Maid To The Three Mafia Kings

⋆ Chapter 60: The Calm After Marionne

Millie clung to Evan's arm as they climbed the staircase. Her sobs had softened to quiet whimpers, the echoes of her pain now just a gentle tremor in the silence between them. When they reached the landing, Evan gently steered her down the narrow hallway toward his room, his arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders. She moved mechanically, allowing him to guide her without a word.

As they entered the room, Evan led her to the edge of his bed. She sat down heavily, staring blankly at the floor, her hands trembling slightly in her lap. Across the room, Evan moved with quietly, pouring wine into a glass from a bottle on the nightstand. The soft clink of the glass felt out of place, too delicate for the weight of the moment.

He turned back to her, holding the glass out. "Here... this will help you calm down," he said softly.

Millie's eyes flickered to the glass, then slowly up to meet his. Evan's chest tightened as he saw her tear-streaked face—her cheeks red and blotchy, eyes swollen from crying, hair tangled and messy. His jaw clenched involuntarily, and he felt the tension in his hand as he gripped the glass tighter, barely holding back the anger that simmered beneath the surface.

"I can't... I can't drink at work," Millie whispered, though the uncertainty in her voice betrayed her lack of conviction.

Evan didn't hesitate. "Come on." He took her hand gently, pressing the cool glass into her palm. "Of course you can," he murmured. "Go ahead."

Millie glanced at the wine again, then took a tentative sip, the liquid warming her throat as it went down. Evan knelt before her, his eyes searching her face for answers.

"What did Marionne do to you?" he asked, his voice low. He reached down, his fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear.

Millie exhaled deeply, her breath shuddering as she took another sip of wine. "It's nothing..." she muttered, her gaze dropping back to the glass in her hands.

Evan's expression hardened. He inhaled sharply. "Come on, Millie. Tell me. What did she do? I'll find out eventually, so just tell me now."

Millie hesitated, her eyes darting to the floor as if gathering the courage to speak. "She punched me in the stomach, kicked me..." she began softly, her voice wavering. "Look, Evan... she wouldn't have done it if I hadn't messed with her stuff."

Evan's face darkened as he took in her words, his brow furrowing with anger and guilt. He clenched his fists, trying to keep his composure. "I made you do it, Millie," he said, his tone both firm and apologetic. "And even if you did touch her things, that's not an excuse to do what she did to you." His voice was steady, but the frustration in his eyes was clear. "Listen, I'm really sorry about all of this. It's my fault... all of it."

Millie placed the glass on the bedside table, her fingers lingering on it for a moment before she shook her head slowly. "No, Evan. It was stupid of me," she murmured, her voice thick with shame. "I'm old enough to think for myself, but I still went along with it. I should've known better."

Evan's jaw tightened. "But I promised you—" he began, his voice catching slightly.

"No." She cut him off, her tone firm. "It's already happened. We can't undo it. I've always been reckless, so careless," she said, her voice cracking. Fresh tears welled up, threatening to spill as her hands balled into fists at her sides. "And Andrea... she didn't deserve what Marionne did to her. That's on me too."

Evan's face softened with sympathy, his heart aching for her. "Please, Millie... don't blame yourself. I made the dare."

"And I went for it without thinking," she countered. It was clear she wasn't blaming him, only herself. "It's a lesson I should've learned a long time ago. I'm just... so stupid and reckless."