Katherine tried to avoid Kassandra's gaze, but witches had a way of finding you. Kassandra's eyes flicked to Katherine, a slow, cruel smirk curling her lips as she sauntered past.
"I see you've been chatting," Kassandra sneered. "Is this what y'all do before my arrival into this household? Gossip and idle chatter? Is this what you're paid for?" Her words slithered through the kitchen, silencing the room. "You peo–"
Ma'am Rachel stepped forward, unintentionally cutting her off. "Ma'am Kassandra, is there something you need? I can send the maid to attend to—"
Before she could finish, Kassandra's fury exploded. With a sharp, blistering slap, she struck Ma'am Rachel across the face. Milk spilled from Rachel's trembling hands, cascading onto Kassandra's polished shoe.
Gasps echoed, the kitchen frozen in horror.
Ma'am Rachel pressed a shaking hand to her cheek, head bowed, eyes stinging.
"You old hag!" Kassandra snarled. "Don't cut me off when I'm speaking! Do you understand?"
Katherine's breath caught, but before she could stop herself, she spoke up.
"Ma'am Kassandra, with all due respect… you shouldn't strike an elder especially one old enough to be your mother. It's cruel."
The room fell into a deadly silence.
Kassandra's eyes blazed with disbelief and fury. The audacity of this worthless maid!
"It's okay, Kath," Ma'am Rachel whispered, trying to defuse the tension.
But Kassandra's glare snapped to Katherine.
"Let her speak," Kassandra sneered. "Yes, let the worthless maid speak. Do you think that just because my husband hasn't divorced me yet, you have the right to talk back to the lady of this house? Come here!"
Katherine swallowed hard, stepping closer to Kassandra.
"Kneel!" Kassandra snapped sharply.
Katherine glanced at Ma'am Rachel, who urged her with a worried glance. Slowly, trembling, Katherine sank to her knees before Kassandra, fists clenched tight to hold back the trembling rage.
"Now, lick my shoes. Clean the spilled milk from my shoes, the mess your senior maid dropped," Kassandra ordered coldly.
Gasps rippled through the maids for the umpethneeth time.
"Ma'am Kassandra, please, I'll clean it myself. It was my fault," Ma'am Rachel pleaded, eyes flickering to the agony etched across Katherine's face.
"Never," Kassandra spat. "My husband's debtor will do it."
"I can't… please," Katherine choked, tears prickling.
"You will," Kassandra hissed. "Unless you want my spiked cane to wipe the floor with your senior protector, and all of you will suffer for her."
The other maids wept openly, their sobs mixing with the sharp, tense air.
Katherine's eyes scanned their tear-streaked faces before locking on Kassandra's cruel glare.
"Why? Why do this to me? I've never wronged you. We've no even met before," Katherine's voice cracked, tears burning her throat.
"For existing in this house," Kassandra said darkly, "that is your damnation. No more questions. Do as you're told."
Katherine swallowed her pride, bent forward, and reluctantly licked the spilled milk from Kassandra's shoe.
As soon as she was done, she bolted from the kitchen, tears streaming down her face.
Kassandra's low chuckle followed her retreating figure. "This is just the beginning, maid. No one is to follow her."
Down the silent hallway, Katherine collapsed, retching and sobbing on the cold floor.
Why was life so cruel?
A sharp echo of footsteps broke the silence after a while.
Katherine looked up only to see it was Uncle Ryan.
Katherine scrambled to her feet, ready to flee, but he blocked her path.
Poor girl, he thought. Caught in a deadly game she doesn't understand.
"Good evening, sir," Katherine said quietly, eyes fixed on the vomit beneath her.
He hummed thoughtfully. "I saw everything. I want to help you. I still hate you, but I want to help."
Katherine looked up, suspicious. "Why would you want to help me? How would you even go about it?"
Uncle Ryan's smile twisted with hidden intent. "You want out, right? Free yourself from Massimo, get a divorce?"
She nodded, hesitating. Could she trust him? But freedom was all she wanted. Yet, with her sister tangled in this mess, if that girl even was her sister, could she really leave?
"Can you make that happen?" she finally whispered.
"Yes," he said, eyes gleaming. "But nothing's free. We make a deal."
She stiffened. She knew it! He wanted something.
"And what's the deal?" she asked, wary.
"You help me steal a file from Massimo's room. Then you get your freedom. Deal?"
*********
"Kath, I told you all week to see a doctor, but you wouldn't listen. You kept insisting you were fine," Ma'am Racheal said gently, supporting Katherine as she bent over the sink, vomiting yet again.
Katherine rinsed her mouth and slowly turned to face her. Her eyes were puffy and red, her face pale. She'd been throwing up for days, and her once-slim figure now fuller was now hidden beneath oversized clothing. Ma'am Racheal had noticed she hadn't worn her maid's uniform in days, but until now, she hadn't asked why.
"I'm fine, Ma'am Racheal. Really. I don't need to go to the hospital," Katherine said, avoiding the older woman's penetrating gaze.
This girl thinks she can fool me, Ma'am Racheal thought, narrowing her eyes as she studied Katherine's trembling hands and tired face.
"Is there something you want to tell me, Kath?" she asked softly.
Katherine swallowed hard. Her heart pounded. The truth sat on the edge of her lips, burning to be released. If she told Ma'am Racheal, at least she'd have someone in her corner, someone to lean on when everything came crashing down.
"Can I trust you, Ma'am Racheal?" she whispered.
"Of course, darling. You know you can."
Katherine hesitated for a heartbeat longer, then finally breathed out the truth she'd been carrying alone.
"I… I'm pregnant. And the baby is Massimo's."
Ma'am Racheal gasped, a hand flying to her chest.
"Oh heavens... I knew it!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and something else, joy. "You haven't told him? Or anyone else?"
Katherine blinked, stunned. Why was she smiling?
"No, Ma'am Racheal. You know everything that's been happening... I can't. But... why are you happy about this?" she asked, genuinely confused.
Ma'am Racheal's expression softened, her grin deepening.
"I understand your fear, and don't worry, I'll never breathe a word of this to anyone. That's a promise," she said firmly. "As for why I'm happy... you wouldn't understand. Even if Massimo doesn't know now, and may never know, I'm happy for him, because you're carrying something precious. His child."
Katherine stared at her, brows furrowed. But she chose not to question it further. She simply nodded, feeling a strange sense of comfort settle over her.
"Come on," Ma'am Racheal urged, glancing toward the hallway. "We should head out before the others start getting suspicious. But from now on, you must be extra careful. I'll do everything I can to protect you both."
Katherine felt the tight knot in her chest loosen just a little. She hugged Ma'am Racheal, tears prickling her eyes. For the first time in weeks, she didn't feel completely alone.
But just before they could step out of the washroom, a shadow shifted nearby. Unseen by either of them, a figure slowly backed away from the corner of the hallway where she'd been silently eavesdropping. A smirk tugged at her lips before she turned and slipped away.
Meanwhile, in Kassandra's bedroom…
Little Thelma knelt on the floor, arms raised high above her head, trembling. Her tiny hands shook from exhaustion and fear.
Kassandra sat across from her, perfectly poised, a thin cane resting on her lap. Her lips were painted in her usual red, but her eyes were cold as steel.
"Raise those hands properly, you little brat," she snapped.
"Mommy, please... I won't do it again…" Thelma whimpered.
She'd only accidentally spilled a bit of juice on the bed, but even the smallest mistake never went unpunished.
Kassandra's expression remained void of warmth. She wasn't a mother. She was a monster. And though Thelma was too young to understand how she'd ended up with this cruel woman as a mother… she knew one thing for sure, this was not love.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and a maid rushed in panting.