Chapter 1
The Golden Palace had always been known as one of the most beautiful palaces in the world, and everyone dreamed of working there. I was one of them. The palace belonged to Mr. Roger Ackerly, one of the wealthiest men in American history. The Golden Palace was so magnificent that several countries even built specialized schools to teach the etiquette of working as a servant—gardening, cooking, cleaning, and every imaginable skill… just for the chance to work inside it.
But the Golden Palace wasn’t just a single building; it was a vast complex of palaces, each marked with its own unique emblem. Every single palace was among the most expensive properties in the world. Mr. Roger, the owner, was married to a woman named Mary—beautiful and virtuous. Mary came from a wealthy family, but their fortune was nothing compared to Roger’s. Everyone praised her, and I dreamed of serving under her command.
Yet she was not his only wife; he had three other wives and four mistresses. Mary was the most neglected… forgotten, completely ignored by Mr. Roger.
I had studied for years at Farney University in New York for only one goal: to secure a position in the Golden Palace. During my studies, I heard countless rumors about the palace, some even formally taught to us!
After two and a half years of study, luck finally smiled upon me—I was accepted to work inside the palace. Its fame wasn’t only due to wealth, but because of how well they treated their servants; they fed them well, provided them with wonderful rooms, treated them fairly, and paid them salaries comparable to engineers or judges.
Most servants avoided serving Lady Mary because her pay was low compared to the other masters and mistresses. Only a few lazy ones accepted her service. But I chose to serve her—not out of laziness, but out of a genuine desire to see how she endured and lived through her painful life inside that palace.
Lady Mary was very kind, as the rumors said, yet she suffered greatly from numerous ailments and could never conceive. I suspect this was one of the main reasons Mr. Roger had considered divorcing her.
Then one day, after two years of my service, Lady Mary began vomiting constantly. I called the doctor, and after the examination, we were told she was pregnant. She was overwhelmed with joy, and I felt immense happiness too, believing that perhaps the master would regain his love for her… but I was mistaken.
Nine months passed, and the time for delivery came. Lady Mary screamed in unbearable pain, and I felt helpless; she was dear to my heart, and her screams hurt me deeply. After half an hour, we heard a small cry… a baby boy! Handsome, delicate, and wonderful. My joy doubled, for the master loved his sons more than his daughters, which meant my lady would finally regain her place in that dark palace.
But my dreams lasted only ten minutes… until the doctor uttered a sentence that made my heart sink:
“Prepare the coffin… today.”
What?!
What is happening?!
My lady? Your child is crying… take him…
But the baby was silent.
And I… I was the only one crying.
