Chapter 4 - Whispers in the Dark
That night, after Maya had finally cried herself to sleep, Marta sat in her small staff bedroom, her mind racing. She had carefully cleaned the wound with warm water and applied a mild antiseptic she had bought herself, but she knew it wasn't enough. The bone underneath felt misaligned. Maya needed a doctor, a real hospital, and proper X-rays.
But how? Vanessa controlled the household accounts, and the family doctor was a close friend of Vanessa's family. If Marta took Maya to him, Vanessa would know instantly.
The next morning, Marta tried to subtly bring up Maya's health to Vanessa.
"Ma'am," Marta said as she served Vanessa her morning green juice. "I noticed little Maya seems to be in a lot of physical discomfort. She is having trouble walking and sitting."
Vanessa didn't even look up from her tablet. "Maya is an attention-seeker, Marta. She dramatizes everything to get her father's sympathy. Focus on your cooking and leave the parenting to me."
"But ma'am, she has a very severe injury on her back. It looks infected. She needs to see a specialist—"
Vanessa slammed her glass onto the table, green liquid splashing onto the pristine white tablecloth. "Are you questioning my parenting, Marta? Let me make one thing very clear to you. You are a maid. You clean the floors and you cook the food. If I hear you bringing up this ridiculous nonsense again, I will have you thrown out of this house before the sun sets. Do you understand me?"
May you like
Marta forced herself to keep her head bowed, hiding the fierce fire burning in her chest. "Yes, ma'am. I understand."
But as Marta walked back to the kitchen, her resolve only hardened. She realized she was entirely on her own. She had to protect this little girl, even if it cost her her job—or worse.
