Chapter 7
The promotion from housemaid to primary guardian fundamentally altered the trajectory of Ada's life. By the following morning, her meager belongings had been moved from the cramped staff quarters in the basement to a sprawling, luxurious suite on the second floor, connected directly to Leo's new bedroom. The estate manager had immediately disposed of her stiff black and white maid uniforms, replacing them with a wardrobe of elegant, sophisticated clothing befitting a woman of her new station.
Ada spent the first few days navigating the surreal reality of her new life, forming a deep, protective bond with the traumatized six-year-old boy.
It was a crisp Thursday afternoon. The bright, airy light of the mansion flooded the massive indoor sunroom. Ada was sitting on a plush velvet sofa, wearing a soft cream cashmere sweater and tailored trousers. Her hair was still pinned in its elegant low bun, but she looked relaxed, vibrant.
Leo sat on the floor nearby, humming happily as he drew a picture with his new colored pencils.
The heavy glass doors of the sunroom opened silently.
Cassian stepped into the room. He had just returned from a meeting at the ports, wearing a tailored charcoal suit, his overcoat draped casually over his powerful shoulders. The extremely short, neat stubble on his jawline caught the sunlight. He looked dangerously handsome, his presence instantly shifting the gravity in the room.
"Is he settling in?" Cassian asked, his deep voice dropping to a low, comforting rumble.
"He is doing wonderfully," Ada smiled warmly, standing up from the sofa. "He hasn't asked about the dark room since yesterday."
Cassian looked at her, his cold, perceptive eyes softening noticeably. The cinematic light caught the delicate slope of her cheekbones.
"Did we not agree that you would call me Cassian when it is just the three of us?" he murmured, stepping closer, invading her personal space just enough to make her breath hitch.
Ada flushed slightly, a warm pink blooming across her fair skin. The intimacy of the request always caught her off guard. "Yes... Cassian."
He smiled faintly, a subtle, devastating expression that made her heart flutter erratically.
Before the moment could escalate, the heavy doors burst open, and Marcus rushed into the room. The head of security looked uncharacteristically frantic, his suit rumpled, holding a ringing, encrypted phone in his hand.
"Boss," Marcus panted, his eyes darting toward Ada and Leo before locking onto Cassian. "We have a massive situation."
"Speak," Cassian commanded, his posture rigid, preparing for an assault.
"It’s not a direct attack," Marcus said quickly. "It's the Commission. They just called an emergency tribunal in Chicago. They are demanding your immediate presence."
Cassian’s jaw clenched so hard the muscles ticked visibly. The Commission rarely called emergency tribunals unless a syndicate head was facing a vote of no confidence—or a declaration of total war.
"Why?" Cassian demanded coldly.
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"It's Estelle's brother," Marcus explained grimly. "He went directly to the ruling families. He told them you are harboring a hostage stolen from their territory, and that you violently exiled his sister without council approval. They are backing his play, Boss. They want the boy returned to settle the debt."
Ada’s blood ran completely cold. The boy she was protecting was about to drag the entire Wolfe empire into a bloodbath. She looked down at Leo, who was happily coloring, completely unaware of the monsters circling outside.
