Maria sat across from Hayato-sama, her heartbeat steady, her hands neatly folded in her lap.
She had expected him to test her, push her, make her uncomfortable.
But instead—
He was waiting.
Watching.
Letting the silence stretch.
And somehow, that was worse.
The Weight of the Decision
Maria knew that by accepting his request, she had crossed a line.
She was no longer just a maid serving a customer.
She had stepped into something else entirely.
Something dangerous.
Something she might not be able to walk away from.
But she refused to show weakness.
She took a slow breath and spoke.
— “Shall I pour your tea, goshujin-sama?”
Her voice was calm.
Controlled.
But Hayato-sama smirked.
— “Is that how you see this?”
Maria’s fingers twitched.
She reached for the teapot, careful not to spill a single drop as she poured his drink.
— “I see this as my duty.”
Hayato-sama leaned forward slightly, watching her too closely.
— “Liar.”
Maria’s breath hitched.
But she kept her face neutral.
— “I don’t lie to customers, goshujin-sama.”
His smirk widened.
— “Then tell me the truth. Why did you accept?”
Maria’s grip tightened on the teapot.
Because she couldn’t answer that.
She didn’t even know the answer herself.
Had she given in?
Had she lost?
Or was she simply playing the long game?
She forced a small smile.
— “Because you asked me to.”
The air shifted.
For a moment, Hayato-sama just stared at her.
Then—
He laughed.
A deep, low chuckle.
Maria felt her stomach twist.
Had she made a mistake?
His amusement was never harmless.
Hayato-sama finally leaned back, his eyes still sharp with interest.
— “I wonder, Maria…” He swirled the tea in his cup. “Do you even know what you’ve done?”
Maria’s chest tightened.
Because she had a sinking feeling that she didn’t.
Not yet.
But soon—
She would.
The Unspoken Warning
As Maria stood to leave, Hayato-sama spoke again.
— “One last thing.”
She stopped.
Waited.
His voice was calm. Casual.
But his words?
Anything but.
— “From now on, Maria… you belong to me.”
Maria’s breath caught.
She turned slowly.
Met his gaze.
Held it.
And then—
She smiled.
— “We’ll see about that, goshujin-sama.”
She bowed politely—then walked away.
Her heart pounded.
Because she wasn’t sure if that had been a victory…
Or the moment she had truly lost.
To be continued …
