ISABELLE CAMPBELL
When I got home, there was still tension running through every inch of my body.
It takes a lot to get me worked up, but today had been rough—especially after I screwed up by not double-checking the delivery at the mansion.
Colin Adams…
I’ve met arrogant men before, the type who think the world revolves around them—but none quite like Colin. He’s hard to describe, but I can’t imagine anyone managing to live with him for twenty-four hours straight.
And I think he knows that… which is probably why he keeps to himself. Just my opinion.
I was brushing my daughter’s hair while she played with her doll, Lucy—the one she seemed to love more than anything in the world. After a while, Hanna looked up at me, and I could tell she was about to ask something.
“What’s your boss like, Mommy?”
“A sweetheart…” I rolled my eyes. “Like bitter melon.”
We both burst out laughing, and then I went back to fixing her hair.
“Is he mean, Mommy?”
“He’d have to work really hard to be that bad,” I said, remembering his face.
“Huh?” Her little eyes squinted in confusion.
“It’s nothing, honey. He’s just… difficult, that’s all.”
“Okay.”
After dinner, I finished up a few chores and tucked Hanna into bed.
When I finally lay down, I replayed the day in my head and promised myself one thing—tomorrow, I’d pay twice as much attention at work.
I woke up with a start.
For a second, I couldn’t figure out why my heart was racing—until I glanced at my phone and realized I was screwed. It was exactly 6:30 a.m., and I was supposed to be at Colin’s house in, oh, thirty minutes.
There was no way I’d make it.
My brain, being the helpful friend it is, immediately started discouraging me while I sprinted toward my closet. Luckily, my mom was taking Hanna with her today—thank God for school vacations.
Or maybe my alarm went off and I didn’t hear it? Perfect. I didn’t even know what had happened, but there was no time to waste figuring it out. I just had to get there—somehow.
I got ready in record time, dashed to my car, jumped in, and floored it, praying I could make it to the mansion by seven. Honestly? Even I didn’t believe I would.
I walked into Colin’s house at exactly seven o’clock, and an overwhelming wave of relief washed over me.
I did it.
I smiled to myself, but as I headed toward one of the doors, I caught sight of a tall, broad figure standing there—arms crossed, expression blank, watching me like I was a total stranger. The moment our eyes met, he slowly shook his head in disapproval before glancing down at his watch.
“Five minutes late.”
“I…” I looked at my phone—it read 7:01. Considering how far I’d had to walk through the mansion to get here, I was sure I was on time. “I got here exactly at seven,” I argued.
“Do I need to teach you how to read the time properly?” His voice dropped lower, rougher.
“I just checked my phone, I’m telling you—”
I didn’t get to finish. He stepped closer, forcing me to hold my breath from how near he was. The distance between us was barely an arm’s length.
And there it was again—that scent. God, that intoxicating cologne…
“Look behind you.” His tone wasn’t a request; it was a command.
“Colin, I already understand—”
“Am I gonna have to keep interrupting you every time you open your mouth?” he growled, narrowing his eyes, cutting me off yet again.
I obeyed.
“Now look at the wall in front of you.” His breath brushed against my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.
I did as he said—and there it was. A massive clock.
“What time does the clock on the wall say?”
“Seven-oh-five.”
“And what does that mean?”
“I’m late.” I nodded, lowering my head slightly.
“And what happens when you’re late?” His tone shifted—lighter now, almost amused.
“A warning.”
“I assume you know what happens after the second one, don’t you, Miss Isabelle?”
“Yes, Colin.” I gave up the argument. Knowing how obsessively precise he was, I probably should’ve synced my phone to one of the mansion’s many clocks.
“Excellent.”
I felt him move away, and moments later, he was gone—vanished from sight like he’d never been there.
I sat down at one of the kitchen chairs and buried my face in my hands. After a few silent seconds, I opened my eyes—and found a woman watching me with a warm, amused smile.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your moment.”
“No problem.” I stood, forcing a smile—something that wasn’t easy after the morning I’d had. “You work here, right?”
“Yes, dear. My name’s Helen. If you need anything, I’m always around to help. I should’ve introduced you to the rest of the staff yesterday, but I could tell you were overwhelmed.”
She was a woman in her fifties, with soft gray hair and kind eyes. Something about her smile instantly put me at ease—probably because most people in this house didn’t even seem to remember how to smile.
“Thank God! I finally found the famous Helen!” I blurted out before I could stop myself, and she chuckled. “Sorry,” I added quickly.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m guessing you’ve already met Colin.”
Her raised brows almost made me laugh—especially since, at that exact moment, I ran a hand through my hair, remembering his face. That ridiculously handsome yet perpetually grumpy face.
“Yes.”
“I’m sure you adored him. He’s such a sweetheart, isn’t he?”
I stared at her, wide-eyed, until she wrinkled her nose in amusement. I couldn’t help but laugh. She had to be joking, because that man…
“I’d rather not answer that.” I dodged the question; the last thing I needed was another warning. I didn’t plan on setting a new record for fastest employee to get fired—three days in.
“Colin’s like that with pretty much everyone. Ninety-nine percent, if we’re being precise.”
“And who’s the lucky exception?”
“Believe it or not… me.”
“Was he always like this? Rude, arrogant, impossible, foul-mouthed—”
I stopped mid-sentence, realizing too late what I’d just said. Great. First I was late, now I was badmouthing my boss to the woman who’d probably worked with him for years.
Nice going, Isabelle.
“No,” she said softly, lowering her head a little. “He used to be the opposite. Something happened in his life and…”
She trailed off. Clearly uncomfortable. And I wasn’t about to make mistake number two of the day by pushing her.
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll just do my best with my duties,” I said gently, cutting in with a smile. She didn’t need to explain something she didn’t want to, and besides—I remembered rule number eight.
Yes, I memorized the rules.
“All right, Isabelle.” She smiled kindly. “I almost forgot—there’s someone you should meet.”
“Of course.”
We walked down one of the mansion’s long hallways, and at the end, I spotted a boy playing with a couple of remote-control cars.
“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” Helen said. “That’s Joshua—Colin’s son.”
As soon as he noticed us, he stood up. I studied him as he approached. The resemblance hit me instantly—the dark hair, the sharp eyes, the mouth…
He was practically his father’s twin. No question about it.
“Hi there.” I crouched a little.
“Hi, lady.”
“What’s your name?” I asked, even though I already knew.
“Joshua. What’s yours?”
“Isabelle. Nice to meet you.” I smiled.
“Hmm. How long are you gonna work here?”
“All day. Why do you ask?”
“No, I mean… are you gonna stay for a lot of days? My dad usually sends the ladies away after a few.”
He said it so innocently—but his downcast eyes gave away something else: worry, maybe even sadness.
“I’ll do everything I can to make sure he doesn’t,” I said softly.
“Okay, lady.”
Joshua had no idea how hard that would actually be. But I was determined not to lose this job—no matter how much I’d have to endure every time I came face-to-face with Colin.