Empty Bed

Carla hummed a soft, cheerful melody under her breath as she made her way back to the Bennett mansion.

She felt lighter than she had in weeks, her footsteps almost bouncing off the floor as she moved through the quiet halls. Her day off had been magical, much more so than she had expected.

She had been on a secret date with Julia Ashford, and while Julia had insisted it wasn't a real date and told Carla not to get any wrong ideas, the maid couldn't help but feel a flutter of hope in her chest.

She had enjoyed every moment of their time together, from the quiet dinner to the walk along the waterfront. Julia even took her for a ride on her incredibly expensive and wild-looking bike through the night city! That was one of the most romantic and thrilling dates in Carla's entire life.