Elissa, always attentive, rustled up some fruits and a small plate of beef stew for Brantley, who devoured them with the voracious appetite of a growing lad.

With a playful grin, the maid quipped, “Boys this age can eat a horse and still ask for dessert.”

Brantley’s face flushed with embarrassment as he shot back, “No way!”

Elissa chimed in gently, “She’s just teasing, kiddo.”

Brantley felt a lump form in his throat, torn between tears and gratitude.

Though he felt embarrassed, a flicker of joy spurred him on, and he attacked his homework with newfound energy.

Elissa reviewed his work with a critical eye, her standards firmer than Raphael’s.

Suddenly, the shrill ring of her phone shattered the quietude of the moment.

Brantley breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze fixed on Elissa as she conversed with Raphael, his ears straining to catch every word…

A persistent feeling of doubt gnawed at Brantley’s confidence.

glanced at him before saying

And he’s eaten plenty.”

faint chuckle echoed from the other end of the

presence, Elissa carefully navigated the conversation, steering clear of

her tone turned

know better than to miss that

Elissa

well-behaved, hardly requiring any additional

harbored a constant sense

the quiet of the night, the maid roused Elissa from

Jones, Brantley’s having

out

to her eyes, Elissa hastily donned a robe and hurried to Brantley’s

the dim light, Brantley tossed and turned, caught

of sweat dotted his forehead as he whimpered for

confirmed her suspicions: Brantley was

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