Lucien Roth had always believed himself to be an excellent judge of character.
As the only son of one of the most powerful families in the country, he had learned to read lies before they were spoken, to hear deception in the pause between words. People wore masks around him, and he had grown used to it.
But Luna was different.
From the moment she entered his household, there was something about her that didn't quite fit. She was too quiet, too observant. She spoke when necessary, but never too much. She didn't simper like the others. She didn't ask personal questions.
And yet, she lingered in his mind.
It started with small things. A glance that lasted too long. A comment too clever for a maid. The way she moved, like someone who had been trained to disappear into rooms and leave no trace.
One night, after she served him tea, Lucien had stood at the window of his study, watching the way her reflection faded into the shadows.
Something wasn't right. His gut told him to be cautious.
But his heart, like a traitor, kept pulling him closer.
He had asked his assistant to run a background check on her. The results came back clean. Too clean.
"only daughter to her mother, father and brother dead. Raised in a small town. No higher education. Applied for maid work last month," his assistant said.
Too simple, too convenient.
Lucien leaned back in his chair, fingers drumming on the office desk, lost in thought
He thought about the way she looked at him ,like she already knew his secrets.
Like she was waiting, waiting for disaster, she's like an atomic bomb , waiting to explode. A gift package that needs to be unwrapped to reveal its contents.
The next morning, he found himself watching her again. She was in the garden, watering the roses. Her face was calm, serene, even soft.
But her eyes...
They held something else.
Fire.
He watched as she paused, turning toward the house as if she felt his gaze. Their eyes met. She didn't smile. Didn't flinch.
She simply turned back to the roses.
And in that moment, Lucien felt a chill run down his spine.
He started testing her.
Leaving doors slightly ajar. Changing his schedule. Slipping hints into conversation.
And she passed every time.
Which only deepened his suspicion.
He began having dreams of fire, of betrayal. Of a girl in the shadows holding a dagger behind her back.
And still, in the waking hours, he found himself drawn to her.
Because even as suspicion bloomed in his mind, desire rooted deeper in his chest.
One evening, he caught her alone in the hallway, staring at a portrait of his family.
"You seem interested in them," he said.
She turned slowly. "It's a beautiful painting."
"You've been working here for weeks, and you never ask questions."
"Maybe I know better than to pry."
Lucien studied her face. "Or maybe you already have all the answers."
There was a pause.
Then she smiled, that small, enchanting smile that drove him insane.
"Or maybe," she said, stepping past him, "I'm just a maid."
"You remember when we first met at the bookstore don't you?"
She paused suddenly, this time , she seems nervous.
He stepped closer to her.
She could feel his breath on her neck , but she didn't move.
"Why did you quit your job there to come work as maid here?" he continued.
" What are you doing here Luna?"
She didn't answer immediately, but turned around to face him ,
"Different situations calls for different measures, also the pay here is higher, yes I'm that greedy ".
She walked off to her room, never turning back.
That night, Lucien stood on the balcony of his bedroom, staring at the moon.
He didn't trust her.
But he was falling for her anyway.
And that terrified him more than any lie ever could.