The next morning, Evelyn told Stella that she would take the letter to Thomas at the place they had agreed on, informing him about everything that had happened during the dinner the previous night.
However, Matilda assigned Evelyn another task, so Stella went instead, as she was the one who had fewer duties at the time.
On her way there, Stella opened the letter.
As expected, she found that Evelyn had praised her for what she had done, describing her as someone who was quick-witted and capable of handling unexpected situations.
However, the praise only made Stella feel uneasy.
Although it would certainly improve her image in front of Jack and Thomas, she was worried that it might lead them to entrust her with more tasks in the future, and getting involved any further was the last thing she wanted.
Having already considered it the night before, Stella had prepared a letter of her own and replaced Evelyn's original one with it.
The letter still contained the information about the Caden family, along with a simple mention of Evelyn's gratitude toward Stella for helping her.
However, the sudden task Matilda had assigned to Evelyn was not entirely a coincidence.
It was actually Stella who had subtly influenced it.
That morning, she had casually mentioned to Matilda that Evelyn was particularly skilled at cleaning windows, which led Matilda to assign her the task.
She made sure not to mention what had happened the previous night in front of the Eldest Madam.
It was true that the situation had been troublesome, but it could also bring her some benefits in the future.
A good impression within the Caden family might at least lead to a higher wage or slightly better treatment.
However, Stella knew she had to be careful.
She couldn't let herself stand out too much and end up becoming one of the servants in the main household.
That would only create another problem for her.
And the more involved she became, the harder it would be to carry out her plans and leave smoothly.
Stella also took the opportunity to check on the belongings she had hidden nearby, making sure they were still safe.
There was no way she would risk bringing her phone, her diary, and the few personal belongings she had brought from the other continent into the Caden estate, especially when she didn't even have a room of her own.
After confirming that everything was exactly where she had left it, she sat beneath the familiar tree that marked the spot. Beside it lay a small rock, which she used to tell if anyone had disturbed the hiding place.
She took out her diary and carefully recorded the events of the past day while they were still fresh in her mind.
Once she was finished, she carefully hid everything again, covered the spot as before, and brushed the dirt from her hands before hurrying back.
Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Evelyn was still busy cleaning the windows.
As she polished the already spotless glass, she couldn't help grumbling inwardly.
"What is this all of a sudden? Where did Matilda suddenly get the urge to clean the windows? Didn't they just clean them two days ago?!"
At that moment, Stella glanced back at Evelyn, who was still busy cleaning the windows.
"Ah... sorry, Evelyn. Looks like you'll have to deal with that annoying task by yourself."
She then made her way back toward the rear building through the garden.
The sun shone warmly overhead, and flowers of every color swayed gently in the breeze. It was the perfect day for a peaceful walk.
Unfortunately, Stella's thoughts were elsewhere.
"Hmm... How long will I have to work here before I save enough money to continue my journey?"
She was so absorbed in her calculations that a voice suddenly called out from behind her, "Miss, could you stop for a moment?"
The voice sounded vaguely familiar.
Stella stopped and turned around, only to find Henry standing a few steps behind her.
Compared to yesterday, the hostility in his eyes had faded considerably, though the slight frown on his face made it clear he still wasn't particularly pleased to see her.
She looked at him for a moment before speaking.
"You? What do you want?"
Henry lifted an eyebrow, looking mildly offended.
"Is that how you usually speak to people older than you?"
"Here we go again..." Stella grumbled inwardly.
She let out a quiet sigh before giving him a small, apologetic smile, "Alright, alright. My apologies, Mr. Harry. You startled me, so it just slipped out."
"My name is Henry," he corrected with a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth.
"I'm Miss Caden's personal servant. She asked me to bring you to her, so please come with me."
"Miss Caden?"
Stella blinked in surprise.
"What does she want with me now?"
She had barely exchanged a few words with the young lady yesterday. Why would someone like her suddenly ask to see an ordinary maid?