Chapter Four

LUKAS THOUGHT HE HAD everything in control when he turned to face his housekeeper again. She was now covered from head to toe, but it was unfortunately not enough.

It was as if his brain was unable to register the dark-colored blouse and jeans that she was now wearing. He looked at her, and all he could see was the generous swell of her pink-tipped breasts and the delicate folds of her cunt.

What the hell's wrong with me?

His housekeeper had an undeniably lush figure, yes. But he had never been the type to focus obsessively on women. So what made her different? Was this because he had been celibate far too long?

Lukas noticed his housekeeper's lips silently move in what seemed like an unconscious plea, and the words were all too easy to read.

No, oh no, please no.

What was that about? Was she scared of him? Or of something else?

"I'm, um..."

He saw her swallow hard, and he struggled (and failed) to keep his mind from going straight to the gutter.

Really, Tsaldaris? That's how it's going to be from now on?

"I just want to express how absolutely sorry I am about what happened earlier, Mr. Tsaldaris," Betsy finally mustered the courage to blurt out. "I didn't expect you to be back tonight, but I also know that's no excuse, and so I'm really, really sorry. I know it's not the best way to start a relationship—" She saw his brows shoot up, and Betsy let out a gasp when she realized how her words could be easily misunderstood. "A p-professional relationship, I mean," she hurried to emphasize. "And I'm just really, really...sorry." It was the lamest way to end her apology, and Betsy's nervousness grew as the silence stretched between them.

Am I about to lose my job?

Betsy bit her lip against the urge to beg the billionaire not to fire her. She had become really good friends with the various nannies, housekeepers, and pet sitters working in the other units, and all of them had voluntarily shared what they knew about her boss in hopes of helping Betsy keep her job.

He seems to have a set routine for all of his days, one of the nannies had put forward, and he does everything like clockwork.

He's never had a female visit him, or at least not one that we know of, another nanny had asserted.

He doesn't smile at all, the pet sitter from 10/F had declared. I find him extremely intimidating, to be honest.

The type of man they had described seemed too much of a perfectionist. The kind who would surely fire Betsy on the spot for exposing herself, regardless of whether it was deliberate or not.

But...

Why had he even hired someone like her in the first place? Why had he been willing to open his luxuriously immaculate home to Betsy and her son? Hadn't it occurred to him how having a one-year-old boy under his roof could greatly upset his daily routine?

It just didn't make sense at all unless...

He had a heart of gold, Betsy realized, but he just didn't want people to know about it!

Lukas didn't know what to make of the assortment of emotions that played over his housekeeper's features. She had looked as if she was in tears one moment, but now she was staring at him like he was her knight in shining armor.

"Are you alright?" he asked finally.

Betsy nearly wept in relief. Oh, my goodness. After what happened earlier, Mr. Tsaldaris had every reason to get rid of her on the spot, but here he was, showing concern for her. Thank You, God! It was such a huge blessing to have a man as kind as Mr. Tsaldaris as her employer.

She's gone mad, Lukas thought. That was the only sensible conclusion to have, with how she was now staring at him so earnestly.

Betsy cleared her throat. "Um, sir?"

Lukas inclined his head when he realized she was waiting for her response. "What is it?"

"I just want to go on record and say that what happened earlier was an accident." While she knew now that he wouldn't be so malicious as to assume what happened earlier was a ploy for her to seduce him, Betsy still wanted to give him additional assurance about her genuine desire to work for him, and just that.

"I know."

A smile broke over Betsy's lips at the words. Oh, I knew it. This man had a beautiful heart, indeed. "I know you're not asking for proof or anything," she went on eagerly, "but I just thought it would be better if we get everything out in the open. I'm not sure if Charlotte ever mentioned—"

"Are we talking about the real reason you're here?"

Her eyes widened. "Why, yes."

"If you have any concerns—"

"No, no, not at all!" Betsy was appalled that he would even think such a thing. "I'm actually beyond grateful for this opportunity to turn my life around. Not everyone's given a chance for new beginnings, and so I'm really, really thankful for that."

Incredible, Lukas thought. This was his first time to meet someone so lacking in ego - or this desperate - that she didn't mind having her suitability as wife material "evaluated" prior to marriage.

"In light of our unorthodox situation," Lukas said reluctantly, "I see no reason why you need to be formal—"

"Oh no, it's fine." Betsy was keen to prove to her boss that she would never use his kindness as an excuse to act familiar with him. "You will always be my boss—-"

Lukas was not quite sure what to make of this. She had to be joking. Right?

"I know the statistics are on my side," she confessed. "I know it's very likely that the man Charlotte chooses for me is someone who's already financially...stable. But I also didn't think it was right for me to act like it's a foregone conclusion."

Lukas' bemusement grew. Was this her way of being coy?

A sheepish smile curved over Betsy's lips when she noticed the billionaire staring at her like she had suddenly grown a pair of horns. "I get it. People would take one look at me and D, and it's reasonable for them to assume that I've signed with Charlotte's agency for the sake of securing my son's future. And I suppose that's part of it, but the thing is...I've also lost faith in my own judgment. I was just so certain D's father was the one for me that when we broke up, it completely destroyed my confidence."

Lukas gave up trying to second-guess her meaning and simply waited for Betsy to eventually get to the crux of what she was saying.

"I prayed to God about this, Mr. Tsaldaris. And I really believe that if the man Charlotte chooses for me is also His choice, then love will surely follow. But on the other hand, I've also prayed to God that if Charlotte's choice isn't for me, then He'll keep the marriage from taking place, and maybe, if you don't mind...I can just continue working as your housekeeper?" Betsy beamed at him. "Win-win, right?"

No, Lukas thought grimly.

It was not a fucking win-win situation at all, since he was starting to realize they were not talking about the same thing.

"Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to me, Mr. Tsaldaris. And for giving me this incredible opportunity to work for you. I'll be the best housekeeper you could ever ask for, I promise, and D won't ever be a problem either. I swear! You won't even know he's here!"

And because her heart felt as if it was about to burst at this point, Betsy could no longer resist the urge to go up to her boss and throw her arms around him.

"Thank you so, so much again!"

Betsy stepped back and beamed at him for the second time. Did this woman never tire of smiling?

"Good night, sir!"

Or speaking with so much energy it was as if every sentence that rolled past her lips ended with exclamation marks?

"Thank you so much again!"

Lukas reached for his phone as soon as she started to walk away. There was only one way to get to the bottom of this—-

"Oh, I almost forgot!"

Lukas froze when he saw Betsy had turned to face him again.

"The door to the staff quarters was locked when we first came here—"

So that was why she and her son were in the guest room.

"It's fine," Lukas heard himself say. "You don't need to move out."

Green eyes widened at him. "But—"

"It's just a room."

Betsy privately disagreed, but then she thought of D...

"Thank you, Mr. Tsaldaris." If it had just been her, she would have absolutely refused his offer. But for her son, she was more than willing to sacrifice her pride.

Lukas waited until he heard the door close behind Betsy before finally making a call.

Charlotte answered after the first ring, and her first words made it clear she already knew what he wanted to talk about.

"Will you let me explain first?"

"A single mother, Charlotte?" he gritted out. "You dare pity me—"

"It's not like that at all." Charlotte's tone was calm.

"What is this then?" he snapped. "Are you saying you truly believe she's a good match for me—"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

Lukas breathed hard at the surprising conviction in her voice.

"That she has an adorable baby boy is just icing on the cake. I've always considered you a good friend, Lukas. So please know that I'm taking this seriously."

"Just give it to me straight," Lukas said wearily. "Because there's clearly more."

"There is," Charlotte admitted guiltily. "Betsy actually thinks she's on a two-month trial as your housekeeper."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Why the hell do I sense a 'but' coming?"

"But you should also know she isn't actually aware that I've already chosen you to be her husband—-or that you still need convincing about making her your wife."