"No, you won't. It's an order, Lucian... Sit."
Laura stood up, smiling, and whispered a few words to Tom—about stealing a necklace and framing it on Jane or the butler as her acquaintance.
"Perfect," Tom whispered. "Do it."
Lucian sighed. He sat on the adjacent seat towards Jane. That was when Jane took a drink.
"Hmm... it's really tasty. Have some," Jane offered him a drink.
'Is she really this kind? I should be her butler and she's treating me like her equal,' thought Lucian.
He hadn't seen anyone like Jane. If it were him, he would take full advantage of an opportunity like this.
As the party went on, Jane and Lucian were gradually beginning to have a conversation.
"Can you believe her? She rejected a millionaire and she's chatting with a common butler," said Mrs. Manhattan.
Lucian's mother overheard the conversation. When she turned, she saw them laughing—the two people she admired.
"Can you believe it... hahaha," Lucian laughed with Jane. 'Hmph... she doesn't seem bad.'
Then his phone beeped. Bringing it out, he saw a message from his mother telling him to take Jane for a dance.
Since when are butlers allowed to dance with guests?
Even though he wasn't a butler, to everyone, he was. Then his mother spammed his text box with a crying emoji.
Lucian looked at Jane stuffing a cupcake into her mouth.
"Um... ma'am," Lucian stuttered.
"Don't worry, Lucian. I'll keep cupcakes for you," Jane replied. She thought it was something to do with the cupcakes.
"Thanks, ma'am. But can I ask you for a dance?"
Accompanying Lucian's words, Jane stopped eating and looked at him.
The dance floor was filled with wealthy people dancing together. It would be undoubtedly noticeable if she was dancing with a butler.
"Oh, why is that?" asked Jane, hiding the fact that she'd feel embarrassed.
"It's just that, as a butler, it was my mother's wish that I'd dance with a beautiful lady from the Manhattan house."
Jane felt her cheeks flush and also heartbroken. She misunderstood Lucian when he said it was his mother's wish.
She initially thought Lucian's mother was dead.
"Well, I'm not much of a dancer," said Jane.
With that, Lucian stood up and bowed his head, with his hand gestured out for Jane to take.
"Oh my God, you have to be kidding me. She wants to dance with a butler," Laura pointed out.
They looked at them and burst out in laughter. Lucian had never felt this ashamed.
But clearing away that shame was Jane's soft touch. She placed her hand on his and stood up.
"Lead the way," said Jane.
As expected, dancing with a butler caught everyone's attention.
Not just that, the chemistry between them was something everyone admired, to the point where almost everyone left the stage for Jane and her butler.
"Ma'am, everyone is staring."
At this point, Jane didn't give a fuck. She rested her head on his chest, placing his arm around her waist and hers around his neck.
"Why would she be dancing with a servant?"
"For God's sake, that's a butler."
"Whose family is that girl from? Doesn't she have shame?"
"I think it's Jane Manhattan."
"The Manhattan? A butler and a Manhattan? How can a poor man like him be with her?"
"I heard she turned down a millionaire's proposal, and now she's with a poor butler with no name. These types of people are the ones that live poor lives."
Not only could Mrs. Manhattan hear these gossips and feel ashamed.
Lucian could also hear people calling him poor, along with the gossips about Jane.
Diverting his thoughts from them, Jane muttered to him.
"It's okay, Lucian. Let them judge."
The music stopped and most of the guests clapped. Lucian looked over at his mother's table and saw her wave a kiss with a smile.
'At least Mother is happy,' thought Lucian.
While they were going to their seats, the lights went off, causing everyone to gasp, and then they immediately turned back on.
"Fuck! Someone stole my gold watch," a man yelled.
His words kept everyone alert as they began checking themselves to see if anything was missing.
"Who stole my gold watch?" the fat man yelled and stood up.
By this time, Lucian and Jane were already halfway to their seat.
"Stop right there! It was him!"
The voice came from the sides—it was Laura pointing fingers at Lucian.
"Please help me! Someone also stole my necklace."
"What?" asked Lucian. He was surprised and shocked, just like his mother and sister.
"Please, someone help me find my necklace. It was a gift from my husband. Someone, please help me!"
At this point, everyone's attention was glued to the scene, and Lucian was everyone's target.
"It makes sense. I mean, this is like a banquet for wealthy people. Which wealthy person would want to steal?"
"Yes, you're right. It would only make sense that the butler stole it to feed himself."
The rumors were already spreading wide like a woman's legs.
"And ma'am, your necklace was stolen by my sister. She's a professional thief," said Juliet.
Lucian and Jane looked at each other. Why would anyone want to frame them? But Jane already had a clue who it was.
Lucian was the only one in the dark here.
"Why would I steal a cheap gold watch to risk myself getting fired?" said Lucian.
"Cheap? You call my watch cheap, you bastard?" The owner of the watch now had his hand grabbing Lucian by the collar.
"That watch is worth six hundred million, and you dare call it cheap, huh?" the man yelled.
"I'm sorry, sir. There must be a misunderstanding. This man was with me all through. I don't believe he stole from you," said Jane.
"Shut the fuck up, sister. This is the reason why we don't bring you to parties. I'm sure you've bribed the butler to steal the watch so he would sleep with you. Tell us why you follow a butler... it's because he's the most desperate and easy to manipulate."
Everyone paid attention to Laura's words. Tom was just sitting, smiling, and allowing his sisters to convince the audience.
And now, everyone was saying it made sense.
Lucian could stop this with one word, but he kept quiet. If they knew who he really was, then all the blame would be on Jane.
Because then they would ask why a trillionaire would steal a watch worth six hundred million.
It was considered cheap for him.
"Hey, you three. Why are you standing there? Go and check them," at last, Tom said something.
The three butlers he pointed at gave a nod, dropped their tray of drinks, and walked towards Lucian and Jane.
"Please, ma'am. I've been told to search you for the stolen items."
"Please, sir. I've been told to search you for the stolen items."
Lucian scoffed. Things were beginning to get interesting. Proving they were innocent, the servants found nothing on them.
"That's not enough. Why don't you search their table?" said Juliet.
"Did you put it there?" asked Lucian.
His question provoked Juliet and she stormed towards him, then gave him a deadening slap. Her palm sounded on Lucian's jaw.
Lucy and Lucinda stood up immediately, but Lucian's signaled hand gesture made them sit back.
"You petty butler thief! You dare accuse me of theft when I clearly saw you do it... Check their table. I am sure he stole it and hid them there."
The butlers did as they were told, and just as Juliet had said, everyone gasped when the necklace and the watch came out.
"Oh my, she really does know her sister very well."
Seeing his gold watch, the fat man was pissed off and grabbed Lucian by the collar again.
"You ba-bastard! So you did steal it, huh?"
As the man was about to lay a punch on Lucian's face, Mrs. Frost's voice thundered.
"Don't you dare!" Lucian's mother roared, stopping the man instantly.
"We should call the police and get them arrested, Madam Lucinda."
"Nobody calls the police to my mansion. All of you should leave at once."
Everyone stood dumbfounded. Was the butler somehow connected to Mrs. Frost?
Or was it that she doesn't like scenes like this—especially not when her employee is involved?
"My mother said leave. Guards, see the families out."
It didn't take long, and every family was rounded up, each leaving the Frost compound as the party was over.
But for Jane, her family had left her behind.
"What happened here, Mother? What type of psycho people did we invite?" Lucian was frustrated. "I almost lost my temper. If it wasn't that Jane had held my fist, I would have broken that man's jaw."
Lucinda clearly understood her son's rage and knew his temper wasn't a good one, which was why she quickly ended everything.
"It's okay, Lucian."
"No, Mother. It's not your fault. This is how they treat commoners," Lucian sighed.
He sat on the arranged guest table and massaged his forehead while someone unexpectedly massaged his shoulder.
"Hey, guess what?" Lucy whispered. "Today's not over and you're still her butler."
"Whose butler? Hasn't she gone home?"
"No, brother. Her family left her behind. She's sitting at the entrance stairwell."
Lucian's mother and sister now sat in front of him, smiling.
"Well, tell someone to get her home."
"When she has a butler? Seriously, brother, Mom's birthday isn't over yet, you know."
"Please, Lucian," said his mother.
"Seriously?" Lucian sighed. "Oh, fuck this."
---
Outside the stairwell entrance, Jane was sitting there alone, cuddling her knees.
She was admiring the garden and Frost compound. Then she heard footsteps walking towards her from behind.
Lucian sat next to her with a heavy sigh to introduce his presence.
"I hope I didn't get you fired," said Jane with the most calm and intoxicating voice.
"No, no, not at all. Madam still says I'm your butler."
The two of them remained quiet for a while, until Lucian spoke first.
"I heard you turned down a millionaire's proposal. Is that true?"
"Yes. It was for his sake. My family would have used his money to establish a billion-dollar company. I couldn't tell him that."
Lucian sighed. He was about to ask her about the ten billion dollars he sent her, but then he recalled Tom saying they would deal with Jane at home.
Lucian stood up as a black McLaren parked in front of them. A man, wearing a similar butler uniform, came out with the keys and tossed them.
Lucian caught the key, and the butler left without saying a word.
"Alright. I think I should get you home and have a few words with your family."
"Take me home? I don't have money to pay for a butler."
"Don't worry, Mrs. Jane Manhattan. Madam has assigned me as your personal butler. Now—are you ready to go home?"
Jane froze. Lucian was such a gentleman to her.
She couldn't keep his hand suspended and held it before standing up.
As they reached the McLaren, Lucian opened her door, but before she got in—
"Whatever happens in my house, please don't interfere," said Jane.
Lucian couldn't help but think back to the words of Tom—deal with you when we get home—however, he agreed with Lucian.
"I'm just your butler, ma'am. There's nothing I can do."