Chapter 109 Chapter 109
In the hallway, outside the kitchen.
As soon as the doors closed, the group of employees collectively let out a breath they had been holding.
Enrico wiped the sweat from his forehead, still stunned.
He looked at one of the cooks. “Do you have any idea what the Lord is trying to prepare in there?”
The staff shook their heads, perplexed. “No, Mr. Enrico. He asked for a cooler bag and hot water... we've never seen this before.”
The mystery hung in the air. What in God's name would make the Great Wolf descend from his throne to play nurse?
Enrico frowned, his experienced butler's mind working quickly. He spotted the young maid Nicholas had spoken to upstairs earlier.
“Hey, you,” Enrico called discreetly. “When the Lord approached you in the hallway just now... what did he ask for?”
The maid blushed violently, her face turning the color of a cherry. She glanced around before whispering, embarrassed, about the unusual request for “emergency feminine items.”
Upon hearing this, Enrico, a traditional and burly man, felt his ears burn. He coughed loudly to hide his embarrassment.
"Ahem, ahem! I see... um... right.
The pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
The Lord was in the kitchen, wearing an apron, boiling water... to prepare a hot water bottle.
All this to relieve the Lady's cramps.
Enrico's initial shock turned into silent and somewhat terrified admiration.
Nicholas Wolf, the man who barely tolerated the presence of women, was willing to serve his wife in the most humble way possible.
If he were an ordinary man, it would be a sweet gesture. But coming from him? From a man who was born on top of the world and never had to lift a finger for anything? That was rare. It was extraordinary.
He could have snapped his fingers and ten maids would have rushed to do it.
But he chose to do it himself.
There was only one logical explanation: he didn't just want her pain to stop. He wanted to be the one to take care of her. He loved her so much that he forgot his own status.
Next to Enrico, the young maid covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes shining with emotion.
“My God...” she whispered. “Are you doing this yourself?”
She was about to cry with pure envy.
To them, Nicholas was like an untouchable Greek god, cold and distant on Mount Olympus. To see this god descend to earth and act with such devotion to a mortal... it was the dream of any romance novel.
“You must have saved the universe in a past life,” murmured the maid dreamily. “How is it possible for a man like that to exist?”
Enrico sighed, agreeing inwardly. The Lord was undoubtedly making every possible exception for Caroline.
“Butler Enrico...” The maid's curiosity overcame her fear. She moved closer.
“Do you know who exactly our mistress is? How did he marry her so suddenly, without any warning?”
A buzz began among the other servants.
“We all thought that the future Mrs. Wolf would be Miss Sheila Turner,” commented another cook, quietly. “After all, they grew up together. They are the perfect match in the eyes of society.”
The Wolf and Turner families had equal weight in gold and influence. They were the royalty of São Paulo.
“That's true,” agreed the first maid. “And your mother, Madame Wolf, adores Miss Sheila. She has always treated her like a biological daughter. They say Madame's greatest wish is to see the two of them married.”
The maid's eyes widened as she realized the danger. “Does Madame Wolf even know about this marriage? If she finds out that her daughter-in-law isn't Miss Sheila, but this unknown girl... there will be war in this house.”
Enrico's expression immediately darkened. The wrinkles on his forehead deepened.
He knew exactly how dangerous this matter was. Nicholas's mother was not an easy woman to deal with. If she decided to intervene... Caroline would have difficult days ahead.
“Silence!” Enrico hissed sternly.
“You shouldn't be discussing this! Don't meddle in the affairs of the master and mistress. This is nobody's business here.”
He looked at each of them with a clear warning in his eyes.
“Don't blame me for not warning you. If the master hears a whisper of this conversation, you'll all be out on the street before lunch. Do your jobs and keep your mouths shut!”
Enrico's authoritative tone caused the group to disperse immediately, like frightened ants.
“Understood, Mr. Enrico,” said the maid timidly. “I won't ask any more questions.”
But as they returned to work, the seed of doubt had been planted. Peace at Wolf Manor might be temporary.
Inside, oblivious to the gossip and family politics, Nicholas finished filling the cooler bag with the care of someone handling diamonds, focused on only one thing: easing the pain of the woman waiting for him upstairs.
Enrico gave the young maid one last stern look, making sure the message had been engraved in her mind.
“Furthermore...” The butler lowered his voice, making it confidential and dangerous. “Not a word about the President's marriage to Mrs. Ford should leave these walls. Do you understand?”
The maid nodded frantically, her eyes wide. “Yes, Mr. Enrico! My lips are sealed.”
“Good. You may go.”
Enrico waved her away.
As he watched her walk away, the butler sighed. In fact, Nicholas had never given an explicit order of absolute silence. He didn't seem the type of man who would hide his wife out of shame.
But... in the world of the elite, silence is golden.
If the King had not announced the Queen publicly, there was a reason. It could be protection, strategy, or simply the right time. Until Nicholas made the official announcement, it was up to the servants to protect the couple's privacy at all costs.
(...)
In the Master Bedroom.
Caroline had gone to bed early the night before and, thanks to Nicholas's “human heater,” had nine hours of uninterrupted, restful sleep.
She woke up feeling refreshed, with no sign of tiredness.
Lying in bed waiting for Nicholas to return with the hot water bottle was starting to get boring. Just as she picked up her cell phone to send a message, Tania's name lit up on the screen.
Caroline answered immediately, a smile appearing on her lips. “Tania! Did you miss me?”
On the other end of the line, Tania's laughter was loud and clear. “Of course I did, you ungrateful girl! I could hardly sleep last night without you to gossip with.”
Caroline laughed, settling into the soft pillows.
“Really? Well, wait a minute. I'll be free soon to keep you company.”
“Oh, really?” Tania's tone changed, becoming mischievous and provocative. “Do you think I'm naive? ‘Free’? I highly doubt it. The real question is: can you walk today?”
Caroline frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”