Amelia stared at Aldric, stunned. For a moment, her mind emptied completely. She turned instinctively seeking Liam's presence, but the seat he occupied earlier was empty.
He was gone.
Her stomach dropped. She was alone with Aldric in this enormous villa. Suddenly, the quiet felt deafening.
She swallowed and forced herself to face him again. "T-This isn't what I came for" she said, voice unsteady. "I thought you needed a house help. That's why I agreed to come."
Aldric's lips curved into a slow, amused smile. A low, chuckle escaped him. "A house help?" he repeated, eyes glinting with mischief. "Do I look like someone who needs one?"
Amelia blinked. "…You could still hire one."
Another soft laugh, deeper this time. "I don't need one."
Her pulse spiked. If not for housework… then why was she here?
Aldric leaned back slightly, his gaze never leaving hers. "Should we continue from where we stopped?" His tone was calm.
Amelia's cheeks warmed as the memory of earlier flashed across her mind. "I… didn't expect things to be like this" she admitted quietly.
Aldric's expression softened, the teasing edge fading. "Amelia" he said, voice steady, "you can walk away if you want. But you'll still have to pay what you owe."
Her head shot up. "No!" she blurted. "We can… continue."
His eyes narrowed, searching her face as if testing her resolve. "Are you certain? I'm not interested in forcing you into anything."
Her fingers curled nervously at her sides, but she nodded. "I'm sure. I… I'll do whatever you want. Willingly."
For a moment, he said nothing. Then he exhaled softly and stood.
Before she could process it, he lifted her effortlessly into his arms. Amelia stiffened, breath catching. Physical touch usually made her uncomfortable yet, strangely… this didn't.
Instinctively, her arms wrapped around his shoulders for balance. "W-Where are we going? My bag is still—"
"What bag?" he asked, glancing at her with faint amusement.
Amelia looked toward the spot where she'd left her luggage, only to find it gone.
"It's already been taken to your room" he said simply.
"O-Oh" she murmured, unsure what else to say.
He carried her up the grand staircase, footsteps echoing through the quiet corridor. They stopped before a set of tall double doors, dark wood, beautifully carved.
With one hand, he pushed them open and walked inside.
The room was breathtaking, spacious, elegant, softly lit. Before she could take it all in, Aldric set her gently on the bed. The mattress dipped beneath her, warm and plush. He sat beside her, close enough for his body heat to reach her.
Her heart stuttered.
Amelia's hands trembled as she reached for Aldric's belt, her heart pounding in her chest.
As her fingers fumbled with the buckle, Aldric suddenly stopped her, his hand clamping down on her wrist. "Change of plans" he said, his voice low and commanding.
"Strip."
Aldric reached into the drawer beside him and took a small, ornate bell, its clapper glinting in the candlelight. He held it out to Amelia, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Put this in your ass" he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Amelia stared at the bell in Aldric's outstretched palm, then at him, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Why?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aldric's lips curved into a wicked smile. "Because I said so. Now do it."
Ameila swallowed hard, reaching back to insert the bell into her tight rosebud. She gasped at the intrusion, her body instinctively clenching around the foreign object.
Once the bell was firmly in place, Amelia turned back to face Alderic, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She stood silently before him, awaiting his next command.
Aldric looked at her, "You've… never used it before?" he asked.
Amelia shifted on her feet and nodded. "Yes. I haven't."
A brief silence followed.
Then he let out a quiet laugh, low and amused. He leaned back slightly and curled a finger toward himself. "Come here."
Amelia hesitated but moved forward in small, cautious steps until she stood directly before him. Her heartbeat felt embarrassingly loud.
Aldric studied her for a moment, head slightly tilted. "You know…" he said, "I've been with many women."
"Beautiful. Confident. The kind who would do anything to stay by my side." His gaze sharpened, fixing on her fully now. "But none of them have ever caught my interest the way you do."
Amelia blinked. "Me?"
His lips curved, not a soft smile. "You're different, Amelia. Innocent… and a little unpredictable." He leaned in, voice dropping to a near whisper. "And that makes you interesting."
Her breath caught. She didn't know if she should back away or freeze in place.
His eyes darkened, as if he'd reached a decision.
"And now that you're here" Aldric said, voice calm and certain, "I'm not planning to hold back."
Aldric's lips trailed hot kisses down Amelia's neck, sending shivers through her body.She gasped, arching into his touch as his hands cupped her breasts, kneading the soft flesh and rolling her nipples between his fingers.
He took one nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the sensitive bud before sucking hard. Amelia cried out, her fingers tangling in Aldric's hair as she held him close. She gasped and arched as his hands cupped her sensitive breasts, thumbs circling her stiffening nipples through the thin fabric.
Amelia's head fell back as Aldric's mouth moved lower, his tongue tracing her curve. She could feel his hot breath against her skin, making her shiver with anticipation.
His deft fingers made quick work of her pants, pushing them down her hips.
Amelia blushed furiously as cool air hit her most intimate area. Aldric paused, one finger poised at her slick entrance.
"Wait" he murmured, grey eyes piercing into hers. "Are you a virgin?"
Amelia bit her lip and nodded shyly, face burning with embarrassment.
He withdrew his hand,"Mmm, I should have known" he said, "No wonder you reacted so strongly to me. We'll have to take this slow..."
Aldric's expression shifted, the atmosphere turning cold. "Put your clothes back on" he said, "Sit."
Amelia swallowed hard and obeyed, quickly pulling her clothes back into place before sitting on the edge of the bed, rigid and uneasy.
"You'll stay here for one month" Aldric said as he stood before her, arms folded. "During that time, you will act as my girlfriend"
Amelia's head shot up. "A–Act as your… girlfriend?"
"Yes." His gaze didn't waver. "But listen carefully. No catching feelings. The moment you develop feelings for me, the contract ends. Immediately."
Amelia stared at him, dumbfounded. No feelings? How was she supposed to live with someone like him and not feel anything?
"For this arrangement" he continued, "you'll resign from your job."
Amelia jolted to her feet. "Quit? I can't quit—I need my salary to survive!"
"Money won't be an issue." He said, "You'll be paid at the start of the contract and again when it ends."
Amelia slowly sat back down, mind spinning. He wanted control over everything… even her job?
Aldric walked toward the window, hands in his pockets. "Outside this room, there's an elevator. Use that. If you prefer the stairs, go ahead but you might run into Moon."
Amelia stiffened at the memory of the tiger and clutched her notebook to her chest.
Aldric continued, voice firm. "Once it's 9 p.m., stop whatever you're doing and return to your room. I don't want to see you anywhere else after that."
Amelia frowned. "Why 9 p.m.?"
"You don't need to know why." His voice dropped an octave. "If it's 8 p.m. and you're not back in this house, there will be consequences. Understood?"
She nodded quickly. "Understood."
As she absorbed his rules, she quietly opened her notebook and began jotting them down. Aldric watched her, brows slightly raised. "What are you doing?"
"I… write things down so I don't forget" she murmured without looking up. "It helps me keep track."
For a moment, something in his expression softened. Then he hummed. "Mn. Fine."
He turned toward the door, fingers brushing the handle. It looked like he was about to leave then he paused and glanced back at her. She was still sitting there, swinging her feet slightly like a nervous student, notebook open on her lap.
"You're free to do whatever you want" he said quietly. "Go anywhere you like."
Amelia looked up, startled. That almost sounded… considerate.
But as he opened the door, his voice returned, sharper and colder.
"But I don't want to see you in my room."