~Becklan's POV~
"Don't let me be the reason you stop crying, Beck."
I froze, tears pricking my eyes again at the shock of the statement.
"Cry as much as you want," he said, his voice stripped of warmth but not dripping with cruelty either. "We still have a long drive ahead."
It was the strangest kind of permission I had ever been given. This was the same man who had belittled me, cornered me, and crushed every hope I'd tried to hold onto, yet now he was granting me space to fall apart. The gesture was cold, unsettlingly gentle in its own twisted way. And I genuinely didn't know how to respond, whether to scream, to run, or to finally let the grief rise and drown me since, for the first time, he wasn't stopping it.
But I refused. I absolutely refused to give Leon the satisfaction of seeing me truly broken. I had already shown him enough weakness tonight with the shaking, and the crying. I glared out the window, focusing on the passing streetlights, forcing the burning tears back behind my eyelids, even if my hands were shaking in my lap. He wouldn't see that side of me again.
The long drive back to the Leon mansion was conducted in icy silence, broken only by the low purr of the engine.
When we finally arrived, stepping into the massive, echoing living room, Leon stopped abruptly before turning away.
"Beck," he said, his tone abrupt. "Do you drink?"
I was genuinely surprised by the personal, out-of-the-blue question, but I answered quickly. "Yes, sir."
"Good." Leon did not explain. "Meet me in my room in an hour."
He took three steps toward the grand staircase, paused, and turned his head slightly. The reminder was sharp and absolute. "And make sure you knock before you enter."
Then, he was gone, ascending the stairs without another word.
Lan materialized instantly, rushing to my side, his face etched with worry. "Beck! What happened? You look..." he paused, searching for the word, "strained."
I managed a tired, brittle smile. "I'm fine, Lan. Just tired. It was a long day."
Lan looked doubtful, but nodded. "Okay. I'll go ask Mr. President if he will be having dinner downstairs."
"Okay," I replied, needing to escape the scrutiny. I turned and headed straight to the one haven I possessed: my own small room.
Once inside, the exhaustion of the last two days, the terror with Leon and the emotional wreckage of visiting home, hit me all at once. I showered quickly, the hot water washing away the grime of the city and the residue of tears I hadn't let fall. I lay down on the mattress, intending to just rest my eyes for fifteen minutes before my hour was up.
I was completely drained. I slept straight through the whole night and well into the morning.
When I finally jolted awake, sunlight was already pouring across my face. My heart lurched. I scrambled out of bed in a panic.
It was morning.
I had missed his command.
I dressed in a clean, short maid uniform and rushed to the President's wing. I took a deep, steadying breath, lifted my hand, and knocked firmly on his bedroom door.
"Come in," Leon's deep voice commanded.
I entered, finding him impeccably dressed in a silk robe, sipping coffee by the window. I quickly bowed my head. "Mr. President, I am deeply sorry. I was so exhausted last night, I fell asleep. I hope I haven't inconvenienced you."
Leon took a slow sip of his coffee, his gaze never leaving the view outside. "Why are you apologizing, Beck?" he drawled, his voice flat. "It's not like you are important, or that I was waiting for your dazzling company."
The words were precise, senseless, and designed to cut. He looked at me then, his eyes cold.
"I just didn't want to drink alone," he continued, a cruel twist to his lips. "I needed someone around to pour the scotch. Nothing more."
The dismissal stung, a fresh, hot wave of humiliation washing over the weariness. I quickly suppressed the instinctive flinch. I couldn't afford to react.
"I understand, sir," I said, keeping my voice level. "I apologize again. I will leave now."
"Hold it."
He finally turned fully toward me, giving me his full attention. "Perfect timing. Go pack your bag. We're heading out of town tomorrow morning, and we'll be gone for three days. You're coming with me."
My anxiety spiked. A three-day trip with him.
"And make sure you pack a change of clothing that actually makes you look like a man," he added with a slight sneer. "Don't just wear that ridiculously short maid dress following me around."
Seizing an opportunity to escape the trip, I took the bait. "Sir, could you take another maid instead of me?"
Leon chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "Are you already tired of working, Beck?"
"No, sir," I said, shaking my head lightly. "It's only that I don't own anything to wear aside from this uniform. That's why I assumed someone else should go with you." My eyes dropped to the floor, letting the embarrassment of my situation speak for itself.
Leon finally looked at my uniform, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. "You have no other clothes aside this, Beck?"
"No, sir," I confirmed, trying to sound genuinely humble. "None that are presentable for a trip with you."
"Fine," Leon said, "I will be going out soon, and you will follow me. I will get you clothes. You are my personal maid now, and there is no way I'm going to change my routine just because of a lack of suitable attire."
He put his coffee mug down, the look in his eyes sharp and analytical. "Consider it like I helped an orphan get a coat."
I swallowed hard, the insult hitting deeper than the clothes ever could. I was an object of pity and mockery, even when receiving a favor. "Thank you, sir," I managed, turning stiffly and going outside.
In the hallway, I released a shaky breath. Orphan. The word stung. He wasn't a gentleman, not even close. I told myself I would never like him a bit.
But still… a tiny, selfish spark lit up inside me. At least he's taking me to buy clothes.
Later, after Leon finished his breakfast, the driver prepared the car. I watched as Leon came down the stairs, looking ready to take on the entire day. But instead of heading to the office, he told the driver to take us to his corporate headquarters, the Leon Haute Couture, the building where his entire clothing line was showcased.