The gilded hall echoed with the silence that followed Leo's last sentence, the weight of his words settling heavy upon Selena and her father like a shroud.
The air crackled with tension as they stood facing Leo, a boy whose humor and arrogance now bore the fierce weight of the decisions that could either save or shatter their family's legacy.
Leo leaned back against his ornate chair, the very embodiment of relaxed composure, while his emerald eyes sparkled with mischief.
"Since you are both so eager to negotiate, let's lay out a condition," he said, each word dripping with that casual disdain that sharpened the tension in the room to a fine point.
Selena's stomach tightened.
What could he possibly ask for?
She stole a glance at her father's clenched fists and worried brow, a shadow flickering beneath the surface of his usually composed demeanor.
She could sense the storm brewing, and nothing about this moment felt like the calm from before a tempest.
"Go on," her father finally urged, a hint of dread lacing his tone.
"A simple request," Leo replied, amusement dancing at the corners of his lips.
"I want you, Selena, to become my maid from now on."
At his proclamation, Selena's eyes widened in disbelief, and an involuntary frown set upon her features.
"No!" she protested vehemently, the words bursting forth, igniting a fierce rebellion within her.
"I will never agree to that!"
Leo's laughter rang through the hall, warm yet tinged with malicious glee, as if he were thoroughly entertained by her defiance.
"Do you really think I am a fool? You're not even worthy of being my maid," he mocked, savoring the play of power that danced between them.
"I gave you an offer, and you rejected it. Guess you can leave."
Selena's heart sank, an uncomfortable pang of shame twisting in her stomach.
The prospect of her family's fate hung precariously in the balance, and in a desperate bid for their continued existence, her father's expression shifted from one of rage to one of grim determination.
"Wait!" he gritted through clenched teeth, his resolve hardening like steel tempered in fire.
"If this is what it takes to ensure our safety, then I agree to your request. You can have her as your maid."
Selena turned, stunned by her father's capitulation.
"You can't be serious!" she exclaimed, disbelief mingling with a rising tide of anger.
"Father, I won't allow this!"
Leo's laughter filled the air again, bubbling with a sense of triumph.
"Well, isn't this delightful? You are a fine example of loyalty, I must say."
He leaned closer, eyes gleaming with a predatory delight.
"Guess that means I won't attack your family directly."
A flicker of relief washed over her father's face, but for Selena, the notion felt like a bitter pill that lodged itself in her throat.
The price for their survival weighed heavily upon her shoulders, and despite her irritation at being reduced to the status of a maid, the gravity of their situation drew affirmation from her.
Yet, even as her father's demeanor relaxed, the incredulousness of the moment settled into despair at the back of her mind.
"I'll do whatever it takes to save this family," her father murmured, breaking the silence that had enveloped them like a thick fog.
But Leo leaned back, his expression shifting to one of playful malice.
"I said I wouldn't attack directly, but indirectly? That's a different story," he said, his tone now laced with the amusement of a child toying with his toys.
"Without my involvement, I cannot guarantee the protection of your family business or family."
Selena felt a chill run down her spine, the looming threat of devastation a heavy cloak hanging over them.
The audacity of the situation left her feeling hollow.
"Please," her father suddenly knelt down, his forehead practically kissing the ground in a display of desperation.
"Please, Young Master Leo, show mercy on us. I will do anything to save my family!"
Looking down at his father, Selena felt a surge of guilt ignite within her.
"No…" she whispered, horrified by the sight of her father reduced to this—a once-mighty man humbling himself before someone he had deemed beneath them.
An unbearable weight pressed against her chest.
"I… I will be your maid. I will serve you for this lifetime! Just please let my family live," Selena declared, determination igniting her soul like a flickering flame fanned into an inferno.
Leo's smile widened, as if her submission was the sweetest nectar he had ever tasted.
"Ah, this is much better," he mused, relishing the satisfaction that came from crushing pride.
This moment felt profoundly more fulfilling than any victory he had achieved against mere obstacles—a taste of true mastery over the once-revered heroine.
"Very well," he said, stroking his chin with mock consideration, the scheming light in his eyes glimmering with unfettered mirth.
"If you're agreeing to be my maid, then I am more inclined to spare your family—but I have another request."
At that moment, a spark of hope lit up Selena's heart, momentarily coaxing her fears into a dark corner.
Maybe this was a path toward salvation, one that could protect her family while allowing her to prove her worth.
"What is it?" she and her father asked in unison, their voices trembling with anticipation.
Leo leaned forward, the anticipation building in the room coiling itself around them like a serpent about to strike.
"I want fifty percent of your business shares," he proposed nonchalantly.
"You will convert your company into an affiliate of the Aetherwind Corporation."
Selena's heart dropped, the world tilting on its axis as despair surged through her father's eyes.
"What?" he gasped, disbelief coloring his tone.
"We cannot do that! Our family has built this business over generations!"
"Do you really think you have a choice?" Leo interjected, his voice like ice, cutting through her father's protest.
"You can keep clinging to pride, or you can take this opportunity and survive. It's a generous offer considering the grave circumstances you find yourselves in."
Selena looked at her father, uncertainty etched on his face, the dilemma heavy like a shroud—the course laid out before them was fraught with peril, yet stepping onto this path might be their only way out of the darkness that threatened to engulf them.
"Father…" she began, her voice delicate as silk.
"We may have to consider this."
He shook his head vehemently.
"You don't understand the implications! Surrendering half our shares means—"
"It means we survive!" she retorted, her voice rising in vehement rebellion.
"Father, you saw how Leo threatened us earlier. If we refuse, we risk our entire legacy crumbling to dust. At least this way, we can salvage something."
Her father fell silent, the lines of worry on his forehead deepening, mirrored by weariness etched into the corners of his eyes.
The weight of the world seemed to press down upon him, and for a fleeting moment, Selena saw the man he had once been—the strong, unwavering patriarch who had always shielded his family from harm.
"Selena…" he said finally, his voice shaking with a mixture of fear and sadness.
"You can't truly believe this is the right choice for you."
But she met his gaze with unwavering determination, her heart steadying, resolute in the face of potential despair.
"To be able to survive this disaster is already a relief. We can rebuild, Father. We must make sacrifices now to save the greater good."
Leo watched the exchange with an amused glint in his eye, savoring the tumultuous emotions swirling between them.
It was a spectacle he relished—the heroine, stripped of her pride, now clutching onto the fragile hope of salvation.
He reveled in the price paid for that salvation and how it unfolded before him like a well-crafted play with characters he could manipulate at will.
Finally, her father sighed in resignation, muscles relaxing as he seemed to relinquish the hold on his stubborn pride.
"If that is what you wish, then we will do it," he proclaimed, though the weight of his capitulation echoed through the hall.
"Excellent decision," Leo replied, a bemused smile stretching across his lips.
"This new alliance could yield fruitful results for both families."
He reveled in the moment, the sweet satisfaction of having bent their will, tasting the glorious essence of control and power as he transformed what was once a rebellious heroine into an obedient maid, tethered to his whims.
Settling back against his chair, Leo could hardly contain his excitement.
"Now you will begin your new role, and I expect absolute loyalty," he said, each word dripping with playful malice.
"Should you falter or entertain thoughts of treachery, I assure you that I possess the means to ensure the destruction of not just your business, but your family."
Selena swallowed hard, the words curling around her mind like a serpent, tightening its grip around the last vestiges of her defiance.
"I will do whatever is necessary," she assured him, the weight of her statement settling on her heart.
She felt the remnants of her pride crumbling beneath the solemnity of her commitment.
"For my family."
Leo's smirk widened, a glimmer of satisfaction lighting his eyes.
"Wonderful," he said, delight threading through his amused tone.
"Welcome aboard, Selena. You'll find that serving me will be… an enlightening experience."
As the atmosphere shifted, Selena felt a whirlwind of emotions churn within her—frustration, guilt, but also a sliver of hope.
She had made her choice, and while the road ahead was uncertain and littered with obstacles, they could still rectify the course of their fate.
"Now that we've settled this matter," Leo continued, clasping his hands together as though the negotiation had been a mere game, "let's discuss the formalities of this new arrangement. I do expect you to conduct yourself properly while in service."
As he spoke, Selena absorbed every word, feeling the reality of her situation settle uneasily in her chest, but there was no turning back now.
Acquiescing to Leo's demands was her only chance to save her family from absolute ruin, but it also meant entering a world where she would be subservient to someone she had once dared to belittle.
In that instant, a raging fire ignited within her—a determination that she would one day find a way to reclaim her dignity, her agency as an individual.
Despite the chains now binding her to Leo, she envisioned a time when she would break free and revert the tides of her fate.
"Let's get started, then," she said, her voice steadier than she felt as she straightened her posture, channeling the remnants of her once-untouchable pride into a new sense of purpose.
She would find a way to turn the tables and rebuild the Luxveil family's legacy—not just for her father, but for herself.
The scene before her shifted like the moving tides, and with that light flickering upon the horizon, Selena stepped into the unfamiliar world of servitude—each step a negotiation with her own identity.
As she prepared herself for this new chapter, she couldn't help but steal a glance at Leo, whose laughter echoed within the lavish halls, and in that moment, her determination solidified: she would not remain beneath his reign forever.
The flames of rebellion still smoldered within her soul, awaiting the right moment to ignite into an inferno.
Within the depths of her heart, the journey had only begun.