Page 22 of In Love with a Ruthless Man

Because this was his dominion, and what the prince wanted, the prince was to have.

“What time do you want us to start with the lessons?” Igor asked.

“Give it half an hour, and then you can do the rounds like usual.”

IT WAS ALMOST TEN O’CLOCKin the evening when Fawn came back to the prince’s mansion, and her half-Filipina friend was there to greet her by the gates. “Thanks, Fawn,” Paula said in relief.

Fawn squeezed her friend’s hand reassuringly. “I should be the one to thank you. I really need tonight’s overtime.” Her smile was wry but not at all envious as she added teasingly, “Unlike you.” Since Paula’s parents were quite well off, the other girl didn’t actually need to work as a maid for the prince.

“If my parents had their way, they’d have made me quit on the first day.” Paula rolled her eyes. “They think I’m crazy towantto work as a maid, but hey. I’m very practical. The prince pays really well and the parties are always interesting. Why would I choose a boring part-time over this?” She gestured to the guardsstationed outside the gate as an added security measure, all of them carrying high-caliber firearms.

Paula gave her a quick hug. “Thanks for covering for me again. I know it’s the holidays and all, but my boyfriend—-”

“No need to explain. Iwantto work tonight.”

Paula laughed. “Then you’re crazier than me.”

As she watched Paula go, guilt tugged at her conscience, and Fawn wondered if she should have told Paula first about the prince telling her not to come to work.

But if she had, it could have made Paula retract the offer.

Fawn squared her shoulders.It’s going to be okay,she told herself. There were only a few hours left in the night shift, anyway, and all she had to do was keep her head down, finish Paula’s job, and she would be gone without anyone knowing she had even been there in the first place.

Good plan, right?

Right.

Conversation between her two selves concluded, Fawn hurried back inside, making sure to avoid the usual paths Igor, Noah, and Emery normally took. The three seemed to be the only ones who knew about her temporary work ban, and as long as none of them saw her, she was safe.

Changing into her uniform as fast as she could, she went straight to the main house’s living room and began mopping the floor. As expected, they were far from the pristine condition she had left them in earlier, the tiles splattered with spilled wine, vomit, and creamy...white...stuff...she would rather not name.

Fortunately, the living room was surprisingly empty, allowing Fawn to do her job more efficiently. Cleaning the floor section by section, it was when she neared the end of the hallway where the prince’s study was that she heard it.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

Then she heard it again.

A faint cackling sound.

Holy. Sweet. Haunted. Crap.

She had heard from the night shift staff that the prince’s mansion was haunted, and that once in a while they would hear cackling and screaming coming from nowhere. She looked around her and still found herself alone, but now, the living room seemed more terrifyingly imposing than usual. The high ceilings made her feel like anything could lurk in the shadows above her, and when she heard a girl scream, Fawn nearly screamed herself.

Scared to death now but knowing she couldn’t just ignore it, Fawn slowly forced herself to follow the sound. Finally, she made it to the front doors, and that was when she saw a girl sobbing on the floor, half crawling as she tried to free herself from several men.

Fawn started to scream for help when a hand suddenly covered her mouth.

Terror struck her, and she began struggling as hard as she could.

Her attacker spun her around, and that was when she saw who it was.

FAWN SAT HUDDLED INone of the chairs across the desk, the shudders racking her body born out of shock and terror instead of the cold. A shadow fell on her, and when she looked up, the Prince of Darkness was offering her a shot of brandy.

“You’re in shock. Drink this.”

She shook her head.

He said pleasantly, “Drink it or I’llmakeyou drink it.”

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