Deep in Samcheong-dong. Since the entry point to the mansion was private property, I had to pass through the heavy security of a guard firm before finally arriving in front of a vast garden.

When I first came here, I was intimidated by the house, which looked more valuable than my own life. But at the same time, strangely, stepping into that place made me feel as if my own worthless value had increased just a little bit.

Growing up with nothing, I became quick-witted and skilled at observing others, reading their emotions, and figuring them out. I never said anything unpleasant and only chose words people liked to hear, so I was loved wherever I went.

Even here, although I was nervous because the house was so grand, I quickly became close with the older housekeepers and even received kimchi and side dishes from them.

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The work here wasn't hard. I just had to do what I was told and act sensibly. If I worked silently like a piece of furniture, never breathing a word of what I heard or saw inside to the outside world, a significant amount of money came in.

With that money, I could pay the rent for my rooftop room and start paying off my parents' debt. I had been determined to endure even if the homeowners were abusive because of the high hourly wage, but I never even had to encounter them.

There was no better job than this. It felt like God was finally rewarding me for living diligently—telling me to work hard here while finishing school.

Then, the gardeners became busy. They cut down all the lush green grass and replaced the decorations with flamboyant flowers. The housekeepers I worked with became busy too. They polished and shined the house, which was already spotless, until it rivaled a sterile room.

They said the only daughter, the young lady who lived in America, was returning home.

The homeowners rarely stayed in this mansion, but the young lady was planned to reside here.

I heard she was around my age, which made me nervous, but I figured it would be fine since the master and mistress were good people.

As I stood in line with the other women in the garden in front of the main gate to greet her, a black sedan slowly approached and came to a stop in the distance.

The servants all bowed their heads in unison. It was a level of formality so excessive I wondered if this was really 21st-century Seoul, but I bowed my head along with them.

No one raised their head to look at her. I only stared at the tips of her feet as she passed in front of me. Pink heels. A large suitcase. And the scent of roses lingering at the tip of my nose.