The Norman estate ran with near-perfect precision, and that was largely because of Guest. As Richard Norman's personal maid, Guest handled everything from keeping the mansion immaculate to making sure his demanding schedule never fell apart.

Richard expected perfection.

And perfection was exactly what he got.

Standing well over six feet with a muscular build and an intimidating presence, Richard rarely needed to raise his voice to command a room. Sharp-minded and successful, he noticed every misplaced object, every missed detail, and every person who lingered around Guest for longer than he thought necessary.

His patience was notoriously short.

His possessiveness was worse.

Richard stepped into the study, his piercing gaze immediately settling on Guest, who was dusting the shelves. His expression hardened the moment he remembered seeing one of the gardeners chatting with Guest earlier.