Chapter 8
"Are you going to let Auntie Daphne come back, Daddy?" Evan whispered, his voice trembling with the residual fear of the evening.
"Never," Nathan said fiercely, pulling back to look directly into his son's eyes. "You are my entire world, Evan. No one will ever hurt you or the people you love again. The woman who did those things is gone. She will never, ever step foot in this house again."
Evan sniffled, nodding slowly as he accepted his father's absolute certainty. "Elise said you wouldn't let the bad lady hurt us."
Nathan looked up. Elise was standing quietly by the armchair, her hands clasped together, her graceful posture a testament to her quiet strength. She had risked her life to confront Daphne, and in doing so, had exposed a monster hiding in plain sight.
"Elise is very smart," Nathan said softly, keeping his dark eyes locked on the beautiful maid. "And incredibly brave."
Nathan stood up, gently lifting Evan and placing him back onto the center of the massive bed. He pulled the heavy duvet up to his son’s chin, pressing a lingering, fiercely protective kiss to the boy's forehead.
"Try to sleep, Evan," Nathan said, his deep voice a soothing rumble. "I will be right outside the door, and my guards are watching the hallway. Nothing can get to you."
Once Evan’s eyes began to droop with exhaustion, Nathan gestured for Elise to follow him toward the adjacent private sitting room. They stepped through the archway, the heavy velvet drapes muffling the sounds of the mansion. The natural, cinematic lighting of the sitting room highlighted the sheer exhaustion in Elise's delicate features. She kept her head slightly bowed, maintaining the submissive posture expected of a maid, but Nathan stepped directly into her line of sight, forcing her to look up.
"Why didn't you tell me, Elise?" Nathan asked, his voice a low, controlled murmur. "When Daphne started harassing you and isolating Evan, why didn't you come to me?"
Elise met his gaze, her expressive eyes shining with fresh tears. "Because I know what the Wren alliance means to your syndicate, Mr. Vale. If I complained, I knew you would be forced to reprimand her. I didn't want to be the reason you went to war over a maid. And... she threatened me."
Nathan studied her face, the fair, rosy skin pale with the trauma she had endured alone. He felt a profound, burning disgust for his own blindness. In a world full of hardened killers and corrupt politicians, this young woman possessed more integrity and loyalty than his entire inner circle combined.
"You endured unimaginable cruelty to protect my political standing," Nathan said slowly, the artistic tattoos on his hands flexing as he clenched his fists. "I owe you a debt I can never fully repay."
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"You don't owe me anything, sir," Elise whispered, her breath hitching slightly under his intense scrutiny. "I just wanted Evan to feel loved. He misses having a mother so much."
"I owe you everything," Nathan corrected, taking a slow step closer. He reached out with his hand, the negative space tattoos stark against the pristine white collar of her maid uniform. He didn't touch her, but his hand hovered protectively near her cheek. "You are no longer a maid in this house, Elise. From this moment on, you are under my direct, personal protection. Whatever you need, whatever you want, you have it."
