Julian pushed open the heavy oak doors of the dining room, his black tuxedo slightly messy after a long flight back from an emergency business trip in Chicago. He had returned three days earlier than planned because a major contract settlement had been signed ahead of schedule, leaving him eager to rest in his quiet home. As he stepped across the wooden floor of the hallway into the dining space, the sharp sound of raised voices stopped him in his tracks. He saw Victoria standing near the table with her arms crossed, looking down with disgust at a maid who was crouched over a massive yellow spill on the floor. Julian felt a wave of annoyance at the harsh scene, wondering why Victoria was throwing such an angry fit over a minor household accident.
Julian: What is going on in here, Victoria? Why are you shouting so early in the morning?
Victoria: It is nothing, Julian! Just a useless maid who cannot even carry a bowl of simple soup!
Julian: There is no need to scream at the staff like that across the entire house.
Julian took three slow steps forward, his polished shoes tapping softly against the grand runner rug that stretched across the wide dining room. The maid on the floor froze completely at the sound of his voice, her shoulders stiffening under her dirty cotton uniform. Elena held her breath, her heart pounding so hard inside her chest that she felt dizzy from the sudden surge of fear and hope. She had not heard Julian speak from this close in over six months, and the sound brought back a flood of memories from their happy life together. She wanted to lift her head and call out his name, but the fear of Victoria's threats kept her frozen on the hard marble floor.
Victoria quickly stepped between Julian and the crouching woman, her fake smile slipping into place as she tried to guide her brother-in-law back toward the hallway door. She placed a soft hand on his shoulder, trying to turn him away before he could get a closer look at the maid's face. Her heart was beating fast as she realized her entire careful plan was hanging by a very thin thread in this exact moment. If Julian saw Elena's face, every lie about the stolen money, the fake divorce papers, and the lost baby would crumble into dust right before his eyes. She pressed her hand firmer against his coat, pushing him toward the study.
Victoria: You must be exhausted from your flight, Julian. Let the servants clean this up while you rest.
Julian: Wait a second, Victoria. Let me at least help her up off the floor.
Victoria: No, leave her alone! She needs to finish her work right now without any distractions!
Julian frowned at Victoria's nervous reaction, growing suspicious of why she was acting so desperate to keep him away from a simple housemaid. He pushed Victoria's hand off his arm with a firm movement, taking another step closer to the woman who was still holding her stomach on the cold floor. As he got closer, he noticed the woman was pregnant, her heavy stomach clearly visible beneath the tight fabric of the dark blue apron. The sight of a pregnant woman being treated like trash inside his own home filled Julian with a deep sense of anger and deep disgust. He bent down slightly, reaching his right hand out toward the quiet maid to help her stand up.
Julian: Are you okay, miss? Please get up, you do not have to kneel on the floor like this.
Elena: PLEASE, THE BABY...
The moment the words left Elena's mouth, Julian froze as if he had been hit by a bolt of lightning from the sky above. That soft, gentle voice was one he had heard in his dreams every single night for the last six agonizing months of his life. It was the exact voice of the wife he thought had abandoned him, the woman he believed had erased their child and walked away with his family money. Julian stood frozen in place, his face turning pale as he watched the maid slowly turn her head up toward his face. Elena's eyes met his, filled with fresh tears that spilled over her pale, freckled cheeks in front of him.