Chapter 2 - The Table for Two
Zo guided Tessa up the private service elevator, past the shocked gazes of his guards, and straight into his personal dining hall on the top floor of the estate.
The long mahogany table was set with a feast fit for royalty—seared prime rib, buttered asparagus, artisanal bread, and expensive wine.
Zo pulled out the velvet-cushioned chair at the head of the table. "Sit."
"Mr. Rossi, I can't sit here—"
"Tessa," Zo interrupted, his voice laced with absolute authority. "Sit down."
She sat nervously on the edge of the chair. Zo turned to his chief butler, who stood frozen in the corner.
"Pack four thermal boxes with fresh steak, roasted chicken, vegetables, and three portions of dessert," Zo ordered. "And tell my personal physician, Dr. Mercer, to prepare a medical transport. We leave in twenty minutes."
"Yes, Mr. Rossi!" the butler bowed quickly and hurried into the kitchen.
Zo sat across from Tessa, pouring her a tall glass of sparkling water and sliding a plate of hot bread and soup toward her. "Eat."
Tessa’s hands shook as she picked up a spoon. The warmth of the soup hit her tongue, and tears spilled down her cheeks again. She had spent months starving in silence, surviving on coffee and crusts of bread, while carrying the weight of her child's survival entirely on her own shoulders.
"Why are you doing this?" she whispered, wiping her face with a silk napkin. "I'm just a maid."
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"You came into my house, surrounded by millions in cash and secrets that could destroy me, and you never touched a dime," Zo said, his dark eyes unblinking. "You starved yourself so your child could live. That makes you worth more than every politician and soldier in this city."
He leaned closer, his expression darkening with a protective fury. "And from this moment on, no one under my roof goes hungry."
