The Maid's Deception-Chapter 36 - 35: The Gift and The Guilt

Aria sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the access card like it might bite her.

The morning light streaming through her window made the small piece of plastic seem innocuous. Just a key card. Nothing special. Except it represented everything she’d been working toward for the past two weeks.

Access to the greenhouse. Access to the Vitalis Radix. Access to saving her mother’s life.

So why did her hands shake as she held it?

She picked up the note again, reading Damien’s bold handwriting for the third time.

You were perfect tonight. Rest tomorrow. You’ll need your strength for what comes next. —D

What comes next. What did that mean? Was he expecting her to use the card? Was this permission? Or was it a test to see if she’d actually go through with stealing from him?

Her mind raced through possibilities, scenarios, outcomes. None of them ended well.

If she used the card and got caught, she’d be fired at best, arrested at worst.

If she didn’t use it, her mother would die.

If Damien knew she’d use it and was watching to see what she’d do....

Her phone buzzed. Her work phone this time.

Come to my study at 10 AM. We need to talk. —D

Her stomach dropped. We need to talk. Those four words had never meant anything good in the history of human communication.

Did he know she’d found the card? Was he going to confront her? Demand answers?

Or was this about something else entirely?

She glanced at the clock. 7:30 AM. She had two and a half hours to pull herself together, figure out what she was going to say, and prepare for whatever was coming.

First, she needed to shower. To wash away the evidence of last night...the dried sweat, the lingering scent of him, the phantom sensation of his hands on her body.

Under the hot spray, she let herself process everything that had happened. The dinner. The vibrator. The desperate way she’d begged him to fuck her. The way he’d carried her to bed like she was something precious.

And then the key card. The access to everything she needed.

It didn’t make sense. Unless.....

Unless he wanted her to take it. Wanted her to go to the greenhouse. Wanted to see what she’d do with the opportunity.

But why? What game was he playing?

She dried off and dressed carefully....her regular maid’s uniform, nothing special. If this was going to be a confrontation, she needed to look professional. Neutral. Like she had nothing to hide.

Even though she was hiding everything.

At 8 AM, she ventured to the staff kitchen for coffee. Lucy was there, looking at her with wide, curious eyes.

"Oh my god, Sarah. You look exhausted. Where were you last night? I knocked on your door around nine and you weren’t here."

Aria’s mind raced. "I had the evening off. I went for a drive. Needed to clear my head."

"A drive? In what car?"

Damn it. She didn’t have a car.

"I.....took a taxi. Into town. Just to walk around."

Lucy’s expression said she didn’t believe a word of it, but she didn’t push. "Okay. Well, Mrs. Chen was looking for you earlier. She wants to see you after your meeting with Mr. Blackwood."

"How did you know I have a meeting with Mr. Blackwood?"

"Because he never summons staff to his study unless it’s serious." Lucy’s voice dropped. "Sarah, whatever’s going on between you two...be careful. I’m worried about you."

"I’m fine."

"You’re not fine. You look like you haven’t slept in days. You’re losing weight. You’re constantly distracted. And yesterday I saw you coming back from the east section of the property, which is explicitly off-limits." Lucy grabbed her hand. "Please. Whatever you’re doing.... whatever you’re planning....think it through. Mr. Blackwood isn’t someone you want to cross."

The concern in her voice was genuine, and it made Aria’s chest tighten with guilt. Lucy had been nothing but kind to her, and here she was lying to everyone, using everyone, betraying the one person who’d shown her actual friendship.

"I’ll be careful," Aria said softly. "I promise."

Lucy didn’t look convinced, but she let it go.

Aria took her coffee back to her room and spent the next hour trying to prepare for the meeting. But how did you prepare for a conversation when you had no idea what it was about?

At 9:55, she made her way to Damien’s study, her heart hammering so hard she thought it might burst from her chest.

She knocked at exactly 10 AM.

"Come in, Sarah."

She pushed open the door. Damien sat behind his desk, dressed in a dark suit, looking every inch the powerful CEO. But his eyes....his eyes tracked her movement with that familiar intensity that made her feel exposed.

"Close the door."

She obeyed, her hands trembling slightly.

"Sit."

She took the chair across from his desk—the same chair where she’d sat during her interview weeks ago. A lifetime ago.

For a long moment, Damien just looked at her. Studying. Assessing. Like he was trying to read her thoughts.

"How are you feeling this morning?" he finally asked.

Not what she’d expected. "I’m...fine. A little tired."

"You should be. I pushed you hard last night." His expression was unreadable. "Too hard?"

"No. I.." She swallowed. "I liked it. All of it."

"Good." He leaned back in his chair. "Did you find the gift I left you?"

Her pulse quickened. "The bracelet? Yes. It’s beautiful. Thank you."

"And the other gift?"

So he did know. He wanted her to acknowledge it.

"Yes. I found the key card."

"Do you know what it’s for?"

This was it. The moment of truth. She could lie, pretend ignorance, play dumb. Or she could be honest..at least partially honest.

"I think it’s an access card. For the restricted areas."

"Specifically, for the greenhouse." Damien’s eyes never left her face. "The one you were so interested in yesterday morning."

Aria’s mouth went dry. "I don’t understand. Why would you give me access to....."

"Because I want you to see it." He stood and moved around the desk, leaning against the front of it so he was closer to her. "My mother’s legacy. The work she did before she died. I want you to understand that part of me."

It sounded sincere. Almost believable. Except....

"That area is restricted for a reason. You don’t just give access cards to maids."

"You’re not just a maid." His hand came up to cup her face. "Are you, Sarah?"

The question hung in the air, loaded with meaning she couldn’t quite parse.

"I don’t know what you mean." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"Don’t you?" His thumb traced her cheekbone. "You’re brilliant. Observant. Resourceful. You notice things other people miss. You ask questions that go deeper than surface level. You’re not just a maid, Sarah. You’re something more."

Her heart hammered. Did he know? Was this his way of telling her he knew?

"I’m just....I’m just someone who wants to understand the world around me."

"Exactly." He smiled slightly. "Which is why I’m giving you access. I want you to see the greenhouse. To understand what I’m working on. To be part of something bigger than just serving dinner and cleaning rooms."

"When?"

"Today. This afternoon. I’ll take you there myself. Show you everything." His hand slid to the back of her neck. "And then tonight, we continue your education. Are you ready for that?"

She should say no. Should create distance. Should stop this before it went any further.

But looking into his eyes, feeling his touch, all she could manage was: "Yes."

"Good." He kissed her softly. "Go. Finish your morning duties. Meet me at the north entrance at 2 PM. And Sarah?"

"Yes?"

"Wear something comfortable. We’ll be walking."

She left the study in a daze, her mind spinning.

He was going to show her the greenhouse himself. Give her direct access to what she needed. It seemed too easy. Too perfect.

Which meant it was definitely a trap.