FROM STREETS TO PALACE

FIRE IN HER HEART

Lina took a deep breath. Even though she was just a maid, she had dignity. She wanted to show them she was polite and ready to work.

She stepped forward a little, bowed her head gently, and said in a soft but clear voice:

"Welcome home, Master, Misses. I am Lina. I will be taking care of you from now on. I hope we can get along well."

She waited for an answer. But what happened next was like ice water on her face.

The two sisters looked at her up and down. Their faces showed disgust. They looked at her like she was dirty garbage on the floor. They did not say a single word. They just turned their heads away and walked past her, laughing as if she did not even exist.

Then came the son, Leon.

He was tall, handsome, but his eyes were cold and sharp. He was a man of few words, a "no nonsense" guy. He looked straight ahead. He did not even glance at her. He walked right past her, his shoulder almost touching hers, and went straight up the stairs to his room without stopping.

"Hmph," Lina thought to herself. "I am not surprised. All rich people are the same. They think they are gods and others are nothing. I expected this."

She swallowed her pride and went to the kitchen to do her job.

The Dinner

Later, Lina prepared a delicious meal. She set the table beautifully. She called everyone to come and eat.

The whole family sat down, but they just stared at the food. No one moved their spoon. No one dared to take a bite. They looked at the food like it was poison, just because a poor girl like her made it.

Lina felt hurt, but she stayed calm. She thought, At least Leon might be hungry.

She put a separate plate of food on a tray and carried it all the way up to his big room. She knocked gently.

"Master Leon... I brought you some food. Please eat."

The Explosion

Leon was sitting on his chair, looking angry and tired. He looked at the food, then looked at her. Suddenly, he stood up and with one strong hand, he SWUNG the tray away!

CRASH!

The plate, the food, everything fell... right onto Lina’s face and clothes. Food was all over her hair, her face, and her dress. It was dirty, hot, and humiliating.

"Do you think I would eat food made by someone like you?" he shouted angrily. "Get this dirty thing out of my sight!"

That was it. Something inside Lina broke. She was poor, she was a maid, but she was still a human being. She had suffered enough pain, enough insults, and enough hunger. The anger inside her exploded like a volcano. 🌋

Tears of rage filled her eyes, but she did not run away. She stepped forward, looked him straight in the eyes, and YELLED at the top of her voice:

"ARE YOU CRAZY?! I WORKED HARD TO MAKE THIS FOOD! YOU CAN BE RICH, YOU CAN BE THE MASTER, BUT YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO HURT PEOPLE LIKE THIS! YOU ARE JUST A RUDE, ARROGANT MAN!"

Leon was shocked. No one had ever dared to speak to him like that. He stood there frozen, eyes wide open.

But Lina was not finished.

SLAP! ✋💥

She raised her hand and gave him a hard, loud slap across his face!

The room went silent. The sound echoed everywhere. Leon held his cheek, staring at her in complete disbelief. A maid... just slapped the young master!