The Housemaid Book Ending Explained: Will Millie Escape The Hell Hole?

The Housemaid, written by Freida McFadden, is a psychological novel that captivates readers with its enigmatic and perplexing conclusion. Those who enjoy delving into the depths of the human mind will find great pleasure in exploring the eccentric and extraordinary scenarios created by the author’s unique storytelling style.

novel’s fast-paced and ever-changing plot ensures that readers remain engrossed and eager to find out the outcome. Millie, the central character, captivates readers’ attention and leaves them on the edge of their seats, eager to uncover her fate. Freida McFadden’s expertise in crafting psychological thrillers shines through in The Housemaid, earning it high praise from its audience.

The Housemaid, released in 2022, delicately explores the themes of abuse, desperation, and manipulation, incorporating elements of gaslighting. What captivated readers the most was the psychological aspect of the novel, skillfully woven throughout its pages. With a total of 338 pages, The Housemaid effectively portrays the destructive forces of jealousy and greed.

The novel’s center character and plot revolves around Millie, a woman on parole taking up a nominal job as a maid in the Winchester mansion, and as we turn the pages, we get to know both the employ and the employee are hiding secrets of their own.

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The Housemaid Ending Explained

In the prologue of the novel, readers are introduced to a maid who becomes anxious about potential arrest following the discovery of a body in her former workplace. As the story progresses, readers delve into the backstory behind this incident. They are introduced to Wilhelmina, affectionately known as Millie, the protagonist of the novel. Millie is attending an interview for a job with Nina, a wealthy middle-aged woman.

Despite her parole and criminal record, Millie manages to secure the position of live-in housekeeper during her interview. However, her accommodations in the mansion consist of a small attic room that can only be locked from the outside. Nina, the homeowner, hands Millie the keys to this room along with a new phone. Later on, Enzo, a landscaper, cautions Millie about the hidden perils that come with working in the mansion. After several more pages, Millie finally has the opportunity to meet Andrew, Nina’s husband, as well as their nine-year-old daughter, Cecelia.

Millie commences her employment, taking on the tasks of tidying up the disgustingly dirty house and preparing meals for the family. As the family gathers to relish their dinner, Nina becomes annoyed when Andrew praises Millie’s culinary skills. Later that night, Millie urgently needs to use the bathroom, but encounters a jammed door knob, causing her to panic. Nina’s attitude towards Millie fluctuates between warmth and hostility, as she alternates between offering her used clothes and insisting on being called by her first name, and unjustly accusing Millie of various misdeeds at other times.

Millie constantly finds herself tidying up after Nina’s messes, while Cecelia, who is quite spoiled, fails to appreciate Millie’s hard work. The only person who acknowledges Millie’s efforts is Andrew. Millie is later informed by Cecelia’s nanny that Nina struggles with mental illness, and Millie discovers that Nina had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital after attempting to harm her own daughter. As the story progresses, readers learn that Andrew and Nina are actively trying to have a baby, as each of them privately confides in Millie.

Andrew is filled with anticipation about becoming a father for the first time, despite Cecelia not being his biological child. However, their happiness is shattered when they learn from a fertility specialist that Nina is unable to conceive naturally. This devastating news leads to an emotional outburst from Nina, who directs her anger at Andrew and accuses him of finding happiness with a younger woman.

In an attempt to comfort the heartbroken Nina, Andrew requests Millie to arrange tickets for a Broadway show. However, Nina skillfully manages to avoid attending. As a result, Andrew takes Millie to the show instead, where they delight in each other’s company and eventually engage in a sexual encounter.

The pair made a mutual agreement to abstain from further intimate relations and keep their one-night affair a secret from Nina. However, Millie eventually discovers that Nina is aware of her and Andrew’s involvement, leading to Nina making Millie’s life unbearable. As a result, Andrew decides to ask Nina to leave the house. With Nina gone, Millie gets ready to enter the main house, and the couple resumes their physical intimacy.

In addition, Andrew dismisses Enzo while expressing his desire to fully commit to a relationship with Millie. During her errand to the grocery store, Millie coincidentally encounters a friend of Nina’s who reveals that Nina has secretly installed a tracking app on Millie’s phone.

Did Nina And Millie Escape Andrew?

As the readers delve deeper into the story, they uncover Nina’s viewpoint, discovering that she was forced to abandon her college education due to an unexpected pregnancy from a casual encounter. She subsequently finds employment at a company where she crosses paths with Andrew, the company’s CEO. Andrew, a captivating individual, extends an invitation to Nina, leading her to develop an intense infatuation for him. Following a period of courtship, the couple eventually ties the knot, yet Andrew’s genuine nature begins to unravel. It becomes apparent that Andrew is a sadistic individual who frequently confines Nina to the attic, subjecting her to torment for minor transgressions.

During a distressing incident, Andrew manipulates and drugs both Nina and Cecelia, cunningly framing Nina for endangering their baby by placing the child in the bathtub. This devious act leads to Nina’s confinement in a psychiatric ward, effectively silencing her should she ever disclose the abuse. However, Nina finds solace in confiding her plight to Enzo, who empathizes deeply due to his own sister’s past suffering at the hands of an abusive spouse. Determined to assist Nina, Enzo devises a plan for her escape. Recognizing Millie’s track record of seeking revenge against those who have wronged her, Nina recruits her help after thoroughly investigating Millie’s background.

Nina’s true intentions are exposed when it is revealed that she had planned all along to switch places with Millie. To achieve this, she intentionally manipulates Millie into despising her, hoping to portray herself as a victim. When Andrew attempts to mistreat Millie for the first time, it backfires on him. Upon his return, he instructs Millie to place heavy books on her stomach as punishment for forgetting to replace them. Andrew continues to subject her to this exercise repeatedly after she fails the initial attempt.

The moment Andrew opens the door to the attic, Millie pepper sprays him and steals his phone as she walks out, locking him in the attic. She begins to torture Andrew in a similar manner. At the same time, Enzo keeps an eye on the house and becomes worried for Millie as she hasn’t left the house for a long time. Nina returns after Enzo calls her to rescue Millie at an empty house.

Nina ventures into the attic with the intention of saving Millie, but is confronted by the ghastly sight of Andrew’s decaying corpse. Shocked and horrified, Millie admits to being the one who locked him in the attic. Concerned for Millie’s well-being, Nina urges her to leave, wanting to spare her from the inevitable consequences of her actions. Later on, as the detective questions Nina, a stunning revelation emerges – his own daughter was once engaged to Andrew, but fortunately managed to escape before it was too late.

It is revealed that Nina’s claim was not taken seriously by the police due to the Winchesters’ influence over them. The detective concludes that Andrew’s death was an accident. The novel’s main antagonist is unveiled in the final moments, and surprisingly, it is none other than Evelyn Winchester, Andrew’s mother.

In the past, Evelyn would punish Andrew in a manner similar to how he once tortured Nina during their childhood. However, Evelyn now commends Nina for taking charge and implementing strict consequences, even going so far as to mention death. Eventually, the story concludes with Nina and her daughter relocating to California. Meanwhile, Millie leads a content life thanks to the financial support that Nina continues to provide after Andrew’s demise. A surprising turn of events occurs when Millie grants an interview to a woman recommended by Nina, only to discover that the woman is a victim of abuse. This realization prompts Millie to offer her reassurance and guidance for a possible escape.

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