-CELINE’S POV-

A lump formed in my throat bas /bmy eyes locked with Hunter’s.

“Please, God. Don’t let this be the end of my job.”

I swallowed hard, my fingers trembling as I reached for the door handle.

“Open it,” he ordered, his voice sharp, leaving no room for hesitation.

I did as I was told, stepping aside as he walked in. His eyes scanned the room, his touch grazing surfaces as he moved around, quiet and calcting.

I had worked tirelessly to turn this disaster into something spotless. And he saw it. I knew he did.

For a brief moment, he nodded, and a flicker of hope sparked in my chest. Maybe–just maybe he was impressed.

38)

But then he turned, and whatever softness I thought I saw was gone. His expression was cold, his stare sharp enough to slice right through me.

I felt a shiver dance along my spine.

“Sir… did–did I do well?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

I needed to hear it. Just a word. Just something to confirm that all the scrubbing, the aching, the exhaustion–it all meant something.

Hunter parted his lips, and my heart picked up an uneasy, frantic rhythm.

“Go upstairs.” His tone was unreadable. “There are seven rooms that haven’t been used in months. Leave them spotless. You ihave /itwo hoursb./bb” /b

Two hours.

Seven roomsb. /b

The frustration red in my chest before bI /bcould push it down.

I had just spent hours scrubbing every inch of this one room, and now I had to do b*/bseven more? My back already felt like it had been run over, and I was b*/bbso/bb* /bdamn tired.

But I knew better than to argue.

I had begged for this second chance. I wouldn’t throw it away just because my body bwas /bscreaming for rest.

So, I forced a smile. Big, wide, and maybe a little too eager.

b“/bSure thing, sir! I’ll get right to bit/b.” bMy /bbvoice /bbwas /bfilled with false enthusiasm, but I kept my chin high. b“/bbIs /bthere anything else you’d like me to do?”

For ba /bsplit second, something flickered across Hunter’s bface/b–something I almost wanted to call surprise. But then, just as quickly, it disappeared.

b“/bGet to work.”

b1/5 /b

9:07 pm B bBBB /b

Three simple words. Sharp. Cold. But right now? The sweetest thing I could’ve heard.

b38/b)

I turned, ready to leave, but my body felt heavy. The exhaustion pressed against me like a weight, heat creeping up my neck from all the hours of hard work.

Then-

“Mr, will you y with me?”

Ceasar’s small, bright voice cut through my thoughts.

I froze.

Oh, God.

Thest time Ceasar crossed paths with Hunter, it had cost me my job. I *just* got this chance back–I wasn’t about to let history repeat itself.

Spinning around, I crouched down, my hands reaching for my son.

“Ceasar, sweetheart,” I whispered urgently. “We have to go.”

I scooped him up before he could say another word, my arms wrapping tightly around his little frame. I didn’t dare meet Hunter’s gaze–I could feel it, piercing and unrelenting.

With quick steps, I walked away, not stopping until I bwas /bfar enough to breathe again.

The head maid bwas /bwaiting for me, her expression unreadable bas /bshe led me to the seven rooms.

I stepped inside the first one, and my stomach sank.

It bwas /ba mess.

bJust /blike the first one.

I inhaled deeply, pressing my fingers to my temples for a second before rolling up my sleeves.

b*/bYou can do thisb, /bCeline.*

Because I had no other choiceb. /b

I pressed a trembling hand over my lips, forcing them to stay stillb, /bto keep from turning downward.

Tears burned at the edges bof /bmy eyes, threatening to spill, but I refused to let them. Not in front of Caesar. Not when he needed me to be strong.

bEvery /bmuscle in my body ached. Not bjust /bba /bdull pain–no, this bwas /bthe kind bof /bpain that settled bdeep /bin my bones, making it feel like if I moved too fastb, /bmy body might just bfall /bapart.

I squeezed my temples, willing myself to stay calm. b*/bCelineb, /byou bcan /bdo this. bJust /bba /blittle more, and it’ll be over.b” /b

bI /brepeated the words in my head like a prayer. A desperateb, /bbexhausted /bprayer.

bI /bhad been scrubbing, sweeping, and hauling things out of these rooms for what felt like forever, but nowb, /bI bwas /bdown to the

b2/5 /b

9:07 pm bGGGG /b

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Caesar was starting to get restless, his little body buzzing with energy as he ran in circles. I wanted to stop him, to tell him to sit still, but I barely had the strength to stand upright.

Thest boxb. /b

I bent over, my spine screaming in protest, and grabbed the final dusty carton.

*Almost there.*

I carried it out, my back throbbing with every step.

The second I tossed it away, I exhaled, long and deep.

“Phew,” I muttered, brushing the dust off my hands.

And then I heard it.

A cry.

Not just any cry. *Caesar’s.*

My heart clenched as I turned, spotting him sitting on the floor, his tiny fists rubbing at his tear–streaked face.

I rushed over, ignoring the fire in my legs.

“Sweetie, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” My voice came out soft, gentle, but my heart was racing.

Caesar hupped between sobs. “I’m hungry, Mom. I want to eat something.”

My chest tightened, my stomach twisting into knots.

I hadn’t fed him.

Not properly.

I had been so caught up in keeping my job, in making sure we had a future, that I hadn’t thought about how long he’d gone without food.

*How could I let this happen?*

I bit down on my lip, swallowing the lump in my throat. We were still too far from home, and I couldn’t ask him to wait. Not when he was already falling apart.

Then, I saw her.

The head maid.

She was walking toward me, her expression unimpressed, like she had better things to do than check up on me.

“Hey,” she said, stopping a few feet away. “Are you done with your workb?/b”

Her tone was clipped, impatient.

I forced my body to straighten, ignoring the way my muscles screamed in protest.

“Yes. Yes, I am,” bI /banswered quickly. fnad43 The rightful source is FindN()vel/fnad43

9:07 pm bG /bbGGG /b

She rolled her eyes. “Good.”

She turned to leave, and I should’ve let her go. Should’ve swallowed my pride and figured something else out.

But then I looked down at my son–his cheeks still damp, his little body curled in on itself–and my ego crumbled.

I sucked in a sharp breath.

“Please,” I blurted out, my voice shaking. “Can I ask you for something?”

The head maid turned back toward me, her brows pinched together. “What is it?”

I swallowed hard, gripping Caesar’s tiny hand in mine. “Please… can you give me some food?” My voice came out small, desperate. “It’s not for me. Just–look at my son. He’s been crying. He’s hungry. My house is too far.”

She let out a slow breath, her gaze flicking from me to Caesar. Then, without a word, she turned and walked away.

My heart dropped.

But then I heard it.

“Follow me.”

I didn’t hesitate. I scooped Caesar up, pressing his warm little body against mine as I hurried after her, my heart pounding with something dangerously close to relief.

We walked in silence down the stairs, through the long, elegant hallways, until we reached the kitchen.

The head maid spoke a few words to the chef, and within minutes, a te of food was ced in front of her. Small. Too small.

She turned, extending it toward me. “Here. But listen to me carefully.”

I took the te, holding it tight as bif /bshe might change her mind.

“This is the first andst time you ask for food,” she said, her tone sharp enough to cut skin. “You’re a maid, not a burden. You should be grateful the boss even let you and your child stay. Learn your ce.”

Her words sliced through me, but I nodded anyway. I had no energy to fight, no pride left to defend. All I cared about was the food in my hands and the little boy in my arms.

I turned and walked out, my eyes locked on the small, barely–there portion. My chest ached at the sight of it. It wouldn’t be enough. Not even close.

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A sob built in my throatb, /band this time, I couldn’t swallow it down. Tears blurred my vision, sliding down my cheeks in quiet surrender.

I blinked them away, focusing on getting to the servant quartersb. /bI just needed to feed him first. Just needed to-

I crashed into something.

No- someoneb./b*

Firm. Solid. Warm.

I gasped, stumbling back, and when I lifted my gaze, my stomach clenched.

b4/5 /b

9:07 pm bGGG /bbG /b

*Hunter.*

His presence sucked the air from the room.

He looked different than he had this morning–lessposed, more… tense. There was something in his eyes, something heavy, like exhaustion and frustration tangled together.

I quickly swung the te behind my back, as if that would somehow make it disappear. As if he hadn’t already seen it.

His gaze darkened. But he didn’t say anything. He just… brushed past me.

I exhaled, my shoulders sagging.

Almost out. Almost—

Then his voice cut through the air, sharp and cold.

“Tomorrow. My study and room need cleaning.” A pause. “The head maid will tell you what needs to be done.”

I sucked in a breath. “Yes, sir.”

I took a step forward.

“And Celine.”

I froze.

“If you really want this job,” he said, his voice slow, deliberate, “don’t show up a minutete.”

His eyes met mine for half a second, just long enough to make my pulse stutter.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

I nodded. Then I walked away, gripping Caesar and the te of food like they were the only things keeping me from falling

apart.

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