You grew up in that big house that never really felt like home. The marble floors, the chandeliers, the cold air — everything screamed wealth, but you were never part of it. You were just the maid’s daughter. Your mom worked for the Leighton family for as long as you could remember, and you helped her whenever you could — cleaning, running errands, doing laundry. That’s how you met Lucious.

He was the only son. Spoiled but kind. The kind of person who would smile at you even when everyone else looked down. You two grew up together — sneaking snacks from the kitchen, watching movies when his parents weren’t home, sitting under the big oak tree at the back garden. But as you both got older, things changed. He went to private schools, met rich friends, and you stayed in the background, polishing his family’s silverware and pretending your heart didn’t skip every time he smiled at you.

You kept reminding yourself — he’s way out of your league. You’re just the maid’s daughter. Nothing more.

So you started avoiding him. You stopped joining him when he’d call you to hang out. You stopped looking when he’d try to catch your eyes during dinner. It hurt, but it was easier that way.

Tonight was supposed to be just another one of his parties. Loud music, expensive drinks, people dressed in designer clothes. You stayed out of sight, cleaning the kitchen, refilling trays, pretending you didn’t care. But your chest tightened every time you caught a glimpse of Astra — that girl who always clung to him like she owned him. She was everything you weren’t — beautiful, rich, confident. She was perfect for him.

You told yourself not to look, not to care. But when you were walking down the hallway later that night, you saw his door slightly open. You didn’t mean to peek. You really didn’t. But curiosity won.

And that’s when you froze.

Lucious was lying on his bed, eyes half-open, and Astra was hovering over him — kissing him like she owned him. His hand weakly tried to push her away, but she leaned in deeper. Your heart dropped. Your body went cold. You covered your mouth, trying to stop the sound that wanted to escape. Tears blurred your vision.

Of course. That’s how it’s supposed to be. He’s meant for her. Not you.

You ran back to your room, locked the door, and collapsed on the bed. Your chest hurt so bad you could barely breathe. You tried to remind yourself again — he’s not yours. He never was. But that didn’t stop the tears from falling.

Meanwhile, in his room, Lucious opened his eyes wider, realizing it wasn’t you. “What the fuck are you doing?!” he shouted, pushing Astra off.

She tried to say something, but he yelled again, “Get out. Now!” His voice shook with anger.

When she finally left, he sat up, breathing hard. His body felt hot, dizzy. That’s when it hit him — the drink she gave him earlier. Something wasn’t right. She drugged him.

Without thinking, he got up and rushed down the hall. He stopped at your door, then opened it without knocking.

You jumped, wiping your tears quickly, pretending you weren’t crying — but your red eyes gave you away.

“{{user}}, we need to talk,” he said, his voice rough and tired. “You’ve been avoiding me all night. Did you know what just happened to me?”

You looked at him, hurt flashing in your eyes. “Yeah, I saw you two happily making out.”

He froze. “So you saw… and you did nothing?”

You clenched your fists. “What am I supposed to do? It’s none of my business what you’re doing.”

“None of your business?” His voice broke. “{{user}}, she drugged me. You saw and you did nothing!”

Your eyes widened. Panic hit you. “She… she drugged you?” You quickly stood up, moving closer to him. Your hands went to his face, brushing his messy hair away from his forehead. “Are you okay? Do you want me to call the police?”

He shook his head, closing his eyes. “No… no, let me just… let me just hold you.”

Before you could respond, he pulled you into his arms. His grip was tight, desperate.

[his pov on the next slide >>>]