Chapter 1 what did you say
I stood there, my hands trembling slightly as I adjusted the edge of the tablecloth. The room was too quiet, and I could feel his eyes on me. My heart raced, and I told myself it was just my imagination. It had to be.
"You're shaking," his voice broke the silence. Deep and steady, it filled the space like a heavy presence I couldn’t escape.
I froze, my hand still resting on the cloth. “I’m not,” I lied quickly, though my voice betrayed me. I didn’t dare look at him.
"You are," he said again, this time softer, like he was enjoying my discomfort.
I swallowed hard. "I don’t know what you mean," I whispered, keeping my eyes fixed on the table.
Before I could take another breath, I felt his fingers gently lift my chin. My body stiffened, and I reluctantly met his gaze. His eyes... they were dark, intense, searching mine like he could see straight through me.
“Sophia,” he said, my name rolling off his tongue in a way that made my cheeks flush. "Why are you so nervous around me?"
"I’m not," I insisted, though my voice cracked.
His lips curved into a small, knowing smile. “You are,” he repeated, his thumb brushing lightly against my chin.
I took a shaky step back, breaking the contact. "You shouldn’t... you shouldn’t be doing this," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Doing what?” he asked, taking a slow step forward.
“This,” I said, gesturing vaguely between us. “I’m just a maid. You shouldn’t be... looking at me like that or—”
"Looking at you like what?" he interrupted, his tone teasing now.
“Like... like that,” I stammered, my face burning. “You’re... you’re my boss. This is wrong.”
His smirk deepened, and he took another step toward me. “Wrong?” he repeated, his voice dropping lower. “Or is it that you don’t want to admit you feel it too?”
