CHAPTER 1 — A CHILD ON HER KNEES
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Sofia knelt on the marble floor beside a small wooden stool, polishing a pair of black designer heels.
The mansion was silent.
Too silent.
The only sound was the soft scrape of the polishing cloth against expensive leather.
Sofia's fingers were trembling.
Black polish covered her knuckles and stained the edges of her fingernails.
She blinked rapidly, fighting the tears gathering in her eyes.
“Again.”
Veronica's voice came from behind her.
Sofia immediately lowered her head.
“Yes, ma'am.”
She rubbed the heel again.
Veronica sat in a velvet armchair, one leg crossed over the other.
She wore a silk robe and a diamond bracelet worth more than most people earned in a year.
She watched Sofia the way someone might watch a maid who had made a mistake.
“That's better.”
Sofia said nothing.
She had learned that silence was safer.
Veronica extended her other foot.
“This one.”
Sofia reached for the shoe.
Her hands were already sore.
She had been kneeling for nearly an hour.
“Daddy said I should be studying,” Sofia whispered.
Veronica's expression immediately changed.
“Did you just answer me?”
Sofia froze.
“No.”
“Then don't speak.”
Sofia lowered her eyes.
She continued polishing.
Veronica leaned back.
“You should be grateful.”
Sofia looked up slightly.
“For what?”
Veronica smiled.
“For being allowed to live in this house.”
The words made Sofia's chest tighten.
She had lived there since she was born.
Her father owned the mansion.
Her mother had once filled its rooms with music and laughter.
But after her mother's death, everything changed.
Especially after Alexander married Veronica.
Veronica never called Sofia her daughter.
She called her the servant's child.
Nobody knew why.
Sofia had never understood it.
She only knew that whenever Alexander traveled for business, Veronica's rules became harsher.
No television.
No friends.
No asking questions.
And never, ever disobey.
Veronica pushed her heel toward Sofia.
“There's still polish on the edge.”
Sofia carefully wiped it away.
“I’m sorry.”
Veronica stared at her.
Then suddenly—
she shoved Sofia with her foot.
Sofia lost her balance.
Her shoulder struck the wooden stool.
The polishing cloth flew across the floor.
Sofia gasped.
“Please…”
Veronica stood.
“You're becoming careless.”
Sofia slowly pushed herself upright.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I didn't mean to.”
Veronica stepped closer.
“A servant's child belongs on her knees.”
Sofia stared at the floor.
She didn't understand why those words hurt so much.
Maybe because she had heard them before.
Many times.
Then—
the front door opened.
A man's voice echoed through the enormous foyer.
“I'm home.”
Sofia's head snapped upward.
Her heart stopped.
“Daddy…”
Alexander walked into the mansion carrying a leather briefcase.
He had returned three days earlier than expected.
He took two steps.
Then froze.
His eyes moved across the room.
His daughter was kneeling beside the stool.
She was wearing a maid's uniform.
Black shoe polish covered her hands.
Her eyes were red.
Alexander's briefcase slipped from his fingers.
It hit the marble floor with a heavy thud.
“Sofia?”
Sofia stood quickly.
“Daddy…”
Alexander rushed toward her.
He grabbed her shoulders gently.
“What happened?”
Sofia looked toward Veronica.
She said nothing.
Alexander followed her gaze.
Veronica stood with her arms folded.
Completely calm.
“She was helping me.”
Alexander stared at the shoe in Veronica's hand.
“Helping you?”
“She should learn responsibility.”
Alexander looked back at Sofia.
His daughter wouldn't meet his eyes.
He crouched in front of her.
“Look at me.”
Slowly, Sofia raised her face.
Alexander's expression changed when he saw the tears she was trying desperately to hide.
“How long?”
Sofia didn't answer.
Alexander's voice softened.
“How long have you been doing this?”
Sofia swallowed.
“Sometimes.”
“Sometimes?”
Veronica interrupted.
“Alexander, you're making this dramatic.”
He stood.
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
“I'm asking my daughter a question.”
Veronica rolled her eyes.
“She needs discipline.”
Alexander looked at the maid uniform.
Then at Sofia's hands.
Then at Veronica.
“You put my daughter in a maid's uniform?”
“She volunteered.”
Sofia's eyes widened.
“That isn't true.”
The room went silent.
Veronica turned sharply toward her.
Alexander noticed.
His jaw tightened.
He removed the apron from Sofia's shoulders.
The fabric fell to the floor.
Then he took off his expensive suit jacket.
He wrapped it around his daughter's trembling body.
Sofia disappeared inside it.
Alexander gently held her.
“You're never wearing this again.”
Veronica scoffed.
“Don't spoil her.”
Alexander turned toward her.
Something in his expression had changed.
“I've spent years believing you when you said Sofia was difficult.”
He paused.
“I was wrong.”
Veronica's smile disappeared.
Alexander picked up the polishing cloth from the floor.
He looked at the black stains covering it.
Then he looked at his daughter.
“Who else knows?”
Sofia hesitated.
“Daddy…”
“Tell me.”
Her voice was barely audible.
“Everyone.”
Alexander went still.
Everyone.
Not just Veronica.
The staff.
The household.
Maybe even people outside the mansion.
He looked around the room.
For the first time, the beautiful mansion didn't feel like home.
It felt like a prison.
Alexander took Sofia's hand.
“Come upstairs.”
As they walked away, Veronica watched them.
Her expression remained cold.
But when they disappeared around the corner, her hand slowly reached into the pocket of her robe.
She pulled out her phone.
There was one unread message.
She opened it.
HE KNOWS.
Veronica stared at the screen.
Then another message appeared.
DO NOT LET SOFIA FIND THE STUDY.
Veronica's face went pale.
Because there was something in that study Alexander had never seen.
Something that could destroy everything she had built.
May you like
And now—
Sofia was closer to discovering it than ever before.
