CHAPTER 1 — THE GIRL ON THE MARBLE FLOOR
For years, she was treated like a ghost.
No one asked her name.
No one cared about her pain.
In the sprawling Blackwood Mansion, she existed only to work.
She scrubbed floors before sunrise.
She cleaned rooms long after midnight.
And when mistakes happened—even mistakes she didn't make—she paid for them.
Usually with bruises.
Usually in silence.
On this particular morning, the cold marble floor beneath her knees felt harder than usual.
Her hands were raw from cleaning chemicals.
A fresh bruise darkened her cheek.
And standing above her was Mrs. Vivian Ashford.
The mistress of the mansion.
A woman feared by every servant.
Vivian crossed her arms.
"I told you to polish every inch of this floor."
The young servant lowered her head.
"I'm sorry."
The apology only seemed to anger Vivian more.
"Sorry?" she snapped. "Sorry doesn't fix incompetence."
The girl remained silent.
She had learned long ago that defending herself only made things worse.
Around them, other servants kept their eyes lowered.
Nobody dared intervene.
Nobody dared speak.
Then—
BOOM.
The massive double doors slammed open.
The sound echoed through the entire mansion.
Every servant froze.
Vivian immediately straightened her posture.
A smile appeared on her face.
A fake smile.
The kind she reserved for important people.
A tall man entered.
Expensive suit.
Sharp features.
Authority radiating from every step.
Everyone recognized him instantly.
Alexander Blackwood.
Owner of Blackwood Industries.
One of the most powerful businessmen in the country.
Vivian hurried toward him.
"Alexander," she said warmly. "What a pleasant surprise."
But Alexander wasn't looking at her.
His eyes had already fallen upon the trembling girl kneeling on the floor.
Something changed instantly.
His face drained of color.
The room became silent.
Too silent.
Slowly, he took a step forward.
Then another.
The girl's head remained lowered.
She didn't even realize he was staring at her.
Until he whispered one word.
A name.
A name nobody in the mansion had ever heard before.
"Emma?"
The girl froze.
Her eyes widened.
Slowly, she looked up.
May you like
And for the first time in years—
someone looked at her like she mattered.
