Chapter 4 - A Dangerous InvitationThe silence that followed was suffocating. Julian stared at Jenna, watching the fierce, desperate fire burning in her eyes. For a man accustomed to sycophants and terrified subordinates, defiance was a foreign language—yet strangely intoxicating.
He looked down at Daisy, who was trembling quietly, and then back at the untouched feast on the table.
"Sit down," Julian commanded quietly.
Jenna blinked, thrown off balance. "What?"
"I said, sit down," Julian repeated, motioning toward the magnificent dining table. "It's Christmas Eve. The catering service prepared enough food to feed a platoon, and I am entirely alone in a house that feels like a tomb. You want shelter? You want food? It’s right here. Consider it a microscopic settlement for the liquidation of Carter Logistics."
"I don't charity," Jenna said stiffly, pride stiffening her spine despite the gnawing hunger in her stomach.
"It's not charity, Mrs. Carter. It’s a transaction," Julian replied smoothly, walking over to the head of the table and pulling out a heavy velvet chair. "You clean my floors, and I provide dinner. Sound fair? Or would you prefer to walk out into a blizzard with a starving five-year-old just to satisfy your pride?"
The argument died in Jenna's throat. She looked down at Daisy, whose lips were blue with cold. Pride didn't feed a child. Pride didn't keep the frostbite away.
May you like
Slowly, agonizingly, Jenna led Daisy to the table and lifted her onto one of the massive velvet chairs. The little girl looked like a doll sitting on a throne.
Julian took his seat at the opposite end, signaling a silent command to the smart-home system to lower the lighting. "Eat," he instructed.
