Chapter 2

Displeasure twisted my features. "Ms. Jackson, I gave the cake to Griselda. Is that how you waste my food?"

Polly would walk all over me if I didn't stand my ground as the lady of the house.

Her eyes darted to the side. Then, she collapsed before me, trembling.

"Mrs. Campbell, I'm sorry. It was all my fault. I shouldn't have stepped on Mason's cake by accident. I'll never do it again. I'm begging you, please don't fire me!"

As I was trying to figure out when Polly became so sensitive, I heard someone roar behind me, "Daisy Jameson, you've crossed a line. Ms. Jackson has been working in the family for decades. Are you incapable of offering her even a shred of respect?"

Zachary Campbell strode forward and helped Polly up. Then, the two of them brushed past me and left.

It was as though he was Polly's son.

I'd realized that whenever I showed even the barest modicum of kindness to Griselda, Polly would do her best to school me in front of Zachary.

As the children grew up, Polly could no longer keep up due to her old age. That was when Danielle took over.

One day, Mason got back from school and told me that there would be a parent-teacher conference at school tomorrow. The teacher had instructed him to bring his parents, and that we would be invited to give a speech.

However, Zachary and I were both going on business trips and were thus unavailable.

At the same time, Griselda came home to Danielle with a similar story.

"Mom, I got first place in the examination. The teachers would like you to share some insights on stage," said Griselda timidly. She handed her exam paper to Danielle.

Griselda had gotten full marks.

Danielle didn't even spare her a glance. She mocked, "You got first place? Stop lying. How could Mason score lower than you? He's so intelligent!"

Mason hadn't done as well as Griselda. He hadn't even achieved the average mark for their year.

While Zachary and I had graduated from prestigious universities with Masters, Mason was hopeless when it came to studying. The power of genetics was not to be underestimated.

Griselda steeled herself and yelled, "I'm not lying. Mason didn't even pass his exams. I'd still have a higher total grade than him even if I skipped a paper!"

Ever since she was a child, Danielle and Polly had put her down and mocked her, opting to praise Mason instead.

Although Griselda had finally defeated Mason, Danielle still didn't treat her any better.

Griselda's rebuttal angered Danielle. The pathetic bitch who'd lived like a beggar under her for years was rebelling against her authority.

Without hesitation, she grabbed a broom and whacked Griselda with it.

Griselda ran through the mansion, throwing whatever she could reach while crying out of frustration.

Danielle chased after her while panting. It was Mason who stepped in and held her down.

"I'm not who I am if I don't beat you to death today!"

Rage was evident in Danielle's eyes as she hit Griselda, not stopping even when Griselda fainted.

Mason had to call the ambulance afterward.

Danielle didn't want to go with Griselda to the hospital, so she sent Polly instead.

"Ms. Jackson, what cardinal rule has Griselda broken to warrant such a gruesome beating? You're so cruel to your own daughter. You're not beating Sonny up while we're gone, are you?"

I scanned Danielle from head to toe. Zachary stood up for her, saying, "Daisy, Danielle isn't that kind of person. She and Polly serve us with all their hearts. Griselda was disobedient, which caused Danielle's fury to boil over and hit harder than she intended to. If you think of her like that, you're invalidating the bonds we've built with them!"

Danielle stood behind Zachary with tears streaming down her face. Her eyes seemed to say, "I've already lived such a troubled life, only to be treated so abhorrently by my boss. Just let me die."

"Zachary and I were going to send you to the parent-teacher conference tomorrow as we're too busy. Now that Griselda has been gravely injured, you probably won't have time to go either. I'll tell the teachers to cancel our speech!"