Chapter 5 - The Shift
"I don't understand," Beatrice said, her breath catching in her throat. "Are... are you firing me?"
Leo let out a short, quiet chuckle—a sound so deep and genuine that even Lily looked up from her toast in surprise.
"Firing you? Never," Leo said. "I am promoting you. From today onward, you are the house manager and Lily’s official guardian whenever I am away. You don't scrub floors. You don't carry laundry. You manage the staff, you direct the security inside the living quarters, and you live on the second floor, right next to Lily's room."
Beatrice stared at him, stunned. The second floor was reserved for family.
"Mr. Rossi... I don't take up the kind of space that belongs on the second floor," she blurted out before she could catch herself, the years of self-doubt and Victoria’s cruel insults slipping out unfiltered.
Leo’s brow furrowed. The warmth in his eyes flared into something sharp and protective.
"Who told you that?" he asked softly.
Beatrice lowered her gaze, feeling her face turn red. "It's just... I know what I am. I'm broad, I'm heavy... I don't fit into your world. Victoria was right about—"
"Victoria was a hollow shell painted in expensive silk," Leo interrupted, his voice stern and commanding. He stood up, walked around the kitchen island, and stood directly in front of her.
Because of her sitting position, he towered over her, but there was no fear in it. He reached out, his large, warm hand gently taking her chin and tilting her face upward so she was forced to look directly into his eyes.
"Listen to me very carefully, Beatrice," he said, his thumb brushing lightly near the corner of her bandage. "In my world, strength is measured by loyalty and courage. A fragile woman with a pretty smile is worthless if her soul is ugly. You have a heart larger than this entire house. You are beautiful, Beatrice. Don't ever let the ghost of a venomous snake make you feel small."
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Beatrice’s breath hitched. No man had ever spoken to her like that. No man had ever looked at her body, her face, her existence, with anything resembling admiration.
"Now," Leo said, letting his hand drop slowly, though his eyes lingered on her lips for a fraction of a second. "Pack your things from the third floor. Mateo will carry your bags downstairs."
