# Chapter 34: The Gardener's Secret
Hello everyone, it's me again! How are you all doing? Today I will continue to walk with you and review Chapter 34 of "The Housemaid" — a chapter that begins with the sweetness of a new morning but quickly twists into something far more unsettling. Trust me, you won't want to miss a single word of what unfolds here, because nothing in this house is ever quite what it seems.
---
The morning light crept through the curtains of the guest bedroom, painting everything in a warm, golden glow. Millie stirred awake with Andrew sleeping peacefully beside her, and for a moment, everything felt almost too good to be true. After Nina had stormed out the night before, this quiet room had become their refuge — a compromise between the master bedroom, which still reeked of his wife's presence, and that uncomfortable cot upstairs that was never meant for two bodies.
Andrew's eyes fluttered open, and the moment he saw her lying there, a lazy smile spread across his face. "Well, hello," he murmured.
"Hello yourself," she replied, feeling her heart flutter.
He traced a finger down her neck and over her shoulder, sending delightful shivers across her skin. "I love waking up next to you. Instead of *her*."
Millie felt the same way — more deeply than she'd ever felt anything. Nina never appreciated this man. Nina took everything in her life for granted. But Millie? Millie understood exactly what she had, and she intended to cherish every moment of it. It was almost crazy to think that everything Nina had thrown away was now going to be hers.
He leaned in and kissed her on the nose. "I better get up. I have to get to a meeting."
"I'll make you breakfast," she offered, struggling to sit up.
"Don't even think about it." He climbed out of bed, the blankets falling from his perfectly sculpted body. "You've been getting up and making breakfast for us every single day since you've been here. Today, you sleep in. And do whatever you want."
She tried to protest, mentioning that she usually did the laundry on Mondays, but Andrew cut her off with a determined look. And then he said something that made her cheeks flush with warmth.
"Look, I don't know exactly how to work all this out, but... I really like you. I want to give you and me a real try. And if we're going to do that, you can't be my maid. I'll find somebody else to clean, and you can hang out here until you figure out what you want to do next."
Millie's protests died on her lips. It wasn't that simple — she had a record, and people didn't exactly want to hire someone with her past. But Andrew insisted she could stay here as long as she wanted. He said he loved having her here, and who knows — maybe it would end up being something permanent.
He gave her that sweet, charming smile, and she completely melted. Nina had to be insane to let this man get away. Yet even in the midst of her happiness, a cold sliver of fear remained — because she was still terrified that Nina might want him back.
Millie watched — though pretending she wasn't — as Andrew dressed, his muscles rippling with every movement. He winked at her one last time before heading off to shower, and then she was all alone in that luxurious double bed.
Letting out a satisfied yawn, she stretched out across the silky sheets. She'd been thrilled with that cot upstairs when she'd first gotten it, but this was on an entirely different level. She hadn't even realized she'd been walking around with a constant crick in her back until one night on this amazing mattress made it all disappear. A girl could definitely get used to this kind of life.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, interrupting her blissful thoughts. When she reached for it, she frowned at the screen:
**Blocked Number.**
Her stomach filled with butterflies. Who could possibly be calling her at this hour of the morning? She stared at the screen until the phone went silent again, then dropped it back down. Well, that was one way to deal with it.
Snuggling back into the bed, she marveled at how comfortable everything was. The sheets felt like silk against her skin, and the blanket was warm yet somehow weightless — a world apart from that scratchy woolen thing she'd been using upstairs, and a million miles away from that pitiful blanket she'd had in prison. Who knew expensive bedding could make such a difference?
Just as her eyes began to drift shut again, her phone started ringing once more.
With a groan, she reached for it. Same message: **Blocked Number.**
She racked her brain — she didn't have any friends. Cecelia's school had her number, but school was out for the summer. The only person who ever called her was... Nina.
Well, if it was her, she was the last person Millie wanted to talk to. She pressed the red button, rejecting the call. But there was no way she'd fall back asleep now, so she dragged herself out of bed and headed upstairs to take a shower.
When she came downstairs, Andrew was already in his suit, sipping a mug of coffee and gazing out the window with a troubled expression. Millie ran her fingers self-consciously over her jeans, feeling drastically underdressed next to him.
"Everything okay?" she asked.
He jolted, startled by her presence, then composed himself with a smile. "Yeah, fine. It's just... That goddamn landscaper is out there again. What the hell is he doing all the time out there?"
She joined him at the window. Enzo was bent over a flower bed, a spade in his hand. "Gardening?" she suggested.
Andrew checked his watch. "It's eight in the morning. He's *always* here. There are a dozen other families he works for — why is he always *here*?"
Millie shrugged, but truthfully, he had a point. Enzo did seem to spend an awful lot of time in their yard — far more than seemed normal, even considering how much larger their yard was than the neighbors'.
Andrew seemed to make a decision, setting his coffee cup on the windowsill. Millie instinctively reached for it — Nina would have a complete fit about coffee rings on the windowsill — but then she stopped herself. Nina wasn't going to give her a hard time anymore. She never had to see her again. From now on, she could leave coffee cups wherever she damn well pleased.
Andrew strode onto the front lawn with a determined expression, and Millie followed out of pure curiosity. He was clearly planning to confront Enzo. He cleared his throat twice, but it wasn't enough to get the man's attention. Finally, he snapped, "Enzo!"
Enzo very slowly lifted his head and turned around. "Yes?"
"I want to talk to you."
Enzo let out a long sigh and got back to his feet, ambling over to them at a pace that seemed deliberately slow. "Eh? What you want?"
"Listen." Andrew had to lift his head slightly to meet Enzo's gaze — the landscaper was taller, broader, more imposing in every way. "Thank you for all your help here, but we don't need you anymore. So please just get your things and go to your next job."
"*Che cosa?*" Enzo said, his accent as thick as ever.
Andrew's lips pressed into a thin line. "I said, we don't need you. Done. Finished. You can leave."
Enzo tilted his head. "Fired?"
Andrew sucked in a breath. "Yes. Fired."
A moment of tense silence hung between them. Millie stepped back, suddenly aware of how mismatched this confrontation was — for all Andrew's strength and athleticism, Enzo had him beat by a mile. If it came to a fight, she didn't think it would even be close. Her heart pounded in her chest.
But then Enzo simply shrugged.
"Okay," he said. "I go."
His indifference was so complete that Millie wondered if Andrew felt foolish for making such a big deal about his constant presence. But Andrew nodded, visibly relieved. "*Grazie.* I appreciate your help the last few years."
Enzo just stared at him blankly.
Andrew muttered something under his breath and turned to head back inside. Millie started to follow, but just as Andrew disappeared through the front door, something stopped her — Enzo had grabbed her arm.
She spun around, and her breath caught in her throat. His expression had transformed completely. Those dark eyes were wide, burning with intensity as they locked onto hers.
"Millie," he breathed, "you must get out of here. You are in terrible danger."
Her mouth fell open. Not just because of what he'd said, but *how* he'd said it. All the time she'd been working here, he'd never strung together more than a few halting English words. And now he'd spoken two perfect sentences, his Italian accent far more subtle than usual — the accent of a man who was completely fluent in English.
"I'm okay," she said, her voice wavering. "Nina is gone."
"No." He shook his head firmly, his fingers still wrapped around her arm. "You are wrong. She is not —"
The front door swung open again before he could finish. Enzo released her arm instantly and backed away, his face smoothing back into that familiar vacant expression.
"Millie?" Andrew poked his head out. "Everything okay?"
"Fine," she managed.
"You coming back inside?"
She desperately wanted to stay — to ask Enzo what he meant, what he'd been about to tell her. But she had no choice. She had to go back inside.
As she followed Andrew through the front door, she glanced back at Enzo, who was busily gathering his equipment. He didn't even look up at her, as if the entire exchange had never happened. As if she'd imagined the whole thing.
But when she looked down at her arm, she could still see the angry red marks his fingers had left behind — proof that it was all too real.
---
**Reader's Impressions & Star Rating:**
This chapter is a masterclass in building unease. Just when we thought Millie had finally found her happy ending, that conversation with Enzo sends chills down the spine. The reveal that he's been fluent in English all along completely reframes every interaction we've witnessed — and his desperate warning opens up so many questions. Was he there to watch Nina? To protect Andrew? Or is there something even darker going on? Millie deserves happiness, but we know this story isn't finished yet, and the storm clouds are definitely gathering. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.9 / 5 Stars — An excellent chapter that perfectly balances domestic bliss with creeping dread.
**Next Chapter Prediction:**
Enzo's warning can only mean one thing: Nina hasn't truly left. Given what we know about her manipulative nature, I suspect she's planning her revenge, and that blocked number is probably her trying to reach Millie. The bigger question is what role Andrew will play — is he an innocent victim in his wife's schemes, or is he hiding something that Enzo is trying to warn Millie about? I predict the next chapter will see Nina making her dramatic return, and Millie will have to decide whether to trust the mysterious landscaper's cryptic words or the man she's fallen for.
To listen free the next reviews chatpers, please access website novelsaudio.com and search keyword: The Housemaid or click the link in the description of this video or if you want to listen or read full the The Housemaid please access website novelsaudio.com