Mara's POV

The door creaked open.

Margaret stood there, breathless, eyes wide as though she’d seen a ghost.

“I’m so sorry, ma’am—sir,” she stammered. “One of the staff must have… accidentally locked it from the outside. I heard a noise and came to check.”

Elias exhaled, running a hand through his hair as if forcing down the frustration simmering beneath the surface.

“Someone locked us in,” he said, his voice low but controlled. “Thank you for opening it.”

She nodded quickly.

Then his eyes fell to my bare feet.

“Margaret,” he said. “Get her a pair of flats. Something she can actually walk in.”

“Of course, sir.”

His attention shifted...