Ethan arrived at his father’s sprawling countryside estate with a suitcase full of resentment. The man who had abandoned him and his mother years ago now wanted to “reconnect.” Ethan didn’t buy it. He planned to endure the summer, then leave for good.
It was on his first morning there that he met Maria. She was older, with kind eyes and a quiet grace that intrigued him. She worked as the maid, tending to the house with a precision that went unnoticed by his father but captivated Ethan.
Their first conversation was brief—a comment about the weather—but it lingered in Ethan’s mind. Over the weeks, Maria became his confidant. She listened as he vented about his father, and in her presence, he found a peace he hadn’t known in years.
One evening, they sat under the stars, Maria sharing stories of her life in the small town. When their hands brushed, neither pulled away. A kiss followed, tender and electric, breaking the dam of their unspoken feelings.
But reality loomed. Their connection was undeniable, yet the gap between their worlds was vast. As the summer ended, Ethan left, changed forever. Maria stayed, her quiet life now marked by a love that would never fade.
