Morning Chaos in a little old house in the suburbs of Chicago. Half-broken window panes allowed the morning sun's rays to fall on Isabella's lovely yet weary face, burdened by her circumstances.

The creak of the old wooden floor awakens Isabella from her restless sleep. The thin rays of sunlight streaming through the tattered curtains do little to mask the sound of an angry voice cutting through the morning stillness.

Her landlady is screaming from downstairs, "ISABELLA! I know you're up there! Rent's overdue again! You think I'm running a charity here? Get down here right now!"

Isabella groans, rubbing her temples as she sits up on the edge of her worn-out bed. Her room, though cozy, feels suffocating under the weight of her current predicament. Her hands tremble slightly as she looks at her empty purse on the bedside table, the reminder of her stepsister's betrayal stinging fresh.

Isabella muttered to herself. "If only she hadn't taken it all... How am I supposed to survive like this? God! When did she come and get all the money?" She wondered while pulling her hair.

The landlady screamed louder, with more agitation this time. "Don't make me come up there, Isabella! You've got five minutes before I knock this door down myself!"

Isabella quickly stands, her bare feet touching the cold floor. She scrambles to straighten her wrinkled dress and ties her messy hair into a loose bun. She knows she can't delay this any longer. Standing at the top of the stairs, she hesitates before calling out.

"Mrs. Johnson, please, I........"

She cut Isabella off. "Don't 'please' me, young lady! I've heard enough excuses. Do you think I'm stupid? And whatever you earned, your stepsister took it from you. That's your problem, not mine! Pay up or pack up!"

Isabella bites her lip, feeling the tears prick at her eyes. She clutches the railing tightly, trying to steady herself.

"I just need a little more time. I promise I'll find a job soon, and I'll pay you every penny I owe." Isabella requested meekly.

"You've been jobless for months," the landlady said mockingly. "Time? Time doesn't pay the bills, darling. Do you think my landlord gives me more time? No, Isabella. I've been too lenient as it is."

The landlady's voice softens slightly, though the edge of impatience remains. "You've got till the end of the week. If you can't pay by then, you'll have to leave. I won't argue anymore."

Isabella watches as Mrs. Johnson stomps back downstairs, her heavy footsteps echoing through the old building. Defeated, Isabella slinks back to her room, sinking onto the bed. She buries her face in her hands, her mind racing with desperation.

"What am I going to do now?" She whispered to herself on the verge of crying.

The weight of her reality bears down on her, but deep down, a small flicker of determination ignites. She knows she has to find a way out of this, no matter how impossible it seems.

She has to find a job, or this roof will also get snatched over her head because of Stella. Her stepsister.

And she started crying even harder as memories of Stella's betrayals flooded her mind, how 12 years ago her life had turned upside down.

Isabella was only 16 when her stepfather passed away. Due to Stella's reckless spending habits and foolishness, Isabella, her mother, and Stella ended up on the streets. Her childhood sweetheart left her because she had nothing anymore.

Five years after her stepfather's death, Isabella's mother also passed away, and from that day on, Isabella hadn't known a single moment of happiness. It felt as if joy had abandoned her.

While Stella now lived with her drug-addicted boyfriend, she would come back to take everything from Isabella whenever she needed money. Isabella was exhausted by it all. Her hope was dwindling, and she had stopped dreaming of better days. The lively girl she once was had withered away inside.

Because of Stella, Isabella was fired from every job she'd ever held, and the same thing had just happened again. Now she had no job and no money to buy food. She only realized how hungry she was when her stomach growled. Otherwise, her sorrow and worries had consumed her so much she didn't even notice.

"Mama, please take me to you. I'm so tired," Isabella cried, clutching a picture of her late mother and stepfather to her chest. "Dad, why did you leave me?"

Isabella had been very young when her biological father passed away, and since childhood, she had considered Chris Rivers, her stepfather, as her real father. Chris was a kind-hearted man, but Stella didn't inherit any of his virtues.

The ringing of her phone jolted her out of her sorrow. It was a call from an old colleague.

"Hello, Isabella!"

"Hi, Racheal!" Isabella answered, quickly wiping her tears.

"How are you? I hope you're well. Anyway, listen, I went for a job interview yesterday, but that old hag rejected me. Then I thought of you because I know Stella doesn't let you keep a job for long. So, I sent you the name, number, and address of a place where they're hiring. Call them, and I hope you get the job, sweetie. Take care. Bye."

Racheal hung up after saying everything in a single breath before Isabella could respond, leaving her staring at her phone screen, trying to process what had just happened. A call came in, Racheal spoke, and then it was over. All in ten seconds.

Clearing her mind, Isabella checked Racheal's text and called the number. After two rings, a sweet voice answered, surprising Isabella since Racheal had described the woman differently.

"Hello, is this Ms. Nancy Drew?" Isabella asked.

"Yes, speaking. Who is this?" Nancy replied warmly.

"Um, my friend gave me your number. Are you looking for a chef?" Isabella asked hesitantly.

"Yes, I am. Are you interested in the position?"

"Yes, absolutely! When can I come for an interview?" Isabella asked eagerly.

"Can you meet me in two hours?" Nancy asked.

"Yes, I can." Isabella replied instantly.

"Good. See you soon." Nancy cut the call.

Nancy sent the address, and Isabella quickly got ready and left, arriving ten minutes early. She rang the doorbell, but no one answered. She tried again, still no response. Anxiety gripped her, fearing no one was home.

At exactly 11:00, a car pulled up near the gate, and a woman in her late thirties stepped out. Isabella assumed this must be Nancy.

"Hi, are you the one who called earlier? Sorry, did I keep you waiting?" Nancy asked with a polite smile.

"Oh no, not at all! I just arrived early," Isabella replied nervously.

"What is your name?" Nancy invited her inside, unlocking the door.

"Isabella Rivers." She answered.

Nancy told Isabella to sit down comfortably while turning a little to face her. "So, Isabella! May I call you Isabella?" Nancy asked and told her to sit down while she herself sat down.

"Yes, of course." Isabella answered politely while sitting in front of Nancy, but from inside she was hell nervous.

"Wonderful. Have you worked as a personal chef before?" Nancy asked.

"No," Isabella admitted honestly. "But I've worked in restaurants and bakeries. I know how to make almost everything......"

Nancy interrupted, "Have you taken professional cooking courses?"

The question made Isabella gulp nervously because of the circumstances; she wasn't even able to complete her high school. "No, my mother taught me. I'm sorry, I'm not a professional," she said hesitantly while clutching the hem of her dress in nervousness.

"Perfect! That's exactly what I wanted," Nancy said cheerfully, surprising Isabella. "Let's do a small test. Follow me to the kitchen."

Nancy handed Isabella some ingredients and asked her to make an omelet and toast. Within ten minutes, Isabella had the food ready and served it to Nancy.

Nancy took a bite, her expression unreadable, increasing Isabella's anxiety. Finally, Nancy smiled and said, "You're hired."

Isabella breathed a sigh of relief and thanked her profusely.

"Thank you so much, ma'am," Isabella expressed her gratitude to Nancy.

"Oh, no need to thank me. First, let's talk about the salary and working hours, shall we?" Nancy said, and Isabella nodded with a smile.

"Alright, let's start with the job details. There's not much work. You need to come in at 7 AM to prepare breakfast because the boss eats at 7:30 AM sharp and leaves for work at 8 AM. He doesn't usually have lunch at home unless he's on leave, working from home, or specifically requests a home-cooked meal; you'll be informed in advance if that's the case. As for dinner, you can prepare it between 7 PM and 8 PM and leave afterward. If the boss gets home late, he reheats it himself, so no big deal." Nancy explained all of this without pausing.

Isabella was trying to memorize everything while realizing that this wasn't Nancy's house. But whose house was it?

Her curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "Who's the boss? Isn't this your house?" Realizing her mistake, she immediately bit back her tongue and apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask that..."

Nancy interrupted with a smile, "Oh, it's okay. You're going to work here, so it's important for you to know. This house belongs to my boss, Mr. Sebastian Cruz. He lives alone here. Your job is to make only his breakfast and dinner. You'll have free time in between to do whatever you like, but just ensure you do your work honestly and without any mistakes."

"Absolutely," Isabella nodded. She thought to herself that she could look for additional work during her free time to earn extra money.

"Shall we discuss the salary now?" Nancy asked, breaking Isabella's thoughts.

"Yes," Isabella replied sweetly. Nancy informed her of the salary, which was much better than her previous jobs. Isabella was thrilled and couldn't believe she was being paid so well for such little work.

"Thank you so much, Ms. Drew."

"Please, call me Nancy," Nancy said with a smile.

"When can I start?" Isabella asked excitedly.

"You can start today if you like," Nancy replied with a smile. "Seb... I mean, our boss...everyone calls him Seb, is a very simple man. His likes and dislikes are written in this diary," she said, pulling a diary from a drawer. "He's not allergic to anything, but avoid cooking things he doesn't like."

"Sure, ma'am," Isabella replied with a smile.

Nancy handed Isabella the keys and the door code before leaving. Isabella, meanwhile, left to look for other work. Later that evening, she prepared dinner and returned home.

As soon as she got home, she called Racheal to thank her.

"What did that grumpy Nancy say to you?" Racheal asked.

"Nothing special..."

"Did she make you cook something?" Racheal interrupted.

"Yes, an omelet and toast," Isabella replied.

"Well, I made an omelet and toast too, so what was her problem with me? You know how good I am at making omelets," Racheal asked.

"Yeah, I don't know what the reason was," Isabella said meekly.

"Forget it. The important thing is you got the job. But don't let Stella find out about it because if she ends up stealing from there, you'll be in big trouble. That man is a big deal; I've heard about him," Racheal warned, as everyone knew about Stella's behavior.

After the call, Racheal's words lingered in Isabella's mind. Then she recalled Nancy's words and concluded that Mr. Cruz probably preferred simplicity over showiness. Racheal's cooking style was very fancy, being a professional chef, and Isabella knew this.

But she knew Racheal was absolutely right about one thing. She should never let Stella know about this job, or she will be in great trouble this time.

The next morning, Isabella prepared a simple, nutritious breakfast and left for home. Her routine continued, but she couldn't find any additional work during her free time. She was a bit disappointed but not entirely hopeless.

Her landlady was somewhat calm now, but Isabella still worried about Stella causing trouble again.

It had been a month since Isabella started working at Sebastian's house, but she had never seen him there. She would prepare breakfast and leave, as his maid served him, and at night he ate on his own.

Nancy gave Isabella her first paycheck, and she used part of it to pay Mrs. Johnson. It wasn't much to cover everything, and the landlady demanded more, but Isabella requested a little more time.

It was a chilly evening when Stella had been calling her for the last two days, but she was ignoring her calls, and while cutting her call, Isabella almost stumbled with someone.

"I am so sorry." She apologized instantly and saw Nancy, who was almost about to fall on the ground, but Isabella held her hand. "Nancy, I am so sorry." She apologized meekly. "I don't know how. I was...."

"It's ok." Nancy interrupted her with a small smile. "Even I was at fault. I was in a bit of a hurry." Nancy replied and ran inside.

Isabella went to the kitchen and started preparing dinner. After a few minutes Nancy walked into the kitchen, a deep frown etched on her face.

"Is everything okay, ma'am?" Isabella asked, setting the spatula on the counter.

Nancy sighed heavily. "Not really. Clara, Seb's maid, just informed me that she has to leave the job due to some personal issues. Something about her family needing her back in her hometown. She'll be gone by the end of this week."

Isabella was taken aback. "That's sudden. Did she give any notice?"

"None at all," Nancy replied, shaking her head. "She apologized profusely, but it leaves me in quite a fix. I'll have to find someone new quickly. You know how particular Seb is about everything being in order." Nancy mumbled while rubbing her forehead in worry. "Now where to find another maid in such a short period of time?"

Isabella hesitated for a moment, then spoke up. "Ma'am, if it helps, I can do the maid's duties along with cooking. I have plenty of free time during the day, and honestly, I've been looking for other work to fill those hours anyway."

Nancy paused, considering the offer. "Are you sure about this, Isabella? It'll be more responsibility, and I'm not sure how Seb will feel about one person handling both roles."

"I'm positive," Isabella instantly said firmly. "It's not like I have much else to do in the afternoons. Plus, it'll give me the chance to earn a little more. I could really use the extra income. To be honest, I am in dire need of money."

Nancy studied her for a moment, her expression softening. "You've been doing a good job so far. I'll discuss it with Seb and let him know you're willing to step in. He trusts my judgment, so I'm sure he'll agree."

"Thank you, ma'am," Isabella said, her voice filled with gratitude.

Nancy smiled faintly. "No, thank you, Isabella. You've just saved me a lot of trouble. Let's see how this arrangement works. And don't worry; I'll make sure you're compensated fairly for the additional work."

Nancy assured her, and Isabella knew that Nancy would definitely give her a fair salary for her hard work.

Isabella nodded, her heart feeling lighter. For the first time in a long while, she felt like things were falling into place. She thanked God and just prayed that her boss would agree to this.

After preparing the dinner, Isabella left, but Nancy stayed behind because she had to talk to Sebastian about this new situation.

Sebastian came home around past 8:30, and looking at Nancy at this hour, he was a little surprised.

"Nancy, what are you doing here at this hour?"

"Seb! Clara quit the job because she has to go to her hometown for some family emergency, but the good news is your cook is ready to accept the maid's job as well....."

"Nancy, needing money is a different thing, but at this age, how could we burden her with so much work?" Sebastian interrupted her in a bit of a worried tone.

"At this age! What age?" Nancy asked, confused.

"She is an old lady. How could she manage the whole house's cleaning along with cooking? Find someone else." Sebastian replied.

But instead of answering him, Nancy chuckled, and Sebastian frowned in confusion.

"What?"

"Seb, first tell me why you think your cook is an old lady." Nancy asked while controlling her laugh. "Now don't tell me you haven't seen the person who has been cooking for you since last month."

"No, I haven't......"

Nancy interrupted him, "Then how could you assume that she is an old lady?"

"Because the way she cooks is very homely. So I thought maybe." He mumbled a bit embarrassed while scratching the back of his neck.

"No, my innocent boy. She is around your age. I guess, but she is too petite and looks younger than her age. Seb, that girl is in need of money. Her rent has been due for months; that's why she was looking for another job to do in her free afternoon, but unfortunately she hasn't found any. If you agree to let her do the maid's job, then she will do her work all day at one place and also save some money." Nancy said.

"If you are positive about this, then I am okay too. Don't let Clara wait longer. Maybe it's actually an emergency. Clear her accounts and let the cook start her work." Sebastian replied. "And don't forget to give Clara her Christmas bonus. Doesn't matter if she is leaving. She still deserves that."

"Sure, boss." Nancy nodded happily and left. On her way back home, she informed Isabella about that and also gave Clara her paycheck and bonus on her way home.