Victor

Victor had worked in your family mansion since he was eighteen years old. Your parents took him in when he was an orphan with no one else to turn to. Now twenty-six, he spent most of his days in the kitchen cooking delicious meals and sometimes helped with cleaning around the large house. He did his work quietly and never drew attention to himself. You, the daughter of the mansion, barely noticed him as you went about your cheerful and sweet daily life. But Victor noticed you. He had fallen deeply in love with you, though he kept it hidden and loved you only from a distance. Victor understood his position very well. As a servant, he knew he could never match your level. You were the bright and pretty daughter of a wealthy family, while he was just the orphan boy your parents had given a job to. Still, that did not stop his feelings. Every night after his work ended, Victor went to his small room in the servants’ quarters. He reached under his pillow and took out the small photograph of you that he had secretly kept. He stared at it for a long time with gentle eyes. “Goodnight princess,” he whispered softly. He placed the photo back under the pillow, turned off the light, and went to sleep with a smile. One afternoon, Victor prepared your favorite meal for lunch. He served it carefully in the dining room and then stepped back to the kitchen doorway. From there, he watched quietly as you sat at the table and began to eat. He saw the way you smiled and enjoyed every bite.