It was raining when Anna ran toward the hotel, breathless. She was late again—last night she’d worked until dawn at the bar when a group of VIPs stayed too long.

“Sorry, Alex! I overslept!” she said, tying her apron as she hurried in. Her hair was pulled back in a tight knot, neat and strict, like a prisoner of routine.

Alex’s brown eyes softened. “It’s fine. I covered for you. Just don’t push yourself too hard.”

Anna smiled faintly and went straight to her trolley of supplies, heading to the elevator. She pressed floor eight—her usual. Above it were fifteen floors, but she had never set foot past ten. Only the most trusted workers reached the top. One day, she hoped.

Hours later, while finishing a room, her supervisor appeared.

“Anna. Floor fifteen. Now.”

Her heart skipped.

When the door opened, she froze. The room was nothing like the others—heavy curtains drowned the light, a massive bed stood with dark leather and perfect charcoal linens. A saber gleamed on the wall, polished like it was sacred. A crystal decanter of wine glowed under the chandelier, red like blood in glass. The air itself was sharp with discipline. This wasn’t a room. It was a throne.

She forced herself to work. Changing sheets, dusting shelves, though her hands trembled slightly. The silence pressed on her chest.

Then—click. The door opened.

A tall figure stepped in, removing his gloves slowly. His eyes, cold and sharp, found her instantly. The weight of his presence swallowed the room whole.

“You are not supposed to be here,” he said, voice deep, commanding.

Anna’s head dropped at once, eyes fixed on the floor. Her throat tightened. She had faced countless guests in her ten years—but this was no ordinary man. This was a General. And for the first time in her life, she felt like prey.

The sound of his boots echoed against the polished floor as he stepped closer. Every move was steady, deliberate, as if the whole room bent to his pace.

“What is your name?” he asked.

“...Anna, sir.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Silence. Then, a low hum—almost approval. “Anna. Ten years of service here, and yet this is your first time in my room.”

Her hands froze on the cloth she was folding. He knew. Somehow, he knew exactly how long she had worked here.

The General poured himself wine, the crimson liquid catching the chandelier’s glow. He took a slow sip, eyes never leaving her.

“You clean well. Precise. Quiet,” he said, setting the glass down. “I prefer silence in my space. Can you keep it that way?”

Anna nodded quickly, still not daring to lift her gaze.

“Good,” he murmured. His tone was calm, but the weight of it pressed on her like a blade at her neck.

For a moment, neither spoke. Only the faint tap of rain against the window filled the void.

Then unexpectedly he turned away, removing his coat and tossing it on the bed she had just made. “Continue your work,” he said without looking back. “I want to see if you can keep your composure… under watch.”

Anna swallowed hard, her fingers tightening on the duster. Every instinct told her to flee but her body obeyed. She bowed lower, whispering, “Yes, General,” before resuming her task, heart racing louder than the storm outside.

While drinking some wine, he just sat there, eyes fixed on her every move. Every small touch, every little action he noticed it all. For some reason, this girl caught his attention at first glance.

Actually, he only came here to rest after last night’s long meeting. He was exhausted. But the moment he opened the hotel room door, he smelled something sweet in the air. It calmed him down instantly, and for a second he thought… maybe he wanted this girl to belong to him.

Every girl adored him, and he knew that. But her? She didn’t even glance at him. That was new. That was a challenge.

He stared at her quietly. Brown hair, hazelnut eyes, thick lips, and that hourglass body she looked like a piece of art. Stunning enough to make any man want her.

Anna, on the other hand, could feel his sharp eyes cutting into her like a blade. She refused to look back. When the General walked into the room, she kept her eyes down she knew it wasn’t appropriate for a hotel worker like her to meet his gaze.

The smell of tobacco filled the room, and it almost made her gag. She hated it. It was suffocating.

"I hope I can finish this quickly… it’s so hard to breathe," she whispered to herself.

Rumors about the General popped into her mind. People said he was ruthless, cold, and had never been close to any woman. Others said he had a mistress. And then there was the story about a fiancée, arranged by his noble family.

‘Ugh, forget it. It’s none of my business. As long as I can live peacefully without pressure, I’m already happy. I still have so many things I want to do.’

She pushed the thoughts aside and continued her work. The General had already gone into the shower after finishing his cigarette. Quietly, Anna slipped out of the room without saying a word.

The next morning, she was called into the supervisor’s office. This time, thankfully, she wasn’t late.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Come in!” Supervisor Mary’s voice rang out.

“Yes, Miss. Why did you call me?” Anna asked politely.

“Anna, from today, you’ll be in charge of cleaning the rooms on the 15th floor. That’s your responsibility now. And remember—don’t mess it up.”

“Oh, seriously? Why so sudden, Miss? I thought I only needed to cover yesterday since Daniel wasn’t here.”

“Yeah, that’s true. But the General requested you.” Mary smirked. “Maybe you already caught the bird without even realizing it.”

“Please don’t say that, Miss…”

“Alright then. Good luck,” Mary said, dismissing her.

Anna left without thinking too much about Mary’s words. She headed straight to the 15th floor. A friend had already told her that the General wouldn’t be around today because he was busy, and that news made her feel relieved.

Once she finished cleaning for a while, sleepiness started to take over. Just a quick nap… he’s not here anyway, she thought.

She laid down on the soft bed, feeling like she had just stepped into heaven. So this is what it feels like to be rich, she smiled, closing her eyes. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep.

But then warm breath brushed against her neck.

Anna’s eyes flew open.

A pair of ocean-blue eyes stared back at her. Thin lips, sharp features, and a masculine face hovered above, looking straight into her with burning intensity.

Her heart froze. She was dumbfounded, anxious, and almost fainted.

“What do I do? I fell asleep on his bed… and now he’s on top of me?”