"Thank you, Sir. I'm sorry, but I have to go," Evelyn said with a trembling voice, her fingers clutching the edge of the hospital blanket.

Her steps were unsteady as she tried to get down from the bed. The cold floor met the soles of her feet, sending a slight shiver through her body. But it wasn't the chill that made her tremble-it was the crushing reality that she had nowhere to go... and no money to pay for any of this.

"Evelyn!"

William Montgomery's voice halted her in her tracks. Firm. Cold. But beneath it-there was a trace of concern.

He strode quickly to her bedside and caught her arm, stopping her from falling. Evelyn looked up, her eyes meeting his sharp gaze.

"You're not fully recovered, Miss. Stay here!" William commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"But, Sir..." Evelyn lowered her gaze, her voice quivering. "I... I don't have any money. I'm not even sure I can afford this hospital bill." Her voice cracked, tears beginning to glimmer at the corners of her eyes.

William took a deep breath, something flickering behind his steady eyes. "You don't need to worry about the hospital expenses, Miss Evelyn. Just rest. I'll take care of everything."

Evelyn looked at him with doubt. "Sir, I have nothing. I'm afraid this will become a debt I can never repay."

William turned away briefly, then faced her again, arms crossed over his chest. "You don't need to think about repaying it now. Think about it later-when you're strong enough to stand on your own."

His words sounded light, but there was intensity in his eyes. Evelyn fell silent. A storm brewed inside her: her wounded pride, the shame of being a burden, and the overwhelming gratitude all fought for space in her heart.

At last, in a barely audible voice, she said, "Alright, then. But only until I'm strong enough to leave."

William gave a slight nod and walked out without another word.

---

The next day, the doctor came in with unexpected news.

"You're in better condition now, Miss Evelyn. You can be discharged today."

Evelyn froze. Instead of joy, her face went blank. After the doctor left, she collapsed onto the bed. Tears began to fall-quiet, but unstoppable.

"Go home?" she whispered. "Go home to where?"

No house. No family. No destination.

From across the room, William stood silently at the door, watching her fragile figure cry in silence. His expression shifted-usually unreadable, now taut, as though something inside him cracked.

"So pitiful, Evelyn..." he muttered quietly, before finally stepping inside.

The sound of his steady footsteps made Evelyn look up. She quickly wiped her tears, but it was too late. William had seen them.

Without a word, he extended his hand. Evelyn stared at it, hesitant, but eventually placed her own hand in his.

William gently pulled her up, then softly wiped the tears from her cheek. "You don't have to be afraid. If you don't know where to go, come with me."

Evelyn looked at him, confused.

"I own a company," William continued. "You can work there. As my personal assistant."

Thump. Evelyn's heart skipped a beat.

"Personal assistant?" she whispered. "But... but Sir, I've never worked in a position like that before..."

A faint smile touched William's lips. "Don't worry. You'll learn. What matters is that you stay by my side."

Stay by his side? The words echoed in Evelyn's mind. Her chest tightened. There was something strange in his tone. Too... personal?

His gaze had changed too. It wasn't just the look of an employer to an employee. It was as if he saw her as... something more.

Evelyn frowned slightly, taking a small step back. "I'm sorry, Sir... but what exactly do you mean by 'stay by your side'?"

William narrowed his eyes. "Why? Is there something wrong with what I said?"

Evelyn didn't answer right away. Questions churned in her mind. Who exactly was this man? Why did he offer her a job so easily? Why was he so attentive, as if they shared a connection deeper than that of two strangers?

And most frightening of all... why was she starting to feel safe around him?

Evelyn followed William's footsteps toward his house. The grand mansion, towering with classic European architecture, looked magnificent-and foreign-to her eyes. But as they stepped up the stairs toward the main entrance, unease began creeping into her mind.

She clutched her bag tightly, her breath coming in shallow bursts.

"Sir... what about your wife's feelings? Won't she be angry or jealous if she finds out you brought me here?" Evelyn asked in a low voice, barely more than a whisper. Her face betrayed her fear-she didn't want to be the cause of another woman's heartbreak.

William stopped for a moment. He turned to look at her with a bemused expression. Then, unexpectedly, he burst into laughter-his voice cutting through the quiet night.

"I've never even been married, Evelyn. Why are you talking about a 'wife'?" he said, his voice dropping to a whisper as he looked deeply into her eyes. "Or... are you hoping to earn that title from me?"

Evelyn's cheeks flushed instantly. Her heart thudded wildly. She lowered her gaze, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Amused by her discomfort, William held back a smirk. Then, with a commanding tone, he called out:

"Rosemary!"

A young woman with curly hair, dressed in a crisp uniform, hurried in from the kitchen.

"Yes, sir?"

"Treat this lady as you would treat me. Consider her my honored guest."

Rosemary's eyes widened. The words hit her like a slap. Her pride, which had long clung to silent hopes of gaining her master's affection, shattered in that instant.

Is this the woman Sir William loves? she thought, rage bubbling in her chest.

Her eyes raked over Evelyn from head to toe-plain. Not particularly pretty. Too simple. Nothing special. But why... why was she getting this kind of attention?

With a forced smile and a dagger hidden in her voice, Rosemary stepped forward. Her tone was sharp and cold.

"And who exactly are you?" she asked curtly, staring straight at Evelyn.

Evelyn gave a nervous glance, trying to stay polite.

"I'm... I'm Mr. William's personal assistant," she replied softly.

"Just a personal assistant? Then why is Mr. William treating you like his lover?" Rosemary's voice rose, her eyes stripping Evelyn bare.

"I... I don't know. I just met him," Evelyn answered, lowering her head, clearly uncomfortable.

Rosemary scoffed. She narrowed her eyes and sneered, "So... he picked you up off the street, huh?"

Thud.

The words struck Evelyn deep. She bit her lower lip, swallowing the hurt and shame.

Without waiting for a reply, Rosemary turned and marched off.

"You can sleep in the maid's quarters," she snapped.

Evelyn hesitated, watching the woman's back, but she had no choice. She followed her down a long corridor toward the back of the house.

When Rosemary opened the door to the room, a wave of stale air rushed out. The space was dark, cramped, dusty, and cluttered with old boxes. Tiny rats scurried along the corners. Evelyn stepped back instinctively.

"Are... are you serious about putting me in a room like this?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Rosemary spun around, face blazing with anger. "And where did you expect to sleep? In Mr. William's bed? Naked with him?!"

Evelyn quickly shook her head, holding her breath. She didn't dare argue. Rosemary's glare was terrifying.

"Just a personal assistant, yet already acting like you deserve everything? Don't get ahead of yourself!" Rosemary snapped, folding her arms. "Clean this room. Then sleep here!"

Evelyn stared at the room, her eyes glistening with tears. Her hands trembled as she reached for a mop and broom. Slowly, she began dusting, clearing boxes, sweeping up the filth.

A rat suddenly jumped from beneath a pile of cloth, making Evelyn scream and fall backward. Her face turned pale, her breath caught in her throat.

"I... I'm scared... Please, Miss Rosemary..." she pleaded.

But Rosemary simply looked on in satisfaction. She savored Evelyn's fear. A bitter smile curled on her lips.

"That's what you get for trying to seduce Mr. William. I've worked in this house for years, given everything I had... and he's never even looked at me!" Her voice cracked with fury and resentment.

Evelyn had no words. She could only cry silently.

But when she tried to get up and leave the room, the door suddenly slammed shut-and locked from the outside.

"No... Miss Rosemary! Please open the door! I beg you!"

No answer.

Evelyn grabbed the doorknob and shook it hard. "Please!! Miss Rosemary!"

Then, the lights went out.

Darkness. The squeaks of rats echoed from all directions. Evelyn sobbed in panic, her back pressed against the wall. Her body trembled violently.

"Miss Rosemary! Please! I'm scared... I-"

Her cries burst out. She screamed, bending over as if the fear was choking her. The darkness, the rats-it was all too much.

And just outside the door, Rosemary stood listening to her cries.

Her face showed no trace of pity.

"Pathetic woman!"

The sharp voice echoed from behind the door.

Rosemary swung open the bedroom door harshly, her eyes narrowing as she glared at Evelyn, who sat slumped in the corner of the room. Evelyn's face was pale, cold sweat drenched her temples, and her eyes were barely open-as if her body was on the verge of giving up from exhaustion and pressure. But the moment she saw Rosemary standing at the doorway, the emotions she had long suppressed began to boil over.

Evelyn's weak face turned fierce, glaring with fury at Rosemary.

"What's your problem with my attitude? If you don't like it, you're free to leave this house!" Rosemary snapped mercilessly.

Her voice echoed off the silent walls of the massive house. Evelyn lowered her head-not out of fear, but because of the sheer weight she carried in her chest. She clenched the edge of her clothes tightly, holding back the urge to retaliate. But she knew, in this house, she was no one.

William began to feel uneasy. The quiet house suddenly felt... wrong. He descended from the second floor, hurrying to find Evelyn. His heart was restless, as if something terrible was about to happen.

From a distance, Rosemary saw William approaching. Her eyes narrowed slyly, then without hesitation, she grabbed Evelyn's arm roughly and pinched it hard, making Evelyn wince in pain.

"Don't you dare say a word to Mr. William," she hissed sharply. "If you do, I won't hesitate to ruin your life."

Evelyn stayed silent, though her chest thundered. Her fists clenched so tightly her nails nearly pierced her skin. She wanted to speak, to fight back, but her life was too fragile now. She had no home, no money, not even her dignity. So she held it all in, even as her heart shattered again and again.

"Why are you taking Evelyn to the storage room, Rosemary?" William asked, suspicion in his tone. His brows furrowed at the sight of Evelyn's disheveled state.

"Miss Evelyn got lost, sir. Thankfully I found her-she was stuck in the storage room," Rosemary explained smoothly.

William stepped closer, his eyes softening as he looked at Evelyn. There was an unmistakable sincerity in his gaze.

"Is that true, Evelyn? How did you end up there?"

Evelyn nodded faintly, lowering her head to hide her invisible wounds.

"I'm sorry, sir. I was going to the kitchen to get some water... I must have made a wrong turn and got trapped in there."

Rosemary smirked triumphantly as Evelyn lied to cover for her.

"What a fool this girl is! I love playing with her until she can't stand living here anymore," she thought, stifling a chuckle.

Though she was just a housemaid, Rosemary harbored grand ambitions. She wanted to be the lady of this house. She believed that once William noticed her beauty, everything would change.

"Rosemary, take her back to her room. Make sure she doesn't get lost again."

Rosemary nodded with a fake smile, then escorted Evelyn back to the guest room. This time, the room was far more comfortable than the cramped, suffocating one she'd shown before. But beneath the hospitality, danger lurked.

As soon as they entered, Rosemary slammed the door shut, yanked Evelyn's arm, and shoved her onto the bed.

"You better remember your place in this house! You're just Mr. William's maid! Don't even dream of winning his heart!"

Evelyn's eyes widened, her chest pounding-not from fear, but from the anger beginning to scorch the edges of her patience.

"Oh, so you love Mr. William?" Evelyn asked coldly, her lips curling into a sharp sneer.

"So what if I do? I'm as beautiful as any top actress! Mr. William just hasn't realized it yet."

Evelyn let out a breath, then chuckled mockingly.

"You're just a maid. But your delusions are too high, Rosemary. I actually pity you."

Rosemary gritted her teeth, her face flushing with rage. In a flash, she raised her hand, ready to strike Evelyn.

"You deserve to be punished for daring to talk back!"

But before the slap landed, Evelyn caught her wrist and shoved it away roughly.

"Don't you ever threaten me!" she snapped. "I won't hesitate to tell Mr. William everything!"

Evelyn's boldness stunned Rosemary. Doubt flickered in her eyes. But she wasn't ready to back down.

"You're standing up to me now? Aren't you afraid I'll make your life miserable?"

Evelyn stood up, staring directly into Rosemary's eyes.

"We'll see who regrets this in the end-me or you."

A cold tension swept through the room. Rosemary instinctively stepped back. Evelyn no longer looked like the fragile woman from before. Her gaze was sharp, her stance defiant.

Without hesitation, Evelyn shoved Rosemary out of the room. The woman stumbled and fell hard in the hallway.

"Evelyn! Why are you being so cruel to me?! Why did you push me like this?" she shouted dramatically, loud enough for William to hear.

William, who was just heading their way, froze at the sight of Rosemary on the floor.

"What's going on, Evelyn?" he asked, suspicion thick in his voice.

"Oh, sir! I was just showing Miss Evelyn her room, but she pushed me! I'm starting to wonder if she's really a decent woman... Maybe she's just pretending to hide her wicked intentions!"

Evelyn quickly tried to defend herself.

"Mr. William, it's not like that! It was Rosemary who-"

"Sir," Rosemary cut in with fake tears. "You've known me for a long time. I've always been loyal and honest. But this woman... she dares to accuse me like this in front of you."

William let out a deep sigh, his face tense.

"Evelyn, don't let my kindness go to your head. I won't tolerate any chaos in my home."

"Mr. William, I didn't mean-"

"Enough, Evelyn! I don't want to hear any more excuses!"

William's voice was so sharp that Evelyn went silent. Her heart sank. She never expected that when she finally tried to stand up for herself, he would choose to believe someone else.

William walked away, leaving the two women in a heavy silence.

Rosemary looked at Evelyn and smirked in victory.

"Never argue with me, Evelyn. You'll never win against someone like me."