Chapter 2

Aisha Henderson POV:

The maid, a stern-faced woman named Elena, gripped my arm tightly. Her fingers dug into my skin, pulling me from the lavish main hall. The scent of polished wood and fresh flowers faded, replaced by something damp and stale as we descended into the mansion's unseen depths.

She pushed open a heavy, unmarked door, revealing a narrow, unwelcoming corridor. The air was thick with the smell of old grease and something vaguely animal. I stumbled, my legs still shaky from the chaos of the day.

A low growl rumbled from the shadows. My head snapped up. A massive Rottweiler, its teeth bared, emerged from a doorway. Its eyes, the color of burnt amber, fixed on me. It was huge, its muscles rippling under a sleek black coat.

Fear, cold and sharp, pierced through the numbness. I froze, my breath catching in my throat. My body locked up, a primal instinct screaming at me to run, but my feet were glued to the stained linoleum.

Elena merely sniffed, tightening her grip on my arm. She didn't bother to scold the dog, or even look concerned. She simply dragged me further into the cramped space.

The dog lunged, a guttural bark ripping through the silence. I flinched, pressing myself against the grimy wall. Its hot breath fanned my face, its teeth inches from my throat. It cornered me, a snarling, terrifying beast, its hackles raised. I could feel its powerful chest pressed against my trembling legs.

Just as I thought it would tear into me, a sharp voice cut through the air. "Zeus! Down, boy!"

A girl, the same blonde-haired Kaylee from earlier, appeared in the doorway. She surveyed the scene, her lips curling in a sneer.

"What' s this trash doing down here, Elena?" Kaylee demanded, her voice sharp and entitled. She flicked her wrist, and the dog, surprisingly, slumped to the ground, though its eyes never left me.

"Young Miss Kaylee," Elena said, her voice instantly softening. "The mistress ordered her to be housed in the staff quarters."

Kaylee scoffed. "She smells like the street. And vomit. Take her and clean her. I don' t want her stinking up my air." She wrinkled her nose, as if the very thought of me was repulsive. "Make sure she doesn' t touch anything important."

Elena nodded curtly. She dragged me away from the dog, her grip never loosening. I was led to a small, cramped bathroom, barely bigger than a closet. The water was lukewarm, the soap harsh. Elena scrubbed at me with a brutal efficiency, as if trying to scour away my very essence. Each rub of the rough cloth felt like a fresh insult. The humiliation burned hotter than any physical pain.

As Elena dressed me in a threadbare uniform, my mind, for the first time since Deborrah woke, focused on something other than my own pain. Deborrah... Her allergies. My mother was severely allergic to tree nuts. A single trace could send her into anaphylactic shock. I had spent years meticulously checking every ingredient, every label, every meal.

A cold dread settled in my stomach. Christopher and Doria, for all their wealth, seemed oblivious to her condition. Kaylee, a stranger, clearly wouldn't know. What if they served her something?

My heart began to pound. I had to warn someone. I had to.

I broke free from Elena' s grasp and bolted. Up the winding back staircase, my bare feet slapping against the cold marble. I pushed open the heavy kitchen door, the scent of rich food and spices hitting me instantly.

The kitchen was enormous, gleaming with stainless steel. Chefs in crisp white uniforms moved with practiced efficiency. My eyes darted to the counter, where a silver platter of roasted chicken sat. Beside it, a bowl of what looked like a rich, creamy sauce. And then I saw it: a small, silver tray, piled high with candied pecans.

"Stop!" I yelled, my voice hoarse. "Don' t let my mother eat the pecans! She' s allergic! Severely allergic!"

A burly chef, his face red with indignation, turned to me. "What in blazes are you doing here, girl? Get out!" He jabbed a finger at me. "This is a private kitchen! You staff are only allowed through the back entrance."

"Please!" I pleaded, gesturing wildly at the nuts. "She' ll die! Deborrah Rose! My mother!"

Another chef, a woman with a sharp glare, stepped forward. "Your mother? You little liar! Miss Deborrah is dining with the family. And she certainly wouldn' t be served anything that could harm her." She snatched a clean towel from a rack and threw it at me. "Now get out before I call security. You' re nothing but a nuisance."

"But the pecans!" I insisted, my voice rising in desperation. "They' ll kill her!"

The burly chef grabbed my arm, his grip like iron. "You' re making a scene," he growled. He shoved me hard. I lost my footing, my head hitting the edge of a stainless steel table with a sickening thud. Pain exploded behind my eyes. I sank to the cold tile floor, a dizzying wave of blackness threatening to consume me.

Just then, Christopher Winters walked in, his face a thundercloud. "What is going on here?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

The chefs immediately straightened, looking panicked. The burly chef, still glowering, pointed at me. "This... girl, sir. She came barging in, screaming about allergies. Disrupting the dinner preparations."

Christopher looked down at me, sprawled on the floor, a thin trickle of blood running down my temple. His expression was not concern, but pure irritation. "Get her out of here," he ordered, his voice cold. "And inform Doria that the dinner is delayed."

"But sir," the female chef interjected, her voice suddenly unsure. "She mentioned pecans. Miss Deborrah' s... sensitivities. We were just about to plate the pecan-crusted salmon."

Christopher' s eyes widened slightly. He looked at the pecan tray, then at me. "Pecans?" he asked, a hint of something unreadable in his voice.

The first chef, eager to redeem himself, hurried to explain. "Yes, sir, a new recipe. But we follow strict protocols for Miss Deborrah' s diet. Only specially prepared dishes, completely free of any allergens. The main dining room has its own set of dishes. These are for the family members not on the special diet." He gestured to a separate, smaller stainless steel cart.

Christopher nodded, his relief palpable. He looked down at me again, his expression hardening. "So, you were just trying to cause trouble."

My head throbbed. I tried to speak, to explain, but no words came out. The pain, combined with the crushing realization that my warning had been completely unnecessary, choked me. They had a separate system. They knew. My desperate attempt to help had only marked me as a troublemaker.

I was dragged out of the kitchen, this time by two beefy security guards. They didn' t take me back to the staff quarters. Instead, I was left outside, by the grand French doors that opened onto a sprawling terrace. The cold night air was a shock against my injured head.

Through the glass, I could see them. The Winters family. Seated at a long, ornate table, bathed in the warm glow of crystal chandeliers. Deborrah, radiant in an elegant gown, laughed as Christopher whispered something in her ear. Kaylee, sitting next to her, giggled, her hand resting affectionately on Deborrah' s arm. They looked like a perfect, happy family. A family I was not part of.

I watched Deborrah. Her happiness with them was almost unbearable. Her scars, the ones I had tended to for five years, were hidden beneath her beautiful dress. The scars on her heart, the ones I carried from her rejection, were invisible to her. She had never once asked about the scars on my hands, the ones I got caring for her.

A hollow ache gnawed at my stomach. I was ravenous. My last meal had been a packet of stale crackers hours ago. The rich aromas from the kitchen wafted out, a cruel torture.

Later, when the house was mostly dark, I crept back into the kitchen. The chefs were gone. Only the cleaning crew remained, methodically wiping down surfaces. I slipped past them, unnoticed, my stomach rumbling painfully.

I found it in the large industrial trash bins: a half-eaten plate of roasted vegetables, a few scraps of bread. Shame washed over me, but hunger was a stronger force. I scooped the leftovers into my hands, retreating to a dark corner behind the pantry. I ate quickly, silently, the cold, discarded food a bitter feast. It filled the emptiness in my stomach, but not the one in my heart.

I woke up hours later, curled on the cold floor of the staff toilet, a sharp cramp in my gut. My head was pounding, and a new wave of nausea crashed over me. The stale food had not agreed with me. I lurched to my feet, barely making it to the toilet before violent retching seized me. The sounds echoed in the quiet hallway.

Footsteps. Shouts. The staff quarters, usually silent at this hour, erupted in a flurry of activity.

A doctor, summoned by the ruckus, examined me. His face was grim. "Severe dehydration, malnutrition, and what looks like food poisoning," he announced, his voice tight with disapproval. He turned to Elena. "What has this girl been eating?"

Elena, her face pale, averted her gaze.

I tried to point towards the kitchen, but only managed a weak gesture. "Trash," I croaked, the word a raw wound. "Leftovers."

From the hallway, I heard Deborrah' s voice, now clearer, stronger than I' d heard it all day. "What is going on?" she demanded. Then, a sharp gasp. "Is that... that girl?" Her voice was filled with disgust. "She' s so sickly. So... unpleasant. Why is she still here?"

Christopher' s voice, cold and furious, cut through the air. "What did you hear?" he demanded, his gaze boring into me.