Episode 1
1007 Words
At exactly 6:30 every morning, Shanzy entered Aisha's mansion through the back door.
She always arrived early.
Always quietly.
And always with the same foolish hope in her heart.
Maybe today would be different.
Maybe today, Aisha would look at her and smile.
Maybe today, she would finally say, “Shanzy, sit down. I want to talk to you.”
It had never happened.
Not once.
Yet Shanzy still hoped.
She tightened her grip around the tray in her hands and climbed the marble staircase.
The mansion was unusually silent.
Too silent.
Usually, Aisha's staff were already moving through the house, preparing breakfast and organizing the day's schedule.
But this morning, nobody was speaking.
Shanzy noticed the strange atmosphere immediately.
Then she saw the study door.
It was open.
Aisha was inside.
Her back was turned toward the doorway as she stood in front of the enormous glass window overlooking the city.
She was dressed for work already—black suit, neatly tied hair, expensive watch.
Everything about her looked perfect.
Except her hands.
They were trembling.
Shanzy stopped.
She had never seen Aisha tremble before.
“Ma'am?”
Aisha immediately turned.
Her expression hardened.
“What are you doing here?”
Shanzy lowered her eyes.
“I brought your breakfast.”
“I didn't ask for breakfast.”
“You didn't eat last night either.”
Silence.
Aisha stared at her.
For a moment, Shanzy thought she had gone too far.
Then Aisha walked toward the desk.
“Put it there.”
Shanzy obeyed.
She placed the tray down carefully.
As she turned to leave, something caught her attention.
A photograph.
It had fallen partly out of a drawer.
Shanzy wasn't trying to look.
She truly wasn't.
But the photograph showed a much younger Aisha standing beside a woman Shanzy had never seen before.
They were smiling.
Not the polite smile Aisha occasionally gave reporters.
A real smile.
Warm.
Unprotected.
Happy.
Shanzy stared for half a second too long.
Aisha noticed.
Her face changed instantly.
“Leave.”
Shanzy froze.
“Ma'am—”
“I said leave!”
The sharpness in her voice made Shanzy flinch.
She quickly stepped out.
Behind her, she heard the drawer slam shut.
An hour later, the entire mansion was still tense.
Shanzy worked silently in the kitchen.
She kept replaying that photograph in her mind.
Who was that woman?
And why had Aisha looked so frightened?
Her thoughts were interrupted when the house manager entered.
“Shanzy.”
“Yes?”
“Go to the study.”
Her stomach tightened.
“Why?”
“He wants you there.”
“Who?”
The manager looked uncomfortable.
“Mr. Hamid.”
Shanzy's expression changed.
Mr. Hamid was Aisha's oldest business partner.
And according to the staff, he rarely came to the mansion without a reason.
Shanzy wiped her hands and went upstairs.
When she entered the study, Aisha wasn't alone.
Mr. Hamid stood near the desk.
Aisha was sitting behind it.
Her expression was cold again.
“Close the door,” she said.
Shanzy did.
Mr. Hamid looked at her carefully.
“This is the girl?”
Aisha's eyes narrowed.
“Yes.”
“She's been working here how long?”
“Eight months.”
“Eight months,” he repeated thoughtfully.
Then he smiled.
“Interesting.”
Shanzy didn't understand.
Aisha did.
“Enough, Hamid.”
He ignored her.
“Does she have access to the office?”
“No.”
“The safe?”
“No.”
“Your personal files?”
“No.”
“Your bedroom?”
Aisha's expression darkened.
“No.”
Hamid nodded slowly.
“Then perhaps she isn't useful.”
Shanzy's heart sank.
Aisha suddenly stood.
“That's enough.”
Hamid looked at her.
“You're becoming defensive.”
“I said enough.”
For the first time, Shanzy realized something.
Aisha wasn't angry with her.
She was protecting her.
But why?
That evening, Shanzy stayed late.
Aisha had a business meeting outside the city, and the household staff had already left.
Only Shanzy remained.
She was cleaning the upstairs hallway when she heard a sound.
A door closing.
She turned.
The sound had come from Aisha's private office.
But Aisha wasn't home.
Shanzy slowly approached.
The door was slightly open.
She pushed it.
Nobody was inside.
Then she noticed something on the floor.
An envelope.
Her name was written on it.
SHANZY.
Her hands went cold.
She picked it up.
There was no sender.
No address.
Nothing.
She opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
Shanzy stared at it.
It was a picture of her.
Taken outside the mansion.
Three days ago.
Someone had been watching her.
A second piece of paper fell from the envelope.
Only one sentence was written on it:
“You think Aisha doesn't know who you really are?”
Shanzy's breathing stopped.
“What...?”
A noise came from behind her.
She spun around.
The hallway was empty.
Then her phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
One message.
Leave Aisha before she destroys your life.
Shanzy's fingers trembled.
Another message arrived.
She already destroyed someone else's.
Before she could reply, the mansion lights suddenly went out.
Darkness swallowed the entire hallway.
Shanzy froze.
Then she heard footsteps downstairs.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Someone was inside the mansion.
She backed toward the wall.
Her heart pounded.
The footsteps stopped.
Then came a whisper from below.
“Shanzy?”
Her blood ran cold.
It was Aisha's voice.
But Aisha wasn't supposed to be home.
Shanzy slowly stepped toward the staircase.
“Aisha?”
No answer.
Then her phone lit up again.
One final message appeared.
Don't trust the woman standing downstairs.
Shanzy stopped breathing.
Because at that exact moment...
Aisha appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
And she was holding a bloodstained knife.
“Shanzy,” Aisha said quietly.
“Come downstairs.”
Shanzy stared at her in horror.
Then Aisha whispered something that made her entire world collapse.
“Whatever you do... don't let them find you.”
Chapter 1 End
- Writer
