At five in the morning, the Han estate was still asleep.
Almost.
The mansion stood behind tall iron gates, surrounded by perfectly trimmed gardens, expensive stone pathways, and enough land to make the property feel more like a private resort than a home.
Beyond the main mansion, separated from it by a paved courtyard, stood a much smaller building.
The laundry house.
It wasn't part of the mansion itself.
The ground floor was filled with washing machines, dryers, shelves of cleaning supplies, and piles of clothing that needed to be sorted.
Above it was a small room.
That was where Asa lived.
Her room had a narrow bed, a wooden desk, a wardrobe, and a tiny balcony.
Nothing about it looked like a bedroom belonging to a member of one of the richest families in the country.
But Asa had stopped expecting it to.
She opened her eyes before the alarm could ring.
5:00 a.m.
She immediately sat up.
Her feet touched the cold floor.
For a moment, she remained still, listening.
Nothing.
No footsteps.
No doors opening.
No voice calling her name.
Good.
She had time.
Asa folded her blanket carefully.
She changed into old clothes that were comfortable enough for working and tied her hair back.
Before leaving, she looked around her room.
Everything was exactly where it was supposed to be.
She had learned long ago that mistakes weren't tolerated.
Especially not by her father.
Asa opened the door.
The stairs leading downstairs were narrow.
She walked quietly.
She knew better than to make unnecessary noise.
By 5:20, she was outside.
The cold morning air hit her face.
She walked toward the stables carrying two buckets.
The horses greeted her immediately.
One of them pushed its head toward her.
Asa smiled.
"Good morning."
She rubbed its forehead.
"I'm here."
The horse nudged her again.
"I know."
She began working.
Feed.
Water.
Cleaning.
Brushing.
Removing dirty bedding.
She moved quickly.
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FanfictionFor twenty years, Asa Han learned how to survive. She learned to work without complaining, to eat whatever was left, and to keep her voice quiet whenever her father was near. In a house where love was conditional and silence was safer than honesty...
