Chapter 4

The morning sun hit the iron gates of the big house like it was paying rent, but inside, things were moving at 100 miles per hour.

Mira woke up with her left cheek looking like a roasted plantain—all swollen and purple from Sienna's slap the night before. She looked down at her feet. She was wearing the yellow-and-black bee socks Axel brought her. Looking like a confused bumblebee. She pressed a frozen bag of peas to her face, tied her hair into a messy bun that defied gravity, and dragged herself out of the room.

Her face was still shouting *fire*, but rent and hospital bills do not care about pain.

She walked into the big kitchen, and Mrs. Benson looked like she had just seen a ghost that wanted back-pay.

"Mira," Mrs. Benson hissed, grabbing her arm so hard her fingers turned white. "Listen to me. Do not near the front door today. Stay here. Turn to wood if you have to!"

"Why again? Did another cockroach take over the living room?"

"Sienna’s father is here."

Mira blinked. "The big daddy with the grey hair and bad vibes?"

"Arthur Harrison," Mrs. Benson whispered, trembling. "He is pure trouble. When he heard how Daniel threw his daughter out last night because of *you*, he didn't come to talk. He came for blood."

Before Mira could ask if she should start digging her own grave behind the kitchen, the front double doors flew open with a loud *BANG* that shook the expensive lights on the ceiling.

A group of stern men in black suits marched in. Right behind them strutted Arthur Harrison, looking like a man who owned the bank, and Sienna, holding coffee and smiling like she had already won an award.

"Daniel!" Arthur shouted, his voice echoing across the marble floor. "Get out here and explain why your little maid laid hands on my daughter!"

Mira almost dropped her bag of peas. *Laid hands?!* Auntie Sienna was the one who threw the heavy slap!

From the big staircase, heavy footsteps echoed.

Daniel came down. Sharp black suit. Face looking like pure ice. He looked ready to break bones before breakfast. Axel, Jace, and Raven walked right behind him, hands close to their pockets where the guns were hiding.

"She didn't touch her, Arthur," Daniel said, his voice cold enough to freeze water. "Your daughter attacked a worker. And I threw her out."

Arthur stepped closer, chest puffed out. "She is a Harrison! You don't embarrass my family for a nobody. And that maid? She leaves today in a body bag, or I pull all my money out of the business right now. Choose!"

The room went dead quiet.

Mira’s chest tightened. A body bag? Over a slap she didn't even start? Because of her hospital bills and her bee socks?

*No way,* Mira thought. *I did not suffer in this life to die because of rich people drama.*

Before Daniel could start a war, Mira marched right out of the kitchen, holding her frozen peas like a weapon.

"I am right here!" she announced.

Everyone turned to look at her.

Daniel’s eyes went wide, and for a second, he looked genuinely panicked. "Mira. Go back."

"No, sir," Mira said, walking right to the front line. She looked Arthur dead in the eye. "I am the maid. I didn't touch your pikin. If anything, my face broke her hand's fall, and she should be thanking me. But if my presence here is going to spoil your business, I will resign. Right now. Free of charge."

Sienna laughed. "Resign? You think you get to walk out of here alive after disrespecting me? Daddy, finish her."

Arthur moved fast. Before anyone could blink, he pulled out a silver gun from his jacket and aimed it straight at Mira’s chest.

"End of the road, girl," he sneered.

Mira squeezed her eyes shut. *Mama, I tried,* she thought.

*BANG!*

The gunshot was so loud it felt like it cracked the sky.

Mira flinched so hard she almost fell down, waiting for the pain. But nothing hurt.

Slowly, she opened one eye.

Arthur was staring down at his own hand in total shock. His expensive leather shoe was smoking slightly.

Daniel hadn't even waited for him to finish pulling the trigger. Moving like lightning, Daniel had pulled out his own gun and shot the weapon right out of Arthur’s hand, the bullet just grazing the old man's shoe.

Total silence hit the room. You could hear a pin drop.

Daniel slowly lowered his gun. His eyes weren't just cold anymore—they were burning with pure, angry fire.

"If you ever point a gun in my house again," Daniel whispered, his voice dangerously low, "your next funeral will be open-casket, Arthur. Get out."

Arthur turned pale as milk and took a fast step back. Sienna looked like she was about to faint.

Daniel didn't look at them. He kept his eyes locked on Mira, breathing hard.

Before Mira could even thank God she wasn't a ghost yet, Daniel’s phone buzzed loud in his pocket.

He pulled it out, looked at the screen, and the color completely drained from his face. He went white as paper.

He looked up at Mira, his eyes wide with a terrifying new kind of panic.

"Mira," Daniel breathed, his voice shaking. "Don't move. Look at the screen by the gate."