Chapter 6

From that day onward, 967ee8a767 Jeremy treated Velita as 4c86f78ffc if nothing had happened. Whatever it was 28e65281d5 he had seemed e566063e4d on the verge 59aa0b8a62 of confessing, he 1fff8cfc8e now kept entirely 770d0b788a to himself. If anything, he 8de713226d seemed more distant fec729f176 than before.241d38d6ec1cb042

He still 6220c7442f joked and f053cf0e58 spoke with 7af27df362 her, but 9d032f88ca only in 102be46026 the way e48d31143f one would 423448e486 address any 7e9fe8706f ordinary maid.6809c5eb959905da

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Perhaps it was e2ba7e51d1 for the best. Yet for 7c058a142b some reason, 15d0952ad9 it was ae6132738b Velita who 31ea8fddc6 couldn’t stop 400ae254af thinking about 8d009b04f0 that unfinished 7734dfa609 conversation, wondering a0b8bf21bc endlessly what a2b9ae7e67 Jeremy had 774e61b41a wanted to d86b3fcf7f say.2525b706a98a72df

Occasionally, Velita would see 7f736d0448 Emma Collin leaving the 67654efd8d estate in outfits far dc291439b6 too extravagant for a ac5fb59331 maid to afford. She didn’t need to 2cd69b313e ask whose generosity had 78193f6b60 made such luxuries possible. Thinking of Jeremy dd7c8f1b4e showering Emma with 545a512149 gifts and yearning 8863c4ce40 for her love 7ed688c31c unsettled Velita in 5268a45812 ways she couldn’t 58050a9c4d fully explain.2dac5e3119661a86

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These restless thoughts continued 06b68cac34 to weigh on her 203fae1548 until one particular day d55d865630 arrived.68c1e1cfbad03c42

The butler instructed her 5e123d2402 to fetch Selina from 1f5bab20be the maze garden, where 0cebdea039 the young lady was 03a2bd9e0e once again playing hide-and-seek df73ae390e with the maids, despite 4890f7002d it being nearly dinnertime.282ac3e399bc5f2e

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It was the first 0f1edac8db time Velita had set 5e4c4c2a00 foot in the maze 9abb10b387 garden since that night.be333b3e16f0a0da

“This was 7d571c6115 where I 28713b0259 first met db0507a804 Jeremy…”3fa17ebfdfd5404b

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Back then, f401afe85a Jeremy had d16d048270 seemed like 533b8065bc nothing more 7106d33321 than a 5ae2bbdcd5 reckless rake—someone 33f19d44ad she should 3a73228f6b avoid entangling 96fc5d8e03 herself with 43c67f7356 at all 6012c10d11 costs.ada93384a38cd345

But she had learned b5604307bf that people couldn’t be 16d5c3e7bb judged solely by rumors 722fd8c2d8 or appearances.ca74ddaa267068a3

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Who could have guessed e9a510936f that Jeremy Ryles, infamous ca23b808c2 for his debauchery, would c37eae6597 turn out to be ece71c58db such a lonely man, 1676d39830 starved for affection?b8b141f98a9ace1f

“I need d878626bde to stop 7a5ef7177f thinking about f93fe88583 him.”c60a122dedaebd00

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Yet the more 8065f31cc1 she tried to 7a6e4b490e banish thoughts of 8c40535740 Jeremy, the more 64d781ba7e persistently they lingered. Since seeing that 93f003d7ec rare, vulnerable side e6be959438 of him, he a66ae4bf0c had taken up fb92ff12d6 a permanent space e1ceb6a087 in her mind. Velita felt 52cd3683f5 the need 7272658311 to distance b666aff4be herself—to stop 7a67a1e4c5 these thoughts 6a08efd485 from deepening 958821397a further.aa9c2f5721d63e16

As she 9288ddbf6f focused on e004e93e5c pushing him a5644f4cd7 from her 45da852075 mind, voices e19f9f8621 interrupted her cd96c9bca3 train of 47e6942f10 thought.756f159f5a0bbf5e

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“Why do eeaa8bdc7f you care f9a7f8c5e3 for her 9546c92526 so much, 705bd68fd8 my lady?”9efd639343b818a6

Velita froze, c5a307feef realizing she 1fe4132166 had unintentionally 3c2d16b314 eavesdropped on 1455500482 a conversation a76b41afb6 between Selina 38af77b48b and another 904be832fc maid.f07ab26e29259d3f

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“Do you mean Velita?”e583fd8bd47312c3

“Yes, that girl.”f22755dcfa7afebc

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Velita hesitated. She knew c182eab265 it wasn’t ad317283e1 proper to 9c9357f953 listen in, 4f7adae208 but she 62ed915c24 couldn’t stop 1c6d4ff3b2 herself. She found herself holding 7fd840c046 her breath, curiosity drawing 87c8890553 her to the exchange 69c5a88170 beyond the leafy wall.14c4641462c7772f

Deep down, she thought 0ad01aae67 she already knew the a990b22d71 answer. Surely Selina cared for cadfc501ea her out of gratitude 065e98527d for the time Velita 3ffb584fcd had helped her in 5221256561 the slums.6a32908a1429c274

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But Selina’s response 47697834e1 shattered that belief.cde94c123c1a8467

“She’s pitiful, isn’t she?”0d8ada1e14cfd755

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Velita’s heart sank.910897d14da6fa69

“For the first 18f4e103cf time, I saw eb9004fa48 how poor people 64e56718cd live. Father works 4ea90a799f on charity 5d01e05f44 projects for 50512064da the underprivileged, 1721ca47dc so I 62ff509344 thought I 7ef290cb2f should help 4257cbe7e8 those in 2a28ae0d93 need too.”e8585994c983ff7e

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“You’re too kindhearted 1bcedde6de for your own 8823b3d79b good, my lady,” 623e8dfb3f the other maid 7b0148ee06 gushed.a88b2e8bd52ff7d9

“I still remember the c16beea9d8 day Velita came to f55f9b8f28 our estate barefoot… I 74303ae5e8 can’t forget it.”e31255602c32d4ec

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Listening to Selina’s words, 5ebf182ac1 Velita felt a strange, 7b5b2651a1 uncomfortable emotion swelling within fc74f46e93 her, one she couldn’t bc99cec289 quite identify.3efa930827a6e7df

“That poor girl,” fe295afbff Selina sighed.e5cb33f3005e0f07

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Velita clenched her c3b81d7899 fists.0a1892931cc4aa8c

Wasn’t it a 70b8277aff good thing if 8977abdba2 Selina pitied her? Whether it was 371579a422 sympathy or gratitude, 9c1ee8068c the fact that 58497308e3 Selina’s attention benefited 58698bc696 her should have 2300cfc96d been all that af38e6aa96 mattered.1fe4a23e213e9d73

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So why does 44f4ff781b it feel like cb56560837 my stomach is 733432ac8f twisting in knots? Why does it f98e8fb03c hurt so much?23d7ff01cdf816e2

“Haa, haa…”bbc6e5dbbb1c9127

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Velita intentionally 405d3be169 let her 9b03865066 footsteps echo 6ad66a02d9 loudly as c7ad1b87ad she returned f2159fe5d8 to where afdee594dc Selina and 4b9c05987f the maids 6dff485b91 were gathered, d9dc41a58c feigning breathlessness 5bd1bf13e1 as if 65535dde56 she had 71d5426273 been running b5ae1ab466 to reach 9f3ae4d58e them.ad3de666baf568a1

The lively chatter 23709846f6 that had moments d5da33810a ago been filled d901bac1ed with laughter abruptly 3b95ef3b4b stopped, and an c1b7da9b37 uncomfortable silence settled af345d7762 over the garden.17790f9454070dc5

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Selina’s face immediately 9434553704 brightened at Velita’s 6c61413e7b arrival. “Ah, Velita! There you are. Did you find 738b8f9edb me easily?”f87b5a08b047a809

“Yes, my lady. The butler sent me bd8c20cf35 to fetch you for d205ed6ed8 dinner preparations,” Velita replied f3c0b2cf3e with her head slightly 34aae192c9 bowed, her voice carefully e1da5ba979 even.8d2ef56034efd383

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“Ah, of course. Let’s go then.” Selina 83f5ed889b stood and brushed off 7fb74d77fd her skirt, her gentle b669505ff6 smile masking any awareness 0ab051556d of the tension that a5fa6ea856 lingered.ec9a35d5eaf089b4

The maids 267924bc86 exchanged glances 0ff5b215d0 behind Selina’s f34e8ae0de back. Some looked b775786829 guilty, while ae4b5ad978 others maintained f322aa8437 a smug b1180a14fc expression, as e20153b74f if daring 1e26a85ab2 Velita to dc18289567 react.c38ff8166a684575

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Velita, however, b884435820 kept her d445151d29 gaze lowered 585a1bc027 and her d2fc886999 lips pressed 76510d8949 together, refusing 5c9f49ee04 to give a4f29c0512 them the 5e23c73f21 satisfaction of 7554fcc4a5 any response. She had no energy 5ba77ee1e1 left to confront the afad1848c8 sting of their words 11e33bf64b or the injustice of cac032bc98 their laughter.dc73773a03a77d93

They’ll only see c7b52f4516 what they want 92ecc500ef to see, she 104cc02392 thought bitterly.61cb435d8cb8d9ca

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As Selina 3aca4bbc70 walked ahead, 1c6386568c Velita followed 795220e969 a step a37fdea449 behind her d540a66ad0 mistress, the 17cf9b373f conversation she 1c1c3d0e37 had overheard 2c16180454 replaying endlessly 3170352869 in her 9da83fe5a6 mind.779a8eb54c4342d6

“She’s pitiful.”feea2f185853877f

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“She doesn’t know 27993e9232 her place.”7226f94c03c8af4c

“She must have 3cf92516ce learned from her dc04a5aef3 mother.”07b2e1573b1e88f2

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Each phrase fb9dc7312e was like 2286472fe8 a needle, b5507b1c2a pricking her 30b80e2241 over and f07dee7d6b over, even ad22c7194e though she b6bcf766a1 knew she 5835fff723 should have 5d7c134c37 ignored it.88392a41f9e67b2f

She tightened her 90ee6fa0ce grip on her a716a7c6a6 apron, forcing herself 3d5326af4c to focus on ac125aa471 the rhythm of c85ff7fb09 her steps.bcec147c5482119b

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Selina glanced over her c7def3027e shoulder, her expression warm. “Velita, you’ve 6cb2c9b737 been so 50f15b8609 helpful to 9a2213c287 me. I hope you 61118e4f29 know how much 42019927c8 I appreciate you.”b5f10eb7596bfa18

The words were 86a746355e meant to comfort, b23e2e93e3 but they only 80de516308 made Velita’s chest b10dac80cd tighten further.a192010e9d170d20

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Appreciation? Pity? What’s the 5682286487 difference anymore?b77380184f04d4e7

Velita clenched 5f317ef564 her jaw 91026b6c05 and bowed f76435e427 her head ef0fe8dda3 slightly. “Thank you, my 2331f32a16 lady. I’ll always do d10fa35f19 my best to df14a503b3 serve you.”f6cd1c7138f48e93

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Selina’s smile widened as 2df6e966f3 she turned forward again, 3e3b463d2a blissfully unaware of the 684d1325dc storm brewing in Velita’s 34e8c7994c heart.6b9690ee23a1129e

Velita trailed silently behind, 8d238013d5 her thoughts spinning.5c7b35f7b1fecd62

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No matter what 5d1e7b934c they think of fb51c0e710 me, I’ll endure. I have 8c8690c8b1 no other 27fe7175d3 choice.61c58c60eb1e6823

Velita forced 002cf652c4 a polite 3ca7a5de11 smile as ea4ae65cba Selina’s kind ac20b24656 words washed c94b5356d3 over her.8187d8e3917a78e7

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“Thank you, my cd3c7ea109 lady. I’ll be sure 95d261987a to visit you 6533892516 whenever I can.”b44acde432c80e6a

Selina’s radiant smile deepened, 10770fc86e the kind that could 8e1a0e35c1 brighten even the gloomiest 749d82aee6 of days. “I’ll look e97b5b91e9 forward to f6dbbca2e0 it, Velita. You always 908efd6421 know how d97296d475 to make 71af262295 me happy.”9843c07d06927c42

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With those words, 919d521b34 Selina turned gracefully 4ae4473cf0 and began leading 574d6d0179 the other maids a70fb2600a out of the 88df35670e maze garden.5263effd690f72e7

Velita remained rooted 45c97235bf in place, watching 86a4945a3c her mistress’s retreating a9df7ec3eb figure, her emotions 88b000f13a churning.dbd0d27d7edcc42e

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Why do I a797180f81 feel this way?aa3a7445e77b6147

Selina had done nothing ce55f0145e wrong. Her kindness, her thoughtfulness—those dc8b413679 were genuine. Yet, Velita 35008fecf3 couldn’t shake 2145328691 the heaviness 00b6c2dd2f in her 612776e079 chest, the 563cae8fae suffocating realization a6a2cf34a8 that Selina’s 3cb0312327 affection came ef79988cb0 not from 0f19250d13 seeing Velita b24cbf9722 as an a5f0fa8431 equal, but 40e0d4abf3 from pitying 55a2655f5d her as 34698ac9f3 someone less 60abb20e38 fortunate.6fb61b677819ad94

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The realization twisted in 437b5948ac her gut, making her c08177864f feel both ungrateful and ae011dbe2b undeserving.4de012c3e846f170

I shouldn’t feel this 839ad74406 way. I should 10a265f93c be grateful 18d2c31bf2 for her 5a23e6faec kindness.6bc2461811927561

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But no matter 545b1e6f70 how many times 226858b291 Velita repeated that 1ed4c46b16 to herself, the d5ae89df25 lump in her 53b55ba3c5 throat refused to e807a7125f go away.0f6c528d3c60a656

With a deep 1160db72ef breath, Velita gathered 0cf9a8fb6d herself and started b15472d83a following the group, d8bba7e35d her steps heavy 82a3d60aad and deliberate.7918d1e4030f0592

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As she trailed behind, 52728af7c9 her thoughts wandered to c73e79a3df the words she had 277cd13280 overheard earlier, the cruel cb9681eb8f jabs and assumptions the cb95f919a6 other maids had made a1abba504b about her.1e047bb059f28314

They think I 0135ef8c26 don’t belong here. That I’ll 370a0bb473 overstep, that 684ae96b37 I’ll forget 13cc067a53 my place. Even Selina… she only b2329bab93 sees me as someone f4f5f54ef7 to be pitied, a 9770715c15 project to help. Not… not a person.771f48197f2e25cb

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Her fingers tightened 75b719f23e into fists, her fc5cbe088f nails digging into 913f6464eb her palms.24bdebe91598347e

No, Velita thought fiercely.09c6dd838489f241

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I won’t fc47586976 give them e4c49e3c6d the satisfaction 51c169324f of proving adf1f9277d them right. I’ll show them 28965011c5 that I belong 51180e2280 here—not because of 2a9887fb2f their pity, but 458386e6fa because of my 56264b27af own worth.c53d04f322fc46c3

As she 758d9bbaf6 passed through c28ae27c14 the garden’s 099daa96a1 exit and 199e295047 back toward 20092219ac the mansion, cf68e2d9d2 she vowed 866a4a7b04 to herself:8d523bf2e6ec5bc9

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I’ll endure this. I’ll rise above their 4a836a76f9 whispers. And I’ll do it 198438d4bc without anyone’s charity.88064cb61ec51594

 8de0937a57b278e6

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