Chapter 2 Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Aria Blake had only been at the Cross estate for a few days, but she already knew one thing for sure, this place wasn't a home. It was more like a fortress.

The silence felt heavy, following her around every fancy hallway. The marble floors were so shiny she could see herself, and the chandeliers twinkled way up high. Not a single speck of dust dared to show its face.

But even with all its fancy looks, the place felt totally suffocating.

Every morning started before the sun even thought about rising, with tons of dusting and trying to remember meal names she couldn't even say right. Evenings just ended with her being completely wiped out. But the weirdest thing to her was the secret rule the staff all followed.

Just do your job. Don't draw attention.

And most importantly, never, ever mention him.

Mr. Cross.

Aria hadn't seen him at all. He was like a ghost haunting the place, only talked about in hushed whispers when no one important was around.

“He never smiles.”

“Runs his company like he’s in a war.”

“Freezing cold ever since his dad passed.”

Some people thought he was a total jerk. Others were convinced he was some kind of genius.

Aria wasn't sure what to believe. But one thing was for sure – you couldn't get near him. Someone like her could clean these walls for years and never even bump into the guy who owned it all.

Or at least, that's what she thought.

On her fifth day, everything changed.

She'd just finished straightening the sheets in a guest room when Ms. Fletcher's voice boomed through the staff radio.

“Everyone out of the main hall. Mr. Cross is coming downstairs. Staff on the second floor, stay put behind stair doors until we get the all-clear.”

Her heart started pounding. He was actually here.

She pushed her cleaning cart to the side and slipped into the narrow hall that led to the big staircase. She knew she shouldn't look. She totally knew that. But she just couldn't help herself.

Then she heard voices.

“You said you’d consider the engagement, Damian. Not disappear for three days and ignore every single call!”

Aria stopped dead. That sharp, super clear voice was definitely Selene Voss, his supposed fiancée. Everyone on the estate knew about her. Perfect. Mean. A woman who treated the staff like she already ran the place.

“I told you I needed some space,” came a deeper voice. Colder. More controlled.

Aria's chest got all tight. That had to be him.

Damian Cross.

“You always need space,” Selene snapped. “But you never explain anything. Not to me. Not to anyone.”

“That’s because most people don’t need to know.”

Footsteps echoed on the marble.

Aria moved, peeking through a tiny crack where the door wasn't shut all the way.

And there he was.

Damian Cross.

He was standing at the bottom of the stairs, all dressed in black, with shoulders so wide and a presence so strong that even the huge hall felt smaller around him. His jaw was sharp, his eyes impossible to read, his face like carved stone.

Selene glared up at him, her fists clenched tight.

“You agreed to this engagement,” she spat. “Don’t act like it means nothing.”

His eyes finally flickered to her. His voice was low, deadly. “You agreed to this arrangement. Don’t mistake it for anything more.”

“The longer you put this off, the longer we stay stuck in limbo. Marrying me isn’t just about us, it’s what will finally make us a family.” Selene said.

“You really think a ring and some vows will make us a family? Don’t fool yourself. If I marry you, it’s for appearances, my family, not you.”

The words cut through the air.

Selene’s face turned bright red, and her usual cool facade slipped for just a second. She quickly turned and stormed across the marble floor, her heels making angry clicks.

Aria stayed hidden in the shadows, her heart racing, praying she hadn’t been spotted.

But then, Damian froze. He turned his head.

His eyes, icy and sharp, landed right on the corridor where she was hiding.

Aria couldn’t breathe. Their eyes met for the tiniest of moments.

Panic shot through her. She pressed herself against the wall, her cheeks burning hot. Had he seen her? Did he know she was there?

The silence dragged on, sharp and unbearable. No footsteps. No talking.

Finally, when she worked up the nerve to look again, he was gone.

But something hung in the air. Not just his voice, deep and powerful, playing over and over in her head. Something darker. Something heavier.

A warning.

Aria grabbed the handle of her cart, her hands shaking.

She had seen him.

And even worse, he had seen her.