A pregnant woman discovered a wallet near her husband’s gravestone. When she opened it, she was paralyzed by what she saw inside…

Julia stared at him, stunned, then nodded slowly. “Okay. But even if I show up and say I want to work, they might not hire a woman seven months pregnant.” “If you offer the lowest rate, they’ll snap you up,” Arthur reassured her. “I checked—they just lost their last maid. They’re cheapskates, so their staff keeps quitting.”

After thinking it over, Julia agreed. She had nothing to lose, and it meant a roof over her head, food, and a chance to help a good person. She could still work, so she hoped Arthur’s relatives would take her in without too many questions. She had no plans to mention her criminal record.

Arriving at the address in an upscale suburb of Bryn Mawr, Julia stood before a large two-story mansion surrounded by a high stone fence. After explaining her purpose to the security guard, she was led inside to the office of Susan Elizabeth, Arthur’s stepmother. The tall, gaunt woman in her mid-forties seemed to look everywhere but at Julia during their conversation. Her manner made the young woman want to flee as fast as possible—so haughty was the mistress of this lavish estate. But Julia remembered her promise to Arthur, so she had no choice but to endure the icy blood running through this woman’s veins.

“Are you sure you can follow all my house rules?” Susan asked at the end of the interview. “Understand, I have no interest in paying loafers, and you won’t be able to leave the estate more than once a week. Does that suit you?” She finally locked eyes with Julia, and the pregnant woman felt a chill ripple through her body. The widow’s dark eyes reminded her of a venomous snake. One wrong word, and their plan with Arthur would collapse.

“Yes,” Julia said quickly. “Yes, that’s fine with me. I don’t have family in the city anyway, so…” “Good,” Susan replied, each word sharp as a blade. “Your personal life doesn’t interest me. You can start your duties tomorrow. And remember, if my son or I find your work lacking or incompetent…” Arthur’s stepmother pierced Julia with another sharp look. “You’ll be out of here faster than I can tell my dog to attack. Understood?”

Julia blinked rapidly, stunned. Would this woman really sic guard dogs on maids over unwashed dishes? All she could manage was, “Of course, perfectly clear, Ms. Elizabeth. I promise to work quietly and diligently, just as you want.” The mistress nodded, and a guard who’d been standing by the door escorted Julia to the head maid, who explained her tasks in the mansion.

For Julia, monotonous workdays began. Arthur was right—his stepmother and half-brother had terrible tempers. They scrutinized the staff, always suspecting laziness or idleness. Julia overheard Susan berating other maids with relish several times. But so far, her work satisfied them.

Oliver Stevens turned out to be a handsome but slippery young man who loved fine liquor but shirked hard work. His mother often scolded him for neglecting business responsibilities, but he just laughed it off. He didn’t seem to respect her authority much. “Mom, chill, please. The company’s not going anywhere. Let them stew for a week, and they’ll bring us the contracts on a silver platter. It’s not in their interest to lose those fat percentages.”

“Oliver, snap out of it,” Susan retorted. “I told you, we need to be careful with these partners. They’re not as simple as they seem. Plus, they work with the Chinese. One wrong move, and we’ll be the ones taking a huge loss. Honestly, sometimes I think you care about nothing but your parties and endless drinking.”

Instead of answering, Oliver raised his whiskey glass triumphantly. “Good thing Dad left us plenty of cash,” he said dreamily. “So what if we lose a bit on this deal? Another one’ll come along. The main thing is, we’re filthy rich now, Mom, and no one’s keeping tabs on our spending.” His mother’s face twisted in disgust. “God, you’re pathetic,” she said slowly. “At least have the decency not to drink in front of your mother before noon.”

Oliver muttered something nasty, followed by the sharp sound of a slap. Clearly, Susan’s composure had cracked. “What a family,” Julia thought, polishing antique bronze figurines on a large oak dresser. “Seems like nothing matters to them but money. That son would probably sell his own mom if someone offered him enough.”

Otherwise, if you ignored such ugly scenes, Susan and Oliver treated Julia decently. Maybe because she was pregnant, or maybe because she gave them no reason to complain. The Stevenses didn’t mistreat her, but they never praised her either, assuming flawless work was the bare minimum.

When Julia saw her first paycheck after a month, she didn’t know how to react. The amount was so pitiful she hadn’t expected it. She’d named the lowest salary possible, as Arthur advised, but still hoped her employers had some shred of conscience. They didn’t. Thankfully, Arthur had transferred a generous sum to an account he’d opened for her, letting Julia buy vitamins and fruit for the first time during her pregnancy.

Arthur kept his promise and now expected the same from Julia, but she had little to show him yet. In the month she’d worked at Susan’s mansion, Julia noticed one intriguing figure: a beautiful, lively girl with long, golden hair cascading down her slender back. Her name was Lauren, and she was Oliver’s fiancée. Julia noticed the young man often clashed with his mother over her. Lauren aimed to become his wife, which Susan vehemently opposed, hoping to find a wealthier, more refined match for her son…