Word of their friendship spread through the school like wildfire.
“Did you see them together again?”
“The maid’s daughter and the crippled heir?”
“She’s only using him for money.”
The whispers grew nastier with each passing day.
One afternoon, Harrison and his gang struck again. They cornered Maya behind the gym after class.
“So,” Harrison sneered, “you think you can just walk around here like you belong?”
“I do belong,” she said steadily.
He stepped closer. “People like you don’t last here. You’ll end up back where you came from.”
Maya crossed her arms. “Maybe. But at least I won’t end up like you — rich and rotten.”
Before he could react, Leo appeared behind them, his cane in hand.
“Leave her alone.”
Harrison laughed. “Look who came to save his girlfriend.”
Leo’s voice was steady, though his heart pounded. “If you touch her, you’ll regret it.”
The boys hesitated. There was something different in Leo’s tone — something strong, certain.
Maya stepped beside him, her hand brushing his.
Harrison’s smirk faded. “Whatever. Not worth it.” He walked away, muttering under his breath.
When they were gone, Leo turned to Maya. “You shouldn’t have to deal with that because of me.”
She shook her head. “And you shouldn’t deal with it alone.”
3. The Mansion
A week later, Leo surprised her.
“Come over after school,” he said. “My dad’s in meetings all day. We can study.”
Maya hesitated. She’d never been invited anywhere near his world.
The Thompson mansion was the kind you saw on magazine covers — tall white pillars, endless windows, a fountain at the entrance. She’d never seen anything so big.
The driver opened the door, and Maya stepped out, clutching her worn backpack.
“Whoa,” she whispered.
Leo grinned. “It’s just a house.”
“Just a house?” she laughed. “It’s like Buckingham Palace had a baby with a shopping mall!”
He burst out laughing — another sound the house hadn’t heard in a long time.
Inside, the marble floors gleamed. A maid passed by, startled to see Maya. The staff rarely saw guests who weren’t wearing designer clothes.
Leo led her upstairs to his study room — shelves of books, model airplanes, and a large painting of a woman with gentle eyes.
“Your mum?” Maya asked.
He nodded. “She painted it herself.”
“It’s beautiful,” Maya whispered. “She looks kind.”
“She was.” He smiled faintly. “She used to say love is measured by courage — not comfort.”
Maya turned toward him. “She was right.”
They spent the afternoon studying, laughing, sharing secrets. When evening came, they walked through the garden.
For the first time, Leo didn’t feel like the lonely boy in the glass house.
4. The Father
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