Was Lorenzo planning on murdering her? Her throat tightened. "These…"
Lorenzo noticed her expression. "What's wrong?"
Elena's lips parted before she finally found her voice. "I… I've been allergic to these foods, ever since I was a child."
Silence descended the dining again, almost suffocating those that are there including the chef before Lorenzo finally reacted frowning. "What?" Doubt clouding his face and confusing Elena.
"As long as I can remember, I've always had allergies to these," she explained. Lorenzo stared at her, his expression unreadable. "Are you sure?"
Elena hesitated, confused by his reaction. "Of course, I'm sure."
Something flickered in Lorenzo's eyes before he turned to the cook. "Clear the table and prepare something simple for the guest."
Without another word, he stood and left the room.
Elena sat there, stunned.
What… just happened?