Zayan Kai's birthday had arrived, and the entire mansion was buzzing with preparations. But amidst the celebration, one person had been quietly avoiding the man of the hour—Nora.
For weeks now, she had successfully kept her distance. She no longer cleaned his room herself, instead passing that task to other maids while she cleaned the guest rooms and hallways in solitude. No one questioned it. No one dared.
That afternoon, while tidying one of the upper rooms near the guest quarters, Nora paused. Voices floated through the slightly ajar door of the room next to her.
"Are you sure he'll drink it?"
"Of course," a woman replied confidently. "We paid the waiter enough. He'll make sure Zayan gets the poisoned drink during the toast."
"Good. This will be the last birthday that devil celebrates."
Nora didn't flinch. She simply stood up straight, brushed her hands off on her apron, and walked out quietly.
She found Catalina, Zayan's mother, in the hallway.
Zayan's heart skipped when he saw her—the maid he hadn't seen up close in days—walking gracefully toward his mother. Nora leaned in and whispered something only Catalina could hear. The older woman's eyes widened instantly in shock. But before anyone could react, Nora was already walking away.
She headed straight to the dining area where drinks were being set for the toast.
With calm precision, Nora switched the glasses—carefully, subtly—ensuring that the drink intended for Zayan would instead go to the man she overheard. She added another identical drink for Zayan and placed both on the tray.
As the party began and the guests laughed, drank, and dined, the man raised his glass and smiled at his wife.
"I believe this is our last drink," he said with a smirk.
"Let's make it count," she replied, clinking her glass against his.
Zayan downed his drink.
Moments later, the man began coughing—hard. His coughs grew violent, and then came the blood. Panic spread through the room.
Zayan frowned, concerned. "Are you… okay?" he asked, his voice sharp.
Catalina rushed to her son, placing a hand on his chest. "Are you alright, love?"
He nodded, confused, while the poisoned man collapsed to the floor in agony.
Nora watched from a distance, then turned to another maid.
"Here. Finish up," she said simply and walked away.
She returned to her room, undressed, and stepped into the bath, her body finally relaxing in the warm water. Once out, she changed into a soft dress and picked up a small white teddy bear from her shelf. Holding it close to her chest, she left the mansion quietly and ran to the one place she called home—the orphanage.
She smiled as she entered, the children running up to her, hugging her legs. Nana greeted her with cinnamon rolls and laughter. It was her safe space. Her peace of mind.
Back at the mansion, Zayan sat beside his mother. Catalina looked at him with a heavy sigh.
"Zayan, my dear… for once in your life, thank someone for saving you," she said gently.
"That maid—you owe her your life."
Zayan didn't argue. Instead, he stood up and made his way to the roof. From there, he could see the orphanage in the distance. Nora sat with the children, laughing, her smile bright, her eyes free of fear.
Nana fed her a cinnamon roll, wiping her mouth like a child. Zayan's lips twitched.
"Was I just… smiling?" he asked himself, then shook his head. "Ridiculous."
That night, Nora returned to the mansion and fell into a deep sleep.
Unbeknownst to her, Zayan watched her through a camera he had installed in her room while she was away. He watched her chest rise and fall as she slept peacefully, the white teddy bear still in her arms.
The next morning, the mansion resumed its routine. Nora joined the other maids to clean. She was focused, silent, as always.
Then he walked in.
Zayan.
She froze, the duster in her hand falling slightly. Her gaze dropped to the floor as her heart pounded.
Zayan stood in front of her and exhaled slowly. Then, his voice came—deep, rough, hesitant.
"T…Thank you. For saving me yesterday."
Nora looked up, shocked. "You're welcome, Sir," she replied quietly.
The room fell silent.
Every maid stared, jaws slack.
Even Catalina, watching from the hall, blinked in disbelief.
Once Zayan left, the silence was broken by Mrs. Jane, an older maid.
"What did you do to him?" she whispered in awe.
"The Devil just thanked someone."
"He's never done anything like that before."
"Looks like you're in luck, girl."
That evening, Zayan stood by his window. Down below, in the garden, Nora was picking flowers, her corset cinched tightly over her maid uniform. Her hourglass shape was impossible to ignore, her curves accentuated with each graceful move.
Zayan bit his bottom lip, watching her from afar.
"She's… too damn gorgeous," he muttered.
Then he lay back on his bed, the image of her still in his mind, and for the first time in a long while—he fell asleep peacefully.