The mansion was unusually quiet that afternoon. The sunlight streamed through the tall glass windows, laying golden stripes on the marble floor. David sat alone in the living room, staring blankly at the TV screen, though he wasn’t watching anything. His mind was too busy — too loud.
For the past few weeks, something had been eating at him. Every time he saw Jacob and Lydia together, laughing, talking, smiling — a strange feeling boiled inside his chest. Jealousy. A feeling he had never wanted to admit to himself.
He ran a hand through his hair and muttered, “What’s wrong with me? She’s just a maid. A poor, ordinary maid my father brought from the streets. Why do I even care what she does?”
But no matter how many times he tried to convince himself, Lydia’s image refused to leave his min
