?Chapter 1695:


    Christina smiled softly and answered, “Yes, she is.”


    She introduced Gillian and Adide to the rest of the family. Gillian smiled back, but she looked stiff and guarded, as though terrified of making one wrong move and ruining everything.


    The estate was genuinely overwhelming. It stretched so far in every direction that she couldn’t even see where the property ended. The gap between the ultra-wealthy and people like her felt impossibly wide, and staring at all that luxury — things she knew she would never own — sent a sharp pang of longing through her chest.


    If they let her stay here even as a maid, she would have been overjoyed. At least then she could keep Adide close and raise her herself. Gillian was already on edge around Christina, and the grandeur of the house only made her more anxious. She forced herself to breathe steadily, terrified that one small misstep would turn the Jones family against her.


    She wasn’t looking for a handout. She wanted a real job — a chance to work hard and rebuild her life on her own terms. A position at the Jones estate felt like the perfect opportunity, and she was desperate to ask Christina for a chance to be considered. If she got the job, she could finally settle in one ce, earn a steady wage, and pay back everyst hospital bill — for herself and for Adide. Christina hadn’t asked for anything in return, but Gillian wasn’t the kind of person to ept help and simply walk away.


    Later that evening, Christina prepared a guest room for Gillian and Adide.


    “You can stay here for now,” Christina said, pushing the door open. “Let me know if it suits you. If you need anything changed, just say so.”


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    “I’m more than pleased,” Gillian answered at once. A room like this was something she had never even dared to imagine — it felt like stepping onto a film set. Even the guest amodations at the Jones estate were a world apart from the ce she had been calling home. She was being given a roof over her head at no cost. She wouldn’t dream ofining.


    “Is something on your mind?” Christina asked. She had caught the flicker of hesitation on Gillian’s face and could see the unspoken words swimming in her eyes.


    Gillian looked up, her eyes clear and bright as polished gems, her fingers twisting together in a nervous knot. She took a few unsteady breaths and gathered her courage. “Is your family hiring any help around the house?”


    “Are you asking me for a job?” Christina asked, her voice perfectly calm.


    “Yes,” Gillian replied. “I want to earn a living for my daughter with my own hands. I’ll work as hard as I possibly can — I promise I won’t let you down. If you’re not sure about me, let me do a trial run. If I prove myself, you can keep me on.”


    Her nerves were barely contained — her palms were damp, her fingers pressed together so tightly they flushed red. She could hear her own heartbeat. She wanted a decent-paying job and felt no shame in wanting a better life, but actually asking for it made her stomach turn with anxiety.


    “Fine,” Christina said, her expression unreadable. “A one-month trial. You’ll have a bed and meals, but your starting wage is only five hundred. Do you have a problem with that?” She named the low figure deliberately, testing whether Gillian was driven by greed or genuine need.


    Gillian’s face lit up with pure, unguarded joy. She reached out instinctively to take Christina’s hand, then froze, horrified by her own forwardness, and yanked her hand back.


    “I’m so sorry, Miss Jones — truly,” she stammered, her voice unsteady. “I got too excited and forgot myself. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. I’m so sorry.”


    Now that she was officially joining the household staff, she had to remember her ce and maintain a proper distance.


    “So, noints about the pay?” Christina asked, stillposed.


    Gillian shook her head quickly. “None at all. I’m simply grateful you’d give me a chance. I’ll work harder than anyone. I won’t fail you.”


    Honestly, even if the trial offered no pay whatsoever, she would have epted without hesitation. This was the kind of opportunity people would sacrifice everything for. Meeting Christina — a woman who had shown her genuine kindness and offered her a real second chance — was a stroke of luck Gillian knew she could never fully repay.


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