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Lady Stella listened without interrupting.After all, she was ready to listen to whatever story he had cooked up.Her son wasn't one to lie, but this time around, he was definitely going to. All because of a woman. A maid, to be precise.Arrow stood before her, shoulders squared, voice steady as he explained why he had been in the laundry room – brief, harmless, just for new sheets.He chose his words carefully, each word deliberate. When he finished, she simply looked at him–heavy with thoughts.Then nodded.“Very well,” she said.The plainness of it unsettled him.That was it? She didn't ask why he had to go drop off his dirty laundry by himself? What about the maid assigned for the task that morning?Was she going to get punished? Questions raced through his head at that moment. His mother was unnervingly calm, and he did not like it. Something was wrong somewhere.“I'll send for the maids doing laundry duties today and make sure they get punished as they deserve.” Lady Stella

A figure lingered in the shadowed corner of the hallway, eavesdropping on every word. When the conversation ended, they walked away–swift, silent, as if running away with stolen cheese to feed hungry mice–until they reached their final destination: Lady Stella’s quarters.^^^^^Lorna sighed, folding a clean sheet between her fingers. Twenty more awaited her but her mind drifted far from the laundry room.She was alone–just her thoughts and the hum of the washing machine–she could only stew in silence. She wasn't having an affair with her mistress’s son–so why did the accusation burn so deeply.Well they’d only had one night together, and nothing more. Since then, she’d been avoiding him–and whatever it was he thought he could build between them. Last she checked, this was her mistress's home…her mistress's son. That was not a combination anyone survived.“Did Lorna really think she had a chance with our Lady's son? What a lowlife,” a voice sneered outside the laundry room. They we

Lauren sat in front of Arrow and Lorna, her gaze sharp and unreadable. The air was tense, silence stretched through enough to snap. The air in the room was tense, the silence was drawn out thin as though it might snap at any moment. She had decided it was meantime–time to address what happened the other day between Lorna and her mother. Lauren was afraid on her behalf; they all knew what Lady Stella was capable of. How corny and vigilant she was.Her fingers tapped lightly against the armrest, each sound deliberate. Lorna shifted uncomfortably, her hands entwined in her laps, while Arrow's jaw clenched–his grey eyes fixed on Lauren with subdued impatience.Lauren leaned forward, her lips curved into the slightest smile. “Let’s talk about what really happened,” she began. “What’s going on?” Arrow asked, his attention fixed on Lorna with concern. He reached for her hands but she pulled away, turning from his reach. She had almost found herself in trouble because of him and the tho

“Lorna…” Lady Stella repeated, uttering the name slowly, as if measuring its weight. “Get her for me.” The words fell softly, yet with a gravity the maid didn't miss. She lowered her head in a slight bow, a smile tugged at her lips, before leaving the study. Lady Stella remained still, her gaze grew aloof, her thoughts whirling. Why had Arrow taken such a strange interest in a maid? She recalled sending Lorna to serve him on the night of his arrival, dismissing the details as irrelevant at the time. But now– Was it because she was that maid? A knock on the door snapped Lady Stella from her thoughts. She drew in a deep breath before uttering a low, “come in.” The door squealed open, and Lorna stepped inside, her movements careful. She shut it quietly behind her, the soft click echoing louder than it should have in the room. Then with cautious steps, she approached the desk–Lady Stella’s gaze fixed on her, unwavering, assessing. “You sent for me, my Lady,” Lorna spoke f

The faint scent of orchids lingered in the air, curling around the quiet of the study. It was a spacious room, lined on both sides with towering bookshelves and neat filing cabinets. A large oakwood desk stood at its heart– Satin-smooth, the kind only given to furniture that commanded respect. Behind it, Lady Stella's lips curved into a knowing smile as she set down the receiver, ending a two-hour phone call with someone she knew all too well. Her mind drifted to Arrow–he’d been staying in the mansion longer than usual. Whatever the reason, it felt like the perfect chance to advance her plans. Still, she was bothered by the mystery behind his prolonged visit. He was a busy businessman–of course, he had holidays and breaks but never at this particular time of the year. “Mother.” Almost as if pulled straight from her thoughts, Arrow stood at her desk. His worried gaze scanned her face, in search of something she couldn't name. “Arrow.” Her eyes gleamed. “ What brings

Lorna?!” Lauren's mouth dropped open, stunned to see a nervous Lorna standing there. She glanced back and forth between her brother and the maid, trying to connect the dots. “Please don't tell Mom, I'd do anything–just don't tell mom about us.” Arrow moved in front of Lorna, protectively. Lorna's gaze lingered on his broad figure in front of her, blocking her from view. Her pulse still racing from the moment she'd slipped out of the closet. Lauren blinked, speechless. When did her brother start acting like this? Desperate? Protective? “Us?” she murmured back, her brows rising. “You just got here–how are you professing love to a maid in such a short period of time?!” She barely gave him a chance to respond before shifting her attention abruptly to Lorna. “And you, Lorna…seriously?! I didn't expect this from you. Feelings? for him? All of a sudden?” Lorna lowered her head, avoiding Lauren's gaze in shame. Arrow's frown deepened, noticing her demeanor. “Hey, don't sco