Welcome to hell, Mrs Lux."
The words sent a cold shiver down my spine. My entire existence, my freedom, and my choices had been stripped away, and I had no one to blame but myself. Or maybe the cruel circumstances that had pushed me into Ethan Lux's world.
I sat frozen in Sebastian's office, my hands gripping the edge of the polished mahogany desk as if it could keep me anchored. Ethan's gaze followed me like a predator studying its prey, calm, confident, and entirely too self-assured. Sebastian cleared his throat behind him, and I forced my shaking legs to move.
"I'll have my driver pack your things. You'll leave for your new residence immediately," Sebastian said smoothly, his tone clinical. "I suggest you cooperate fully. Mr Lux prefers efficiency."
I barely had time to protest before the office door opened, and a man in a tailored suit stepped in. His presence was quiet but commanding, his face unreadable. This had to be Ethan's driver.
"Miss Carter," he said politely, though every word carried a subtle edge of authority. "I have instructions to pack your belongings and escort you to your new residence."
I stared at him, my throat tight. "My… residence?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said, and that single word, polite yet devoid of empathy, reminded me of how completely my life had been claimed.
My mind raced as I followed him out of the office, each step heavier than the last. Thoughts of Liam and my mother weighed on me like stones, but I could not stop the sick sinking feeling in my stomach. This was real. There was no escape.
The drive back to my apartment was silent. The city passed by in a blur of familiar streets and buildings, each one reminding me of everything I was leaving behind. I clutched my bag tightly, the small, worn strap cutting into my palm.
When we arrived, my tiny apartment looked smaller than ever. My life had been modest, imperfect, but it was mine. And now, in a matter of hours, it would be gone.
I began packing quickly, stuffing clothes, a few keepsakes, and photographs into a suitcase. Every item I touched felt like a relic of my old life, a life that was slipping through my fingers.
The driver waited patiently, standing by the door with the quiet efficiency of someone accustomed to moving other people's lives. I barely acknowledged him. My heart thumped so loudly I was certain he could hear it.
As I zipped up my suitcase, a thought struck me. Liam. My little stepbrother. My responsibility. My anchor. Would he be safe? Would I be able to see him once I was fully under Ethan's control? I swallowed the lump forming in my throat.
I had no choice. I had to comply. For Liam. For Mum. For survival.
The car ride to Ethan's villa was long and suffocating. The familiar streets of my city gave way to wide avenues lined with impeccably maintained gardens, and finally to a private road leading to a towering, immaculate villa. It was impossible to miss: a fortress of glass and stone, imposing and intimidating in the early afternoon sun.
I stared out the window, my fingers gripping the edge of the seat. My chest tightened with a mix of awe and dread. This was Ethan Lux's world. And now, it was my world too.
The car slowed, pulling into the circular driveway. A uniformed guard opened the door for us, another silent reminder that I had entered a place of power and control far beyond anything I had ever known.
I stepped out, the polished marble beneath my shoes cool and smooth, contrasting sharply with the heat rising in my chest. The driver helped me with my suitcase, his hands steady, professional, entirely neutral.
I followed him inside, my eyes wide. The villa was everything I had imagined: spacious, luxurious, meticulously organized. The walls were lined with abstract art, and the floors gleamed as though polished hourly. Staff moved efficiently through the rooms, attending to tasks with quiet precision, their eyes flicking toward me occasionally with curiosity, respect, or maybe just acknowledgment of the rules.
I felt small. Out of place. Exposed. And entirely trapped.
Ethan met me in the main hall. He was even taller than I remembered, his presence filling the room effortlessly. He regarded me silently, his expression unreadable, though his eyes were sharp and calculating.
"You will stay here for the duration of our arrangement," he said simply, his voice calm but commanding. "All your other jobs end effective immediately. You have no other sources of income. You will not be seen working outside my workplace. Do you understand?"
"Yes," I whispered, my throat dry, my hands trembling at my sides.
He nodded, satisfied. "You will live here. You will follow my rules. Every morning, you will resume your duties as my personal assistant at my workplace. Everything else is irrelevant."
I swallowed, barely keeping my voice steady. "I understand."
"I expect your full compliance, Amelia," he said, stepping closer. The faint scent of his cologne filled the air, overpowering yet strangely intoxicating. "Failure is not an option. Remember Liam. Remember your mother. Your choices have consequences."
I bit my lip, feeling the weight of those words crush me. He had stripped me of every freedom, every independence. Even the small defiance I had carried inside me felt like it was slipping away.
Ethan gave one last glance before walking out with his driver. The sound of the front doors closing behind them left the villa eerily quiet.
A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.
"Miss Lux?" a gentle voice called.
I looked up to see a woman standing there, a composed figure in a maid's uniform. Her posture impeccable, her eyes sharp but not unkind.
"I am Laura, the head maid. I'll show you to your room and brief you on all that Mr Lux requires," she said. There was no questioning it in her tone, no room for protest. This was the life Ethan had designed, and she was merely a guide to enforce it.
I nodded silently, following her through the villa. Every hallway gleamed under perfectly polished floors, every wall decorated with abstract art that seemed to mock me with its perfection. My suitcase felt heavier with every step.
We took the grand staircase up to the third floor. The head maid paused outside a door on the west side of the hall.
"This will be your room, Miss Lux," she said. "Mr Lux's room is on the east side of the floor. You will be within reach but separate from him. This floor is reserved exclusively for his household."
I stepped inside the room, taking it all in. The walls were a soft cream color, the bed perfectly made with high-thread-count linens. A small desk sat by the window, and a wardrobe was already partially filled with clothes that looked like they belonged to someone far more accustomed to luxury than I ever would be.
"You will have everything you need here," the maid said. "But there are strict routines you must follow. Mr Lux has very particular requirements. I will brief you now so that there is no mistake."
I braced myself.
"Every morning, exactly at seven a.m., Mr Lux's coffee must be ready. Purely black. No sugar. No cream. It must be poured to the right level, and the temperature must be perfect hot but not scalding. If it is too cold or too strong, he will notice."
I nodded, feeling a mixture of fear and disbelief. I had made coffee before, but this felt like an impossible task, a test I could not afford to fail.
"His driver will bring the car to the front door each morning. His briefcase should be placed on the counter beside the coffee, so that he can drink his coffee and leave for work without having to touch or move anything."
My stomach sank. Every morning, I would be preparing, organizing, and executing the perfect routine for a man who could notice even the smallest mistake.
"Your duties will begin immediately," the maid continued. "You will be responsible for anything else Mr Lux requires in the villa, from his meals to his schedule, unless otherwise instructed. You will learn quickly that nothing is too small to matter."
I swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the desk as my heart raced. Every task, every action, every second of my life would now be scrutinized and measured against his expectations.
The maid gave me one final glance, her expression unreadable but firm.
"Follow the instructions exactly. You will learn, and you will adapt. Mr Lux does not tolerate failure, and he notices everything. Do you understand, Miss Lux?"
"Yes," I whispered, the word heavy and hollow in my throat.
"Good," she said, turning toward the door. "I will leave you to settle in. Breakfast will be prepared tomorrow morning, and you will follow the schedule exactly. There is no room for error."
Alone in the room, I sank onto the bed, my thoughts spiraling. The weight of my situation pressed down on me, suffocating and relentless. This was my life now. Every morning, every task, every decision would revolve around a man I barely knew but who had complete control over my future and the safety of the people I loved most.
I looked out the window toward the east side of the floor, imagining Ethan in his room, oblivious to my silent panic. My body shivered with both fear and determination. I had no choice. I would comply. I had to. For my mother. For Liam.
And yet, deep down, a tiny spark of defiance lingered.
This was hell, yes. But even in hell, I knew I had to survive.