But not everyone in the household approved.

Mrs. Henderson, the stern head housekeeper, noticed Sofia’s growing bond with Daniel. She considered it unprofessional, even improper. “You’re here to clean, not to entertain,” she warned. “Don’t forget your place.”

Sofia nodded respectfully, but in her heart, she knew she couldn’t stop. What she was doing mattered far more than dusting chandeliers or polishing silverware.

The turning point came one evening when Richard Caldwell returned home earlier than usual. He had spent the day in back-to-back meetings, his mind weighed down by business negotiations. As he walked down the hallway toward his son’s suite, he paused at the sound of laughter, a sound he hadn’t heard in months.

Curious and cautious, he pushed the door open.

What he saw made him freeze.

There was his son, Daniel, in his wheelchair, arms lifted, swaying awkwardly but happily in rhythm to a lively tune. And beside him was Sofia, twirling gracefully, her laughter mingling with his. They looked so alive, so free, that Richard almost didn’t recognize his own child.

“What is going on here?” Richard’s voice boomed, sharp and commanding.