In the sprawling old bungalow on the outskirts of Mumbai, nestled among dusty palm trees and forgotten gardens, 27-year-old Lakshmi wiped the sweat from her brow. She was the simple maid hired just three months ago, her wide doe eyes reflecting a life of quiet obedience in a small village before the city pulled her in. Her plain cotton salwar kameez clung to her curves from the humid air, the dupatta draped modestly over her shoulders. Long black hair braided down her back, she moved with unassuming grace, dusting the antique teakwood furniture in the study. The room smelled of aged books and sandalwood incense, a relic of the bungalow's colonial past now owned by Mr. Vikram Desai, a 58-year-old widower whose fortune came from shipping ventures long faded.