My throat clenched from anger at her words. She had fired all the maids three years ago, forcing me to take their place. Serving as the new maid in the Harnes mansion was part of the contract between us.

But that wasn’t what made my heart slam in my chest. It was the fact that they were pushing my marriage with Xavier forward.

Why?

We were supposed to get married in six months.

The only reason the marriage had not happened sooner was because ...