ВойтиLily’s POVI didn’t know what to do.My mind was spinning with too many thoughts at once, and for a moment I felt like the ground beneath my feet had disappeared. Everyone in the room was staring at me, waiting for my answer, waiting for the decision that would determine what would happen to Celine and Nina.Sebastian had just handed the power to me.Me.The same girl who had just been accused of stealing.The same girl who had been beaten, insulted, and humiliated in front of everyone.Now I was the one who had to decide their punishment.The irony of it all made my chest feel tight.Voices suddenly filled the room.“Lily, please forgive them!”“Please show mercy!”“They made a mistake!”“Please don’t ruin their lives!”The other maids surrounded me, begging desperately.Some of them even looked like they were about to kneel.But their words only made the pain inside me grow stronger.Forgive them?They were asking me to forgive them?Did they even understand what had just happened t
Lily’s POV I sat quietly in my room, staring at the floor, my mind still heavy from everything that had happened earlier. My body felt weak, and my heart was still hurting from the humiliation and accusations. Even though Sebastian said he believed me, the pain from the words everyone had thrown at me earlier still lingered. Being called a thief… being judged by everyone… it felt like a heavy stone sitting on my chest. I hugged my knees tightly as I sat on the bed. Suddenly, the door burst open. I looked up in shock. Victoria and Celine walked into my room. Before I could even stand up properly, Victoria rushed toward me. SLAP! Her hand landed hard across my face. “You shameless girl!” she shouted angrily. Before I could react, Celine grabbed my hair and pulled me down from the bed. “Thief!” she yelled. The two of them started beating me mercilessly. Slaps. Kicks. Pulling my hair. Shoving me to the ground. “You think you can steal in this house and get away with it?” Vi
Sebastian’s POVI didn’t know where to start. Or what to do.The watch. It had been found in Lily’s bag. Every voice around me insisted she had taken it, accused her of theft, of deceit, of betrayal. Even the evidence seemed against her. And yet… I knew Lily. I had worked with her every day, watched her move through this house with integrity and quiet intelligence. She wasn’t a thief. She would never steal.The accusations bounced around my head like bullets. Victoria’s voice was sharp, Celine’s cruel, the maids echoing their outrage. And Nina… that girl’s testimony added weight to the frame. I felt my jaw tighten. Something about all of this didn’t add up.I looked at Lily, standing there, exhausted, terrified, and hurt. Her eyes wide, innocent, pleading made it impossible to believe she was guilty. My instincts screamed it, but the scene before me, the evidence, the testimonies , it was overwhelming.“Drey,” I said quietly, pulling him aside. “Check the CCTV footage. I need to see h
Celine’s POVSome people believed patience was a virtue.I believed patience was a weapon.And tonight, I was about to use it.For weeks, I had watched the same irritating pattern repeat itself in this house. Sebastian’s attention drifting toward that girl. That maid. Lily. The way people whispered about her bravery, the quiet way she had calmed Sebastian when he had lost control, the way the other staff praised her as if she had suddenly become some kind of hero.It was ridiculous.Even Victoria had begun losing control over it. I had seen the frustration in her eyes, the anger that flashed whenever Sebastian spoke Lily’s name or when the others whispered about her deeds. Victoria was proud, ambitious, and stubborn, but sometimes she lacked subtlety.That was where I came in.If Lily wanted to climb higher in this house, then I would make sure she fell from that height just as quickly.I could not accept a mere maid surpassing my friend, obtaining admiration, and receiving Sebastian’
Celine’s POVSome people believed patience was a virtue.I believed patience was a weapon.And tonight, I was about to use it.For weeks, I had watched the same irritating pattern repeat itself in this house. Sebastian’s attention drifting toward that girl. That maid. Lily. The way people whispered about her bravery, the quiet way she had calmed Sebastian when he had lost control, the way the other staff praised her as if she had suddenly become some kind of hero.It was ridiculous.Even Victoria had begun losing control over it. I had seen the frustration in her eyes, the anger that flashed whenever Sebastian spoke Lily’s name or when the others whispered about her deeds. Victoria was proud, ambitious, and stubborn, but sometimes she lacked subtlety.That was where I came in.If Lily wanted to climb higher in this house, then I would make sure she fell from that height just as quickly.I could not accept a mere maid surpassing my friend, obtaining admiration, and receiving Sebastian’
Drey’s POVI had always been the observer. The one who noticed when others were too busy performing or pretending to be someone they were not. In this house, that skill had become sharper than ever. People were careless around Sebastian, and some underestimated Lily. I never did.It had started with a simple observation. Sebastian had changed. Not in big, obvious ways. He still carried the calm authority, the cold glare that kept most people at bay. But Lily had done something no one else ever could. She had softened him. Subtly. Quietly. And I had watched it happen.He looked at her differently now. Not like a boss looks at an employee. Not even like a man looks at a woman. It was something more difficult to describe, something dangerous. It was fascination, attention, and a strange kind of affection. He noticed her small gestures, the way she spoke without pretense, the way she moved through the house without fear yet without demanding anything. That attention made her glow in ways
Chapter 28: Martha’s WarningLily's POVThe laundry room smells like lavender detergent and steam. I'm folding Sebastian's shirts carefully—collar first, sleeves aligned, creased down the middle—when Martha appears in the doorway. She hovers there, wringing her hands, glancing over her shoulder lik
Victoria’s POVThe mirror has always been my closest companion. It never lies, never hides, and never fails to reflect the truth I already know, that I am beautiful, radiant, flawless. Tonight, more than ever, I needed to see myself through its eyes. Tonight was not just a date; it was history in t
Sebastian's POVMy headache starts the moment I wake up. It's not the dull throb of too little sleep or too much whiskey. This is sharper. Specific. Like someone's driving a nail directly into my temple with surgical precision. I press my fingers against the spot, but it doesn't help. Nothing helps
Lily’s POVThe laundry room smells of lavender detergent and steam. I’m folding Sebastian’s shirts—crisp whites, pressed collars, careful creases—when I notice Martha standing in the doorway. She’s wringing her hands, glancing over her shoulder as if afraid someone might be listening.“Lily,” she w







