Chapter 9 - The Promotion
After the meeting adjourned, a trembling Grace rushed up to the front of the hall, catching Adrian before he could leave. "Mr. Whitmore, this... this has to be a joke. I’m just a maid. I have no experience managing a multi-million-dollar estate!"
"You know more about running this house with dignity than anyone I have ever hired," Adrian said quietly, looking down at her with genuine respect. "You saw past the dirt and the clothes when I stood at that gate. That is true leadership."
"Why did you do it, Mr. Whitmore?" she asked, her voice softening. "Why go undercover as a beggar?"
"Because I needed to find out if fear was the only way to earn respect," Adrian admitted openly. "You taught me that kindness is far more powerful."
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Grace smiled, a bright, confident expression that transformed her face. "Well, if I'm running this estate now, my first rule is that you have to actually eat lunch when you visit."
Adrian laughed—a rare, genuine sound that shocked his own assistants. "Deal."
