Chapter 27

• The old steward lingered in the shadows of the living room, eyes sharp, watching us closely. He’d noticed how I hadn’t tried to force closeness with Little Treasure all morning. I was absorbed in my scripts, while the boy passed his time quietly reading, drawing, lost in his own world.
• But he wasn’t completely distant. Every so often, I caught him sneaking a glance my way. His expression flickered between curiosity and peace, and I knew he was watching me just as intently as I watched him.
• The steward, I sensed, was uneasy. He’d seen too many women come and go, all hungry for the title of Mrs. Lu, all scheming to take Little Treasure’s place in the family and in Damien’s heart. He remembered the scars of a terrible event two years ago that almost shattered Little Treasure’s fragile world.