His Mini Bear

CHAPTER- 14

Ace POV:

I was in my office working, but my mind kept drifting to the girl who had turned my life upside down.

It was already 8 in the evening, and I knew everyone would be gathered in the dining hall by now.

A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. It was Athena, informing me that dinner was ready. I followed her to the dining hall, where everyone was already seated.

The room was silent, and I noticed with a frown that Iris was nowhere in sight.

I took my seat and started scrolling through my phone, trying to ignore the mounting tension.

"Where's the new girl?" Leo asked, breaking the silence.

"She's eating with the maids," Athena replied nonchalantly. I could almost hear the eye-roll in her voice.

"Why the hell is she eating there?" Aiden chimed in.

"Well, because she's a maid," Athena said with a matter-of-fact tone.

"And for just a maid, this man held her so gently and helped her this afternoon," Leo pointed at me, raising an eyebrow.

Aiden leaned back with a grin, "He doesn't even give me water when I'm sick with a fever. Maybe I should start taking notes—next time I'm ill, I'll try showing up at his door in a cute apron."

I had told Athena not to mention anything about Iris or I will cut her throat but I didn't tell her Iris was a maid here. This bitch.

Before I could respond, Alex spoke up, "Well, you're not his girl either. If you can eat here, then she can too. So, I want her here right now."

Athena snickered at him and murmured incoherently under her breathe as she stood up to fetch Iris.

"I hate her. Why the hell can't you find a girl who's not a bitch?" Alex grumbled.

After a minute, the sound of Athena's slippers echoed as she returned, followed by Iris.

"Where is she?" Leo asked, clearly impatient.

"Coming," Athena said, rolling her eyes. "Sorry, she was busy brushing up on her 'maid's guide to etiquette.'"

"You better watch your attitude, girl. You're just a fuck, not his girlfriend," Liam said calmly.

Athena fisted her palms and offered him a tight smile, clenching her jaw, hard.

Well, Liam doesn't take kindly to anyone disrespecting any of us, especially Leo.

I sighed as I watched Iris approach, her eyes fixed nervously on the floor. She was wearing a long sleeve shirt and dinosaur leggings—fucking adorable.

I couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for her attention.

Maybe I crave her attention on me. Just me.

"Iris, we're all Ace's family," Hudson said, sitting up straight with an air of authority.

"Um.. Hello," she whispered, bowing to everyone.

Hudson looked genuinely stunned. Clearly, no one had ever bowed to him before, especially not with such earnestness.

"Sit," Liam said, glaring at her with a look that could burn holes through steel.

But Iris, apparently not understanding the concept of a chair, began to sit on the floor. What the hell?

"What are you doing? Sit on a chair," Leo exclaimed, bewildered.