The Housemaid (The Housemaid, #1)

by Freida McFadden

“Hey,” he says. He tucks a strand of my own blond hair behind my ear. “I can see your roots starting to show a bit.”

That's a little weird

Then I hear a door slam shut.

You're joking right?? Andrew was the crazy one all along??????

I push against the bottom of the window, but the window doesn’t budge. Not even a millimeter. For a moment, I think maybe it swings out, but it doesn’t. What the hell is wrong with the stupid window? I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I look closer at the window and… It’s painted shut.

Did i restart the book, or what?

What will he do to her?

Did HE try to drown Cece??

want a hundred strands.” “You… you want a hundred strands of my hair?”

What the hell am i reading

I can’t leave her to this monster.

It makes much more sense as to why she didn't want him adopting her

Make the World Believe You’re Crazy

So she's actually a genius?

“She’s alive, but it looks like she’s been drugged.”

The fucking water was drugged wasn't it??

I never noticed before how frequently Evelyn dresses in white, which has always been Andy’s favorite color on me. It suits her though. Her hair looks like it might have once been blond,

is Andy going through an oedipal crisis?

But do you know how many people roughly aged thirty to thirty-five have the name Kathleen? Quite a lot. I couldn’t find her. I finally gave up trying.

She's probabbly dead

And it’s not just me. If Cecelia does something unacceptable, I’m the one who gets punished. He has purchased a wardrobe of itchy, frilly dresses that she hates, that the other children make fun of her for wearing, but she knows if she doesn’t wear them or gets them dirty, her mother will disappear for days (likely naked, to teach me clothing is a privilege). So she obeys.

I am actually speechless. What the fuck

His other favorite way to taunt me is keeping a jar of peanut butter in our pantry, even though he knows that she’s allergic.

Everything comes full circle

Every once in a while, he slips a little bit into her dinner, just to prove a point when the itchy, uncomfortable rash sprouts after our meal has ended.

Holy shit it just keeps getting worse

I thought it would be safe to tell Enzo. After all, he doesn’t even know English. But when I look into his dark eyes, there’s understanding there.

He understands more than he lets on...

Anyway, somehow last night the air freshener was too much and it irritated his eyes. My punishment? I had to pepper-spray myself. Oh yes.

How does it keep getting even worse than before??

Then he leans forward, and a second later, he’s kissing me.

Oh damn

When Andrew comes to find me here in the morning, I’m going to give him hell for accidentally locking me in here.

I think I've seen this film before, and I didn't like ending

So I reach into the pocket of my jeans. And I pull out the bottle of pepper spray I found in the bucket.

FUCK YES

She was in prison for murder.

Whaaaaaaaaaat

That’s not why I gave her a copy of the key to the room. And that’s not why I left a bottle of pepper spray in the blue bucket in the closet. I hired her to kill him. She just doesn’t know it.

“Millie!” Andrew screams on the other side of the door. “What the hell?”

What the hell do you mean "what the hell"???

“Millie.” His voice is a low growl now. “Let me out of here right now.”

HAHAHAHA

“Millie,” he says in a slow, controlled voice. “I want my phone back.” I let out a hoarse laugh. “I’m sure you do.” “Millie, give me my phone back right now.” “Hmm. I don’t think you’re in any position to be making demands.”

She's psychotic…i love it

“Lower,” I say. “What?” “Move the books lower.” “I don’t know what you⁠—” I press my forehead against the door as I speak: “You know exactly what I mean.”

I am kicking and screaming

“It’s simple. If you want to get out of the room, all you have to do is pull out one of your teeth.”

“I never knew him personally,” Connors says. “But my daughter did.” “Your… daughter?” He nods. “Her name is Kathleen Connors. Actually, small world—she and your husband were engaged a long time ago.”

What a coincidence

“I always told him,” she says, “how important dental hygiene is. I told him he had to brush every night, and when he didn’t, there would be a punishment. There’s always a punishment when you break the rules.”

Momma has issues too

It was Lisa who contacted me on the website where I placed an ad offering my cleaning and nannying services.

Literally why?

See you tonight after you get the job.

Oh?

“So”—Lisa slides the knife back into the wooden block and straightens up, her blue eyes wide and anxious—“can you help me, Millie?” “Yes,” I say. “I believe I can.”

Oh my god oh my god oh my god