CHAPTER 2

I stared into nothingness as I processed the fact that I was finally free. I felt the urge to express my happiness, but the status of poverty was waving at me. I knew there would be regrets in the future. Still, I just couldn't let my father dictate ltw1my marriage, especially with someone so despicable!

"Are you alright?"

When I looked up at the man who stood tall before me, my brain refused to function well — as the COO of Vera's Architectural Firm, meeting someone gorgeous was nothing special in my line of work. However, with the stranger near me, I was immediately drawn to his athletic build, and I couldn't take my gaze away from the veins on his arms.

I stood up and said, "I'm fine," before his hands could touch my skin. "Just don't mind me," I told him.

"Are you sure?" He doubted my words, and I hated him for it. "You seemed lost. Are you new in this town?"

He was trying to be friendly, so the least I could do was not be a snob. I was about to walk away when an idea popped up inside my head. Maybe, he could help me find a job. "Yeah. Unfortunately, my friend doesn't live here anymore, so I will go somewhere else to find a job."

"I see," he replied.

"I'm not a fraud!" I knew I was defensive, but the look on his face told me that he was suspicious of me. When he studied my appearance, from head to foot, I became uncomfortable.

"You must have come from a faraway place," he stated.

"Yeah, you can say that. Do you know anyone who's probably looking for household help? I'm willing to work even without pay as long as my meals are free."

"Sounds fair enough," he said.

I was excited to hear that someone in town could hire me. "Can I ask for the address?"

"Well, I can give you a free ride," he muttered in a low voice.

When he mentioned giving me a free ride, I suddenly felt some goosebumps in my skin. What if he's a criminal and just scouting for his next victim? I shivered at the thought of being killed by someone I met on the street. My heart raced like crazy when he stared at me, and I stepped back.

"I don't think it's safe to take a free ride from a stranger," I said, and the tall man clenched his jaw. He didn't like what I said and glared at me.

"I'm just trying to help, but if you don't want it, it's fine with me," he declared before walking out.

"Hey, Mister!" I called him before he would vanish from my sight.

He arched his brows and narrowed his eyes at me. "Hurry up if you want to come with me," he said coldly, and I had no choice but to be quick on my steps.

My eyes widen in surprise that he drove a limited edition, Lexus! Only a few had the means to have it, and our garage has one. However, I couldn't blow up my cover for noticing the car. "Are you rich?" It wasn't brilliant to ask, but I had to.

"Maybe," he answered as if it wasn't a big deal to own a limited edition car.

There's a reservation inside my heart, but I had to take the risk before my father's henchmen would find me. Inside his luxurious car, his eyes spoke volumes, and he had a devilish glint in them. He appeared suspicious, but I had to trust my judgment.

When he entered a gated property, I wasn't surprised to see a magnificent abode. It was made of grey bricks with walnut wood as decorative materials. Tall, rectangular windows complemented the house's overall design and have been installed in an asymmetrical pattern. The structure was in the form of an L.

The extension continued on that side of the house until it reached the end of the trendy gardens. The second floor was the same height as the first, but a portion of it hung over the edge of the floor below, creating a balcony on one side and an overhang. In terms of design, I concluded that it was highly different.

The roof was high and slanted to one side, with black ceramic tiles covering it. On the side of the tower, there were two small chimneys. A well-maintained garden surrounded the house. Grass, flowerbeds, and trees have been strategically positioned just like in Belleview.

"Welcome to my home," he announced after he parked the car in front of the main entry.

All of a sudden, I was scared! "What do you mean this is your home?"

"You need a job. Well, I also need someone to prepare my meals and everything," he announced.

"Are you kidding me? You didn't mention anything about it in the car!"

"What's the difference? It would be best if you had a job, and I need a maid," he announced. "By the way, if you don't like to work as my maid, then you can choose to be my mistress."

I convinced myself that the man was far too attractive to be a bastard! "Do you think I'm crazy?" I snapped at him, temporarily forgetting that I wasn't Julianna Vera anymore.

"I'm just giving you the option," he reasoned.

"So, I've got to choose to be your maid or your whore," I concluded in a low, barely audible voice, but he heard me, of course. "You're an atrocious and arrogant bastard, sir!"

"That sassy attitude you have when you're penniless will change my mind," he said, shaking his head. Then, he chastised me, and I instantly lowered my gaze to the ground, realizing that he was right.

"My father is terrifying, and I'm afraid to go home now." But, although my father could be frightening when enraged, he would never harm me. "Please help me," I pleaded, trying to appear pitiful in his gaze.