Chapter 3 - The Offer on the Table
The conference room descended into a chaotic whisper.
Celestine stood paralyzed, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “You... you can't fire me! I’ve managed this property for five years!”
“And in five years, you’ve turned this resort into a cold, miserable hierarchy where employees hide children in closets to survive,” Dante said, his tone flat and unyielding. “Frankie.”
A heavy-set man standing by the entrance door stepped forward, nodding once. “Yes, Mr. Moretti?”
“Escort Miss Harcourt to her office. Watch her pack her personal items. Ensure she takes no company records.”
“Right away, boss.”
Frankie gestured toward the hall. Celestine, pale and shaking with humiliation, turned on her high heels and marched out of the room under the watchful gaze of thirty housekeepers, line cooks, and maintenance workers.
Dante turned back to the crowd of employees.
“Back to work, everyone,” he said, his voice carrying an effortless authority that cleared the room in less than fifteen seconds.
Soon, only Dante, Jamie, and I remained in the large, echoing conference room overlooking the snow-covered lake.
I held Jamie tightly against my chest, my heart hammering against my ribs. I was still holding my breath, unsure of what this meant for us.
“Mr. Moretti,” I began, my voice trembling slightly. “I... I don't know what to say. But I still broke the rule. I know I did.”
Dante looked down at me. “Rules are written by people who have never had to choose between leaving a baby with a stranger or putting food on the table.”
He gestured toward the door. “Walk with me, Penelope.”
We walked down the wide, carpeted corridors of the lakefront resort. Outside, the blizzard was picking up, white sheets of snow blowing off Lake Erie and slamming against the tall glass windows.
“Where are you living?” Dante asked as we turned into the quiet administrative wing.
“In a small one-bedroom on 4th Street,” I replied, shifting Jamie’s weight on my hip. “The radiator breaks every few days, but the rent is manageable.”
Dante stopped outside the grand corner office that had belonged to Celestine five minutes ago. He pushed the heavy oak door open and stepped inside.
The office was massive, featuring a marble fireplace, leather armchairs, and a large bay window overlooking the frozen lake.
“Sit,” Dante said, nodding toward a soft leather armchair.
I sat down, holding Jamie closely. Jamie leaned his head against my shoulder, his small eyes growing heavy as the warmth of the office lulled him to sleep.
Dante walked over to the mahogany desk, picked up a pen, and pulled a clean piece of paper from a drawer.
“Lake Haven House is converting the north wing into a private estate residence for my family,” Dante said, writing something down on the paper. “I need a head housekeeper. Someone who knows how to run a household with care, efficiency, and absolute loyalty.”
He set the pen down and looked at me.
“The salary is seventy-five thousand dollars a year. It includes a private two-bedroom cottage on the property, health coverage, and on-site childcare provided by a certified nurse.”
May you like
I stared at him, completely stunned. “Seventy-five... thousand?”
“That is the rate for the position,” Dante said calmly. “Do you accept?”
