DERRICK’S POV I stormed into the barn with my associate, Ken. The sounds of laughter stopped as soon as the maids saw me. Joan stood among them, looking beautiful as ever. She seemed more relaxed and at ease than I’d ever seen her. The sight of her made something tighten in my chest. They stood up immediately. "Good day, sir" they chorused "What’s going on here?" I asked. "We were just taking a break" Emily said "We're sorry, sir" My eyes landed on Joan. I noticed how timid and scared she looked. She was basically shaking in her spot. I could tell she was anxious with the way she played with the hem of her dress. Emily and Sarah walked out of the barn. Joan was about to leave as well until I stopped her. "Joan" I said "Stop" She turned to look at me. Her beautiful brown eyes pierced through mine, making my heart pause for a second. In that moment, all I wanted to do was just talk to her. I wanted to ask her how she was and how she was feeling. I wanted to mak
JOAN'S POVNow that I had seen my mom, I felt a lot lighter. I spent the rest of my day off going to my mom's house and cleaning it up for her. The house was dusty and a bit damp due to how empty it had been for a while. I was happy to clean. When my mom goes back home, I wanted her to meet a neat place. I was certain that she would be okay again. She had to be. The next day, it was time to go back to work. I booked a taxi and made my way back to the Stonewood mansion. It had been just a day but I missed it. I missed everyone. It was a bit weird but this place seemed like home now. The people there treated me well and made me feel welcome. When we arrived, I got down from the cab and walked through the entrance of the mansion. As I entered, I couldn't help but feel a bit excited. However, my excitement quickly gave way to confusion when I finally stepped inside. The air was heavy, and the other workers seemed to be speaking in hushed tones. Something was definitely off.I made my
JOAN'S POVI couldn’t stop crying as Lady Irene pulled me away from Sir Derrick’s office. The memories of Jake's hits and my own screams haunted me. The memories replayed in my mind like a broken record. I remembered how he would always insult me coupled with the cold look in his eyes when he would hit me. Lady Irene held me gently, patting my back with one hand and rubbing soothing circles on my arm with the other. Her touch was comforting. Her touch felt so different from the cold violent hands I remembered.“Breathe, Joan,” she whispered softly “Just breathe, sweetheart. Take it slow.”I tried to focus on my breathing, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly, but each breath felt like it might shatter me.Lady Irene took me to her room and helped me sit on her bed. I was breathing heavily, still struggling. She handed me a glass of water and helped me guide it to my lips as my hands shook too much to hold it myself. The water soothed my throat, and gradually, my sobs lessened.“That's
DERRICK’S POVI couldn’t concentrate on anything that day. It was as if my mind was trapped in a loop, replaying the same scene over and over again. I had a whole lot of tasks to get through, but my thoughts kept going back to Joan. I could still see her form in my mind, crouched down and trembling, her eyes wide with fear. She covered her body with her arms in a defensive motion. When I had shouted at her, she looked like she was having a panic attack. The sight of her like that, so vulnerable and scared, haunted me. The way she had looked at me, like I was some kind of monster, had affected me more than I wanted to admit. I felt guilty. I shouldn't have snapped at her like that but I was in such a bad mood. My deals were going sour and my workers had annoyed me previously. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on her. She didn't deserve that. “Sir, are you even listening?” Santi’s voice cut through my thoughts, snapping me back to the present.I blinked, trying to focus on the disc
JOAN'S POVThe next morning, I woke up feeling sleepy and disoriented. The events of the previous night weren't clear to me but I faintly remembered someone sitting next to me. It looked like Sir Derrick. For a brief moment, I opened my eyes and saw someone who looked like him leaving but I dismissed it as part of a dream. There was no way sir Derrick would be in my room, right? I mean, what would he be doing there? I shook my head, clearing the sleep from my eyes. I remembered the nightmare I had about Jake. I remembered everything vividly - his angry face, his harsh words, and the feel of his hand striking me. The memories were all too vivid to the point that it scared me. My heart raced as the memories came into my mind. I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself. I couldn't afford to have a panic attack now. I needed to get up and face the day.I got dressed in my uniform quickly and headed to the kitchen. I had to make amends for my absence yesterday. Ms. Sullivan and the othe
JOAN'S POVI turned to the entrance to see who had made that comment. I saw a mature and beautiful woman walking in. She had long red hair that reminded me so much of Lady Irene’s, and her clothes were lavish and elegant. She was dressed in a flowing black down and heels. Her jewelry twinkled under the chandelier light. I was in awe of her. Who was she? Ms. Sullivan smiled and immediately stepped forward to greet her.“Madame Helen,” Ms. Sullivan said warmly “Welcome back to the estate.”I quickly realized this must be Lady Irene and Sir Derrick’s mother. The resemblance was unmistakable. She carried herself with an air of importance yet there was something about her that made me at ease. She seemed very nice. “Thank you, Ms. Sullivan,” Madame Helen replied with a charming smile. “I hope everything has been running smoothly in my absence.”“Of course, Madame. Is there anything you’d like to eat?” Ms. Sullivan asked. Madame Helen waved her hand dismissively. “Please, don’t fuss ov
DERRICK’S POVThe entire day, I couldn't get Joan out of my mind. No matter how hard I tried to focus on the tasks at hand, my thoughts kept drifting back to her. It was maddening.I still felt like a fool for checking on her while she slept. Hearing her murmur another man's name in her dreams ignited a rage within me that I couldn't understand. Every time I remembered that incident, I'd literally feel my blood boil. Why did it bother me so much? She was just a maid. I couldn't have feelings for her. Could I?My emotions were all over the place, and I hated it. I'd never experienced anything like this before. Usually, I was in complete control, but Joan... Joan was different. She made me feel things I didn't want to feel. And I fucking hated it. My mother has summoned me to her playroom after I was done eating. While I ate, I had to endure the torture of Joan standing not too far away. I noticed her occasional glances at me. I ignored her, even when she greeted me. I would try to av
JOAN'S POVWhen I left Madame Helen's playroom, I came back to the kitchen to finish up my work. Ms Sullivan, Sarah and Emily left to finish up some errands for Madame Helen. I cleaned up the kitchen while they were gone. As I scrubbed the kitchen counters, my mind wandered back to Sir Derrick. I wondered why he didn't like me. Things between us were supposed to be professional so it shouldn't really matter if he liked me or not. Even at that, I just... I wanted him to and I didn't know why. Why was he so cold and mean? He gave me mixed signals. One day, he's saving my life literally and another day, he's telling me to get out of the room just because he doesn't want to be in the same space as me. What goes on in that head of his? I wish I knew. Why wasn't he like the rest of his family? His relatives were so polite and nice but he... He was different. And I couldn't help but think that there was a reason for his indifference and coldness. He seemed to have a special kind of coldne
DERRICK’S POVThe car was filled with an unbearable tension. I could feel it pressing down on me, suffocating me. Joan sat beside me in the backseat. She didn’t look bothered about me at all. Instead, her eyes were fixed on the darkened city outside the window.She acted like everything was normal, like she didn’t just stand up to or subtly threaten a mafia boss. I knew Antonio wouldn’t take it lightly. Still, it was fun to watch. I didn’t know she had that kind of fire inside her.The streetlights highlighted her face. She looked even more beautiful at night. The lights sharpened the soft contours of her cheekbones, the curve of her lips. But what kept me staring at her wasn’t her beauty—it was the fire she had inside. A fire I had totally underestimated. Hell, I didn’t even know it existed.I never thought she had it in her. Not Joan. Not the meek quiet maid who barely spoke when I was in the room. She couldn’t even look me in the eye most times. But tonight… tonight she had proven
DERRICK’S POVThe moment I stepped off the ballroom floor, I could still feel the ghost of Joan’s touch on my skin. Her warmth, her softness—it lingered, and I hated it. I clenched my fists, shoving past the crowd as I stormed out of the ballroom.The air outside was cool, but it did nothing to stop the fire burning inside me. I needed to get away from her, from the way she made me feel—like I was on the edge of losing control.Damn it.I leaned against a pillar in the hallway, inhaling sharply. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to feel anything. I had vowed to never let another woman under my skin again. Love was a liability, a weakness I couldn't afford. Not in my world. Not as a mafia boss. If my enemies caught even a whiff of something—of someone—I cared about, they’d exploit it. They’d use her against me. And Joan... Joan was already too close.Besides, a woman had hurt me before and I’d be damned if I let it happen again.Women. They were all the same. They’d act
DERRICKS’ POVI stood near the balcony, holding a cigar in my hands. I needed it to calm me down.I took a long drag, inhaling deep, letting the nicotine burn its way through my chest. It was the only thing keeping my nerves in check. Antonio had made his threat clear—he would stand against me at the table, and that was not something I could afford. He had a name that carried weight. His father had once been one of the godfathers. That legacy alone made the old men at the table listen to him, respect him. And now, with my seat hanging by a thread, I could not let him turn them against me.I exhaled, watching the smoke curl into the night air. Losing my place wasn’t an option. It was my father’s legacy, something I had bled for, killed for. Everything I had worked for would be undone if the godfathers saw me as weak, as incompetent. I would never get the chance to be the next Don. And Henry, my bastard of a stepbrother, was already waiting like a vulture, ready to take what was mine.W
DERRICK’S POVThe gala was in full swing. Laughter and the clinking of champagne glasses filled the air, but I barely noticed. My attention was elsewhere—on the delicate hand entwined with my own. Joan’s fingers were smaller than mine, softer. Her touch sent heat racing through my veins.Damn it.I tried to ignore it, to dismiss the sensation as insignificant, but my body betrayed me. My pulse quickened, and my grip involuntarily tightened around hers for the briefest second before I forced myself to relax. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to feel anything. Not after what my ex had done to me. I had vowed never to let another woman past my defenses again.But Joan…She was different, wasn’t she?“Did you hear me?” Joan’s voice cut through my thoughts.I blinked and turned my head slightly, meeting her warm brown eyes. I adjusted my features into their usual neutral mask. “What?”She smiled. Her genuine expression made something in my chest twist painfully. “I said yo
DERRICK’S POVI stood in my office. My fingers curled around the stress ball Joan had given me.Another shipment gone wrong. Another goddamn failure.Someone was sabotaging me from the inside.My jaw clenched, and I rolled the ball in my palm, squeezing it so tightly my knuckles turned white. This had happened too many times to be a coincidence. I thought I had gotten rid of the mole, but it seemed like there was another rat scurrying in my team.A hundred million. Gone. The godfathers would be furious. They’d question my competence, whisper among themselves that I was slipping. And if they decided I was no longer fit to lead, they’d strip me of my power and hand it over to Henry, that snake, who had been eyeing my position for years.I couldn’t let that happen.Behind me, Santi and Ace stood stiffly. They knew what this meant, how deep this betrayal cut. But I wasn’t in the mood to hear their excuses.“Who the fuck is it?” My voice was filled with annoyance “Who the fuck keeps doing
JOAN’S POVThe sun shone through the windows of the kitchen. I was standing near the stove, overseeing the staff, just as I always did. The morning routine was the same as every other, but the air felt thick today. I could hear it. everyone could. Whispers, too quiet to catch, but loud enough to make the staff’s movements hesitant, almost self-conscious. There was an interrogation ongoing. Because of the incident last night, saff members were being questioned and everyone was scared. The weight of it all was heavy on my shoulders, and I couldn’t help but feel that I was at the center of it all, the reason for all this chaos. If it weren’t for the attack on me, none of this would be happening. I hated that it had all come down to this.Emily’s voice broke through my thoughts.“They're letting a lot of people go,” she muttered, her eyes scanning the kitchen “Can’t say they didn’t deserve it, but…”I finished for her with a sigh “It’s because of me, isn’t it?”She nodded, biting her lip.
JOAN’S POVThe incident with the masked man left me shaken. No matter how much I tried to push it from my mind, the memory clung to me. Every creak of the floorboards, every flicker of movement in my peripheral vision, made my heart hammer in my chest. I found myself growing paranoid, constantly looking over my shoulder as if the masked man would come out from the darkness at any moment.Later that night, as I sat curled up on my bed, hugging my knees, my bedroom door creaked open. My pulse spiked, and I held my breath until I saw Derrick step into the room. His presence filled the space, commanding as always, but tonight, something else lingered in his gaze—concern."Are you okay?" he asked. His voice was softer and lower than usual, as if he was afraid he’d startle me.I nodded, forcing a small smile, even though my hands trembled slightly against my arms. "I'm fine. And… thank you. For saving me."He studied me carefully. His blue eyes scanned my face as though searching for a lie.
JOAN’S POVThe evening was busy but I didn’t mind. I wanted everything to be perfect. After everything Derrick did for me, I wanted to do something for him too.I stood in the kitchen as I supervised the activities around me. Pans sizzled, knives chopped and I ticked all the boxes of everything we need.“It’s going well, isn’t it?” Ms Sullivan asked with a smile as she walked out of the kitchen.“Sure is” I called after her. Tonight’s dinner had to be perfect, and I was determined to make it so.“Careful with the sauce, Emily,” I said, pointing at the simmering pot on the stove. “It needs to thicken just a little more.”Emily nodded as she stirred. The chef gave me a quick thumbs-up as he continued cooking. I laughed. When everything was finally prepared, I helped Emily and Sarah set the long dining table in the dining room. I made sure everything looked alluring to the eye. I even decorated the table with flowers.“Thank you, everyone,” I said with a grateful smile once the table w
JOAN’S POVI had spent the last few days sewing in my sewing room. My mind was focused only on the fabrics and my designs. I had never felt happier.I was sewing again! I was actually sewing again. And this time, I had everything I ever needed and even more. Designing again was a breath of fresh air for me. It was the one place where I felt in control.But that morning, as I adjusted a piece of fabric, Emily entered the room with a smile."Joan," she said "Sir Derrick has called for you."I froze, the needle halting mid-stitch. Derrick? It had been days since I last saw him. I hadn’t seen him since the engagement. Irene told me he had gone on a business trip."Really?" I blinked, trying to hide the excitement I felt. "I—of course. I’ll go right away."Emily smiled at me, and I could see the curiosity in her eyes. "He’s in his study. And, Joan... I’ve been meaning to tell you—your pieces, they’re incredible. You have such a talent."I looked at the mannequins that were now clothed in t