The moment Kaylee's arms wrapped around his waist, Ernest's entire body went rigid. The muscles under his shirt turned to stone.
Kaylee's heart hammered against her ribs. She was terrified he was going to shove her away in disgust. She forced herself to keep her arms locked around him, pressing her cheek against his hard chest to sell the act.
Ernest looked down at the top of her head. He could feel her slight trembling. A strange, dark amusement flickered in his eyes.
Instead of pushing her away, he raised his arm. He wrapped it naturally around her slender waist, pulling her flush against his body. His grip was possessive and tight.
Genevieve watched the intimate display. Her face twisted into an ugly mask of pure jealousy, though she desperately tried to mask it behind her tearful eyes. "Ernie! How can you let some stray off the street touch you?! You have severe germaphobia!" she cried out, her voice echoing in the massive room.
Ernest stared at her coldly. "My rules are mine to make," he stated, his voice devoid of any warmth. "She is my wife. My boundaries regarding her are none of your concern."
The words hit Genevieve like a physical slap to the face. Her eyes instantly welled up with tears. Her chest heaved.
She gritted her teeth, trying to find a weak spot. "Your mother would never allow you to marry someone from this class!"
The air in the room instantly turned lethal. Ernest's eyes darkened to pitch black. The aura of violence radiating from him was suffocating. "Do not bring my mother into this. You are nothing to me."
Kaylee felt the terrifying shift in Ernest's energy. She knew he was on the verge of exploding. She needed to de-escalate the situation.
"Miss Mckinney, I believe my husband has made himself clear," Kaylee said. She lifted her chin, keeping her voice steady and polite, but firm.
"It is very late, and we are exhausted. As a guest, don't you think it's time for you to leave?" She delivered the eviction notice perfectly.
Genevieve glared at Kaylee. If looks could kill, Kaylee would be dead on the floor. Genevieve's manicured nails dug so hard into her palms they almost drew blood.
She let out a bitter, cold laugh. She straightened her spine, trying to salvage her pride. Genevieve bit her lip, a single tear slipping down her cheek. "You're making a mistake, Ernie. Your mother will be devastated when she hears about this," she whispered gracefully, trying to leverage his family.
Genevieve spun around. She stomped toward the elevator, her sharp heels digging aggressively into the expensive carpet.
As the elevator doors slid shut, Genevieve's eyes locked onto Kaylee through the narrowing gap. The look was pure, concentrated venom.
The elevator chimed and descended. The penthouse fell into a heavy silence.
The threat was gone. Kaylee immediately snatched her arms back. She jumped away from Ernest as if she had been burned.
"I'm so sorry!" she stammered, her face burning hot. "I was just... I was just fulfilling the contract. Acting for the audience."
The sudden loss of her warmth against his chest made Ernest inexplicably irritated. He frowned and aggressively loosened his tie.
"You tried too hard. Make it look natural next time," he snapped, masking his strange reaction with arrogance.
A door opened from the hallway. Agnes, the head housekeeper, rushed out. When she saw Ernest, she quickly bowed her head. "Sir, welcome home."
Ernest looked at her with dead eyes. "Agnes. Go to the finance department tomorrow. Collect three months of severance pay. You are fired."
Agnes's face turned stark white. Her head snapped up in shock. "Sir? What did I do wrong?"
"You allowed a woman I do not know into my private sanctuary. That is a fatal mistake." Ernest's tone left zero room for argument.
Kaylee watched the exchange, her stomach dropping. The man's ruthlessness and extreme territorial control terrified her.
Agnes didn't dare argue. She bowed with tears in her eyes and scurried away.
Ernest turned his attention back to Kaylee. "Go take a shower. You are covered in mud."
He pointed to a set of massive double mahogany doors at the end of the hall. "That is the master bedroom. You sleep there tonight."
Kaylee hugged the crystal box to her chest. She stared at the imposing doors. Her throat went dry as she swallowed hard, terrified of what the night would bring.
