The mansion was quiet, as if it were holding its breath. Even the chandeliers seemed to shimmer less brightly in the soft afternoon light. Mia had just finished preparing a small tray of tea and herbs for Aiden's session, placing it carefully on the side table. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. Today would be another test
not just for him, but for her.
Aiden sat near the window, hands folded in his lap, eyes staring blankly at the gray clouds outside. His posture was rigid, almost defensive, the same way it had been every day since she first arrived. She knew he was watching her, analyzing every movement. Every step she took.
"Sir…" Mia began softly, "I'm ready for today's session."
His gray eyes flicked toward her briefly before returning to the window. The silence stretched long enough for her to question herself. Does he even want this?
Finally, he spoke, voice low and sharp. "Why should I trust you?"
Mia froze for a heartbeat, then met his gaze steadily. "Because I'm serious, sir," she said. "I'm not here to mock you, to play games, or to take advantage of you. I'm here because I want to help. I want to help your leg, help you walk again… and I need this job to save my mother's life. That's all. Nothing more."
He turned fully toward her now, gray eyes piercing, filled with a storm of doubt, pride, and something else she couldn't place. "And if I… if I let you… and you fail? Or make a mistake? Or leave?"
"I won't," Mia said firmly, though her chest tightened. "I won't fail you. I'll stay, I'll work, and I'll do whatever it takes to help. I promise."
Aiden leaned back in his chair, silent. She could feel the weight of his scrutiny pressing down on her like a physical force. He wanted proof, not words, not promises. Proof.
Mia's heart pounded. She had no time for despair. "I'll prove it to you," she whispered, stepping closer. "You don't have to trust me with your heart, sir. Just trust me with your leg. Let me help you. That's all I ask."
Aiden's jaw tightened. A shadow of his usual icy exterior softened for just a fraction of a second. The faintest flicker of curiosity passed across his face, quickly replaced with skepticism but it was there.
"You'll see," she added quietly, more to herself than to him. "I'll prove you can trust me."
For the first time since she had arrived, the mansion felt less cold, less like a fortress. Aiden didn't respond with warmth or gratitude, he didn't smile or nod, but he didn't push her away either. That small silence, that absence of resistance, was enough.
It wasn't trust. Not yet. But it was a beginning.
And beginnings, Mia knew, were often the most powerful steps of all.