Chapter 6 You're my maid

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"Come here!" Austin's voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding, a thunderclap that made everyone flinch.

Aubrey froze, her breath hitching as her gaze darted up to meet his piercing gray eyes. The fire in her chest burned hot with defiance, and for a fleeting second, she shot him a glare of pure fury. **What did I do to deserve this? Why can't he just leave me alone?**

Austin leaned back in the chair, one leg crossed over the other, exuding an aura of dark amusement. He didn't need to say anything-her discomfort was enough. The way she shifted her weight from foot to foot, the slight tremble in her hands, the way her gaze flickered to the door as if considering escape-it was intoxicating. He thrived on this power, this control.

The other women exchanged uneasy glances. The icy billionaire's gaze landed on them briefly, and even the boldest among them felt their stomachs churn under his steely glare. Their nerves unraveled as they attempted to suppress their fear, yet they couldn't stop themselves from inching forward, flaunting their figures in desperate attempts to earn his attention.

But Austin wasn't looking at them. His focus was solely on her.

Aubrey could feel his eyes on her, burning holes into her skin. Her heart pounded against her ribcage like a caged bird desperate to be free. She wanted to run-to turn and bolt-but her legs betrayed her, rooted to the spot. Every step toward him felt like walking barefoot over shards of glass. Her mind raced, battling the demons of fear and anger that clawed at her from within.

The room seemed to shrink as his presence consumed it. The closer she got, the heavier the air became. She felt suffocated, her lungs struggling to draw in even the smallest breath.

"I said, come here!" His voice boomed again, sharp and laced with impatience.

Aubrey flinched, her entire body recoiling from the force of his words. Memories of his touch-unwanted, dominating-flashed through her mind. She could still feel the ghost of his hands on her waist, the way his chest had pressed against her when they first met. His scent, his eyes, his presence-all of it haunted her like a shadow she couldn't escape.

She hesitated, her hazel eyes clouded with uncertainty. This man was a stranger, yet he wielded an unsettling power over her-a power that frightened her to her core.

Austin rose from his chair, the sound of his footsteps reverberating through the room as he advanced toward her. Each step he took felt like a blow to her already frayed composure.

"Stay back," she whispered, her voice barely audible, trembling with a mixture of fear and defiance.

Her plea only seemed to amuse him. His lips curled into a predatory smirk as he closed the distance between them.

The other women in the room watched in stunned silence, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and jealousy. Lucille's face contorted with rage as she clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She had adored Austin from afar, fantasized about being the one he noticed. But now, watching him fixate on Aubrey, her anger boiled over into something dangerous.

"Lay back, or you'll lose your job," Austin warned them without even sparing them a glance. His voice was cold, calculated-a blade cutting through the fragile tension in the room.

Time seemed to slow as he leaned in closer to Aubrey, his breath warm against her skin. She gasped when his lips brushed her ear, then trailed down her neck. His kisses were deliberate, each one sending shivers through her body. The intoxicating scent of vanilla and roses clung to her, drawing him in like a moth to flame.

Aubrey stiffened, her chest tightening as she struggled to breathe. **What is he doing?** she thought, panic rising in her throat. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to push him away, but her body refused to move.

The room erupted.

"How could you kiss this... this disgrace?!" Lucille's voice cracked as she stepped forward, her face a mask of fury.

Austin paused, straightening with an air of indifference. A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes as he turned to face the other women. "She's not a pretentious, spoiled brat like you," he said, his words dripping with venom.

Lucille's lip trembled, her jealousy and humiliation simmering beneath the surface. "What does she have that we don't?" one of the other women demanded, her voice shaking with anger.

Aubrey remained silent, too stunned to speak. Her hands trembled at her sides, and her heart thudded painfully in her chest. **Why is this happening? Why me?**

Austin ignored their protests, his hand sliding possessively around Aubrey's waist. The other women could no longer contain their outrage. With disgusted glares, they stormed out of the room, their heels clicking furiously against the marble floor.

Once they were gone, Austin turned back to Aubrey, his expression softening into something almost playful. "That's your uniform," he said, motioning to a black-and-white maid's dress on the nearby table. "You can start immediately, Miss Aubrey."

Aubrey's entire body quaked with anger and humiliation. Her fists clenched at her sides as she glared at him, her voice low and shaking. "You don't need to do this... this barbarous thing."

Austin's smirk deepened. He leaned in, his gray eyes locking onto hers. "Do you want more, madam? That look in your eyes tells me you're inviting me to give you exactly what you need."

She recoiled, her face burning with fury and embarrassment. Rolling her eyes, she snatched the maid's dress from the table, her movements jerky and defensive. **He's a devil in human skin,** she thought bitterly.

"I'll take you to your room, Miss Aubrey," came a gentle voice from behind her.

She turned to see Mr. Gal, his kind expression offering a sliver of solace in the suffocating tension.

"Congratulations," he said with a warm smile. "You're officially Mr. Hunt's personal maid."

The words hit her like a slap. Her chest constricted as the realization settled over her like a shroud. **Personal maid? Alone with him?**

Her mind raced, the memory of his lingering kisses and predatory gaze etched into her thoughts. Clutching her luggage tightly, she followed Mr. Gal down the hall, each step heavier than the last.

What would become of her now?