Chapter 9 - The East Wing
By 4:00 PM that afternoon, Sadi was standing in the middle of a bedroom that looked like it belonged in a European palace.
The east wing—the section of the mansion that had been locked from the outside for as long as she had worked there—was now open.
The master suite featured vaulted ceilings, dark hardwood floors covered in Persian rugs, and a king-sized bed draped in deep emerald velvet linens. French doors opened onto a private terrace overlooking the manicured gardens and the high perimeter wall of the estate.
Her clothes from her apartment had been unpacked and hung in a walk-in closet the size of a master bedroom.
Beside her drab sweaters and jeans hung dozens of new dresses—rich silks, cashmeres, and tailored wool coats in shades of deep green, burgundy, navy, and cream. Every single item was in her exact size, tailored to flatter her curves without trying to hide them.
Sadi sat on the edge of the velvet bed, running her hand over the soft fabric.
It was terrifying.
She had spent her entire life operating in the background, minimizing her presence, surviving on scraps of attention and low wages. Now, in the span of forty-eight hours, she had been thrust into a world of incomprehensible wealth, dangerous power, and a man who looked at her as if she were the only thing that mattered in the city.
A knock sounded at the double doors of the suite.
"Come in," Sadi said, standing up quickly.
The door opened, and Brendan—Roman’s chief of security, a massive man with a scarred jaw and military posture—stepped inside. He held a small silver tray with an encrypted smartphone and a leather-bound journal.
"Miss Miller," Brendan said respectfully, bowing his head slightly. "Mr. Rossi asked me to deliver these to you."
"Brendan," Sadi said, feeling awkward. "You don't have to call me Miss Miller. I used to clean your mess in the breakroom."
"That was last week, ma'am," Brendan replied without a trace of irony. "Things have changed. The phone is encrypted and connected directly to Mr. Rossi’s private line and my security desk. The journal contains the inventory list for the lower vault antiquities."
Brendan set the tray on a side table. "Mr. Rossi is currently in a meeting with the Commission downtown. He expects to return at 8:00 PM for dinner. He requested that you wear the red silk dress hanging in the center closet."
Sadi looked toward the open closet door. Hanging in the very center was a crimson silk wrap dress with a plunging neckline and a high slit up the side.
"And if I refuse to wear the red dress?" Sadi asked, raising an eyebrow.
Brendan allowed a faint, rare smile to touch his lips. "Then Mr. Rossi will likely come up here at 8:01 PM and ask you why you're still wearing clothes at all, ma'am."
May you like
Sadi’s face flushed bright red.
Brendan bowed his head again. "Dinner is at eight in the private dining room. Have a good afternoon, Miss Miller."
