Kim Carter's Saturday mornings were always the same.
She woke up to the quiet hum of her tiny apartment, stretched across her half-empty bed, and stared at the ceiling with the familiar realization that her life wasn't quite what she imagined at twenty-six. She had dreamt of owning a condo by now, with scented candles that matched the seasons and a walk-in closet overflowing with expensive heels.
Instead, she had mismatched candles from thrift stores and a closet that squeaked every time she opened it.
Still, she smiled.
Kim always smiled.
She padded across the cold tiles and made coffee strong enough to wake the dead. The mug read Future CEO, a gag gift she bought for herself three months ago, the same month she promised she would leave her receptionist job and climb up the corporate ladder of Steele Enterprise.
But here she was. Still at the front desk. Still in the "smile and redirect" division.
She took a sip of coffee, closed her eyes, and let the bitterness settle on her tongue.
Her life had not exactly been smooth. She had been in three relationships in the last four years. One cheated. One ghosted her. Her last boyfriend had left her after telling her she was "too much." Too loud. Too dramatic. Too emotional. Too hopeful. Too everything. Sometimes she wondered if anyone would ever appreciate the loud colors of her personality instead of trying to dim them.
Kim blamed herself sometimes. Other times she damned what everybody thinks.
Her family wasn't much easier. She hadn't spoken to her father in almost two years, not after he told her she was "wasting her potential." Her mother tried to stay neutral, but even that felt like a betrayal. So Kim learned to keep her distance, to pretend she was fine, to use humor like a shield that never broke.
She brewed a second cup of coffee, her mind wandering.
She thought of Mia.
Sweet, gentle Mia who somehow found herself in the house of the most powerful man in New York. Kim worried, of course. She always worried. She knew how brutal the world could be. But Mia seemed to be finding her feet. And Kim was proud of her,more proud than she ever admitted out loud.
She took another sip and sighed.
"Another day of pretending everything is perfect," she muttered.
Her phone buzzed. A notification. Steele Enterprise work alert.
Kim groaned loudly.
"Why am I even getting notifications on a weekend? This company wants to kill me."
She threw herself back on her bed, staring at the cracked ceiling paint.
If anyone ever asked her what her biggest talent was, she would proudly say:
"Acting normal while falling apart."
By afternoon, she had forced herself to clean her apartment, do laundry, and watch two episodes of a crime show she barely paid attention to. Her thoughts were scattered, drifting between her failed romances, her strained family ties, and her desperate desire to be more than just "the girl at the front desk."
She didn't cry,not because she didn't want to, but because crying would mean admitting she was not okay.
Kim hated admitting anything.
She needed a distraction. Something fun. Something light. Something that didn't feel like the weight of her own expectations pressing on her chest.
But that relief didn't arrive until later,when she dozed of on the couch.
....................
AT THE STEELE MANSION.
Mia had spent most of her morning cleaning her room, humming softly as she arranged her things. The mansion was quiet today. Peaceful. The kind of peaceful that made her feel like she belonged a little bit more.
Around noon, Margaret knocked gently on her door.
"Mia, dear? May I come in?"
"Of course," Mia replied, adjusting her apron.
Margaret stepped inside, a warm smile on her face. She held a notepad and what looked like ribbons.
"I've been thinking," Margaret began in her calm, motherly tone. "You've settled in wonderfully, and everyone here absolutely adores you. So I thought… why don't we throw a small welcome gathering? Just the household staff. Something to make you feel officially part of the family."
Mia blinked.
"Really? For me?"
Margaret clasped her hands. "Yes, honey. You deserve it. And the others are excited too."
Mia felt warmth fill her chest. She wasn't used to gestures like this. Most workplaces she'd been in were cold, distant, too busy for affection.
"I… I'd love that," she said softly.
"Wonderful!" Margaret beamed. "We'll set everything up by six.
By evening, the kitchen smelled like freshly baked pastries, roasted chicken, and spices that reminded Mia of home. She helped a little, but Margaret insisted she was the guest of honor.
The staff;Mr. Henry the gardener, Clara and Tessa the housekeepers, old Mr. Harold the head burtler,were all gathered around the long dining table. They clapped playfully when Mia walked in, surprising her into laughter.
Clara wiped her hands on her apron. "Welcome officially, darling. We're so happy to have you."
Mr. Harold nodded. "Best chef this house has seen since Margaret retired from the kitchen."
Margaret gasped dramatically. "Harold! I am standing right here."
The whole room burst into laughter.
The atmosphere was warm, cozy, filled with clinking plates and cheerful chatter. They talked about old memories,Margaret accidentally burning lasagna, Mr. Harold chasing raccoons with a broom, Clara nearly quitting because Alex had startled her during one of his rare appearances.
The stories painted a picture Mia hadn't seen before,a family, built from shared routines and old friendships.
She felt safe.
Close to the end of the meal, Margaret, still smiling, leaned back in her chair.
"You know," she said, her voice softening, "I am always amazed at how time flies. When I started working for the Steele family,I was a helpless 21 year old girl with a daughter and no man nor support from family.Before I met my husband, I was a single mother too."
The room quieted. Mia froze.
Margaret continued, unaware of the storm that sentence had just triggered inside Mia.
"It wasn't easy raising my daughter alone. There were many nights I cried myself to sleep. But eventually, I met a man who loved both of us without hesitation. And that love changed everything."
Everyone murmured warm sounds of agreement.
Except Mia.
Her throat tightened.
Her hands trembled under the table.
Could she find that kind of love? Someone who would look at her past and not flinch? Someone who would accept Liam? Accept her mistakes?
For a moment, the laughter around her faded. The warmth dulled. She forced a small smile and hid her shaking hands in her lap.
Clara glanced at her. "Mia? You okay, honey?"
She nodded quickly.
"Yes. Just… thinking."
But she wasn't just thinking.
She was wondering if happiness like Margaret's was even meant for someone like her.
Later That Night
Back in her room, Mia lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling much like Kim had earlier in the day.
Margaret's words echoed in her mind.
I was a single mother too… and I found real love.
Mia swallowed, a mix of hope and fear swirling inside her.
Could she?
Would she ever meet someone who saw her and didn't judge her?
Would she ever be truly happy?
For the first time in a long, long while, Mia allowed herself to imagine it.
A future where she wasn't alone,where her past didn't overshadow her heart. A future where Liam had a father figure who cherished him.
She pressed a pillow over her face and exhaled shakily.
"Maybe… maybe one day."
Outside, the household laughed faintly, still clearing up after the little gathering. Life moved on, full of light and love.
And Mia...quiet, gentle Mia,let herself hope, even just a little.