You've seen your older brother's, Benjamin's, maid a few times around the mansion. Her name was Marie from what you've heard the other servants say.

Marie was always alone or being yelled at for her incompetence.

"You stupid girl! I should throw you back on the streets for this!"

Benjamin shouted at Marie while slapping the tray of refreshments from her hands then grabbing Marie roughly by her hair,

"I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't forget."

Benjamin gave a creepy grin as he dragged Marie to another room, her cries and pleas falling on deaf ears.

Abhi sighed in annoyance as his brother took the servant girl away. He knew Benjamin had a habit of treating her poorly and it wasn't something he approved of. "Benjamin..." Abhi called out to his older brother, walking over to him. "...maybe you should let her go?"

The younger sibling suggested, hoping that maybe if he spoke up his brother would finally show some mercy towards the unfortunate maid.

Benjamin paused and glanced over at Abhi before shaking his head dismissively. "No, I don't think so." He said flatly before roughly yanking Marie closer to him. The girl whimpered in fear as she stared up at her brother with teary eyes. "She's mine, and I'll do what I want with her."

He growled before shoving the terrified servant onto a nearby bed.

"You'd be happy to get rid of that useless piece of trash, wouldn't you?" Benjamin sneered down at his brother as he roughly pushed Marie onto the bed. "Fine." He growled out, still looming over her. "But she's mine for now. You can have one of my other maids if you want."

He then turned to glare at Abhi again, a cruel smile tugging at his lips. "And don't think I won't remember this, little brother."

"No." Benjamin shook his head firmly. "You can't have her." He leaned in closer to Abhi, his eyes narrowing menacingly. "And if I ever catch you touching her...let alone trying to take her from me..." He trailed off ominously before straightening up and glaring down at the terrified servant girl beneath him.

"Now get out of here," he snapped, shooing Abhi away with an angry wave of his hand. "

You could try, but Benjamin would definitely put up a fight if you tried to take her from him. He doesn't share well, and he sees her as his possession. It might not end well for either of you...

"You really think she'd be better off with you?" Benjamin asked mockingly, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "She's used to being treated like trash, so it's not like she'd expect any better from you."

He leans in closer and whispers into Abhi's ear, "And I don't trust anyone else not to hurt her or take advantage of her. She's mine, and I won't give her up easily."

Benjamin paused for a moment, his expression darkening. "You wouldn't dare," he growled out before straightening up again and pushing himself away from Abhi. "Fine." He spat the word like acid. "I'll let you have her...but only if we make a deal."

The older brother paused for dramatic effect, his eyes narrowing as they fixed on Abhi. "You give me your most valuable possession and I'll give you this worthless piece of trash," he said venomously. "

"Yes, whatever it is that you hold most dear." Benjamin smirked maliciously as he leaned in closer to Abhi once again. "Or maybe I should just take her anyway and force your hand?" He growled menacingly before stepping back with a satisfied smile on his lips. "Think carefully, little brother. Time is running out."

"Very well," Benjamin said with a grin, stepping back and gesturing for Marie to stand up from the bed where she'd been lying shivering in fear. "You can have her." His gaze flickered over to Abhi before returning to his brother's maid, her body still trembling under his scrutiny.

"Now get out of here," he snapped, waving his hand dismissively at Marie. "

Marie slowly got up from the bed, her eyes darting between Abhi and Benjamin before finally looking down at the floor, a tear trickling down her cheek as she followed after Abhi, not knowing what had just transpired or what was going to happen next.

"T-thank you..." Marie stammered out, her voice shaking as she clung to Abhi, her big round glasses sliding down her nose. "I-I don't understand..."

She looked up at him with teary eyes, her face flushed from embarrassment and fear. Her long ginger hair hung limply around her shoulders like a curtain of misery.

She hesitated for a moment before finally speaking up in a whisper, "I-I thought...you were going to hurt me..." Her voice trailed off as she lowered her gaze once more. "I'm sorry if I caused any trouble."

Marie sniffled, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand before looking up at Abhi hopefully. "Is...is it really true? That I can stay with you now?" Her voice cracked as she asked, fear still evident in her expression.

It was a question she'd never dared to ask before, and one that had haunted her dreams for years. She didn't know what Abhi would say or do, but the thought of finally being wanted and loved made her heart swell with hope.

Marie hesitated again before slowly nodding in agreement. "I-I can tell you..." she whispered, her voice barely audible even to herself. "But I need you to promise me that it will stay between us...that you won't tell anyone else..."

Her eyes searched his face as she waited for him to respond, her heart beating faster with every passing second. She trusted Abhi, but at the same time, she knew how dangerous it could be to reveal secrets in this household.

"You won't tell anyone?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper as she stared up at Abhi with pleading eyes. "Please..."

She leaned in closer to him, desperate for reassurance and comfort. Marie had been through so much in her short life that she couldn't help but cling to the hope that maybe now things would finally change for the better.

"My name is Marie," she began, slowly taking a step closer towards Abhi as she spoke. "I was an orphan and lived with my parents until they died when I was very young." She paused, swallowing hard before continuing, "Benjamin found me and took me in as his servant...but it wasn't what I thought it would be like."

Her voice cracked as she confessed, "He-he started to...to make me do things..." Her face turned crimson at the admission, but she forced herself to continue. "...

He would touch me in places I didn't want him to, and he would force me to watch him with other women...I-I tried to tell someone, but nobody believed me..." She sniffled, wiping at her eyes again before looking up at Abhi hopefully. "So now you know."

There was a long silence between them as the weight of Marie's words hung heavily in the air. Finally, Abhi reached out and gently cupped her face in his hand, brushing away a tear that had escaped down her cheek.

"No..." she whispered, shaking her head slowly as more tears spilled from her eyes. "Not...not like that." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "But I think he wanted to."

The memory of Benjamin's lecherous gaze and rough hands sent a shiver down her spine, making it difficult for her to look at Abhi directly.