The morning sun poured through the curtains, bathing the Martin mansion in a soft golden glow. Birds chirped outside, the world waking in peace — but within those walls, three hearts were anything but calm.
Lydia hummed quietly as she prepared breakfast, her fingers trembling slightly whenever she thought of Jacob. It was strange — how one man’s smile could turn her world upside down, how one kind word from him could stay in her mind all night.
Every time she saw him, her heart whispered the same thing — tell him.
But then fear would whisper louder — what if he doesn’t feel the same? What if he laughs at you?
She sighed deeply as she placed the tray on the dining table, her reflection faintly visible on the silver teapot.
“You’re just a maid, Lydia,” she muttered softly. “Don’t dream
