Home / Emotional Realism Short Story / The Housekeeper's Claim / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of The Housekeeper's Claim: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

"Ma'am, it's yours and Sir's tenth wedding anniversary tomorrow. Are you celebrating at home, or going out?"The familiar voice sounded beside my ear.I snapped my eyes open.A plain, honest-looking face filled my vision. Megan Wright bent slightly at the waist, smiling warmly at me.At that moment, my heart was pounding violently, like a heavy drum striking my chest.I took a deep breath, forcing myself to suppress the surge of emotion inside me. With effort, I tugged at the corner of my mouth and barely managed a smile. "Tomorrow... we're going out to eat. You don't need to worry about anything."Megan seemed very satisfied with my answer. "Alright, ma'am. Then I'll go organize the walk-in closet."I nodded, watching her retreating figure as she walked away, my thoughts sinking into deep contemplation.At this very moment, I was absolutely certain of one thing: I, Vivian Whitmore, had been reborn.Thinking about what Megan had just said, I picked up my phone and checked the

Chapter 2

No matter what, since heaven had given me a second chance at life, I absolutely could not allow the tragedy of my previous life to repeat itself.I returned to the bedroom and began ordering small home surveillance cameras online.In my previous life, when Megan first came to work in our home as a housekeeper, I had wanted to install cameras, but Daniel felt it would be disrespectful to someone living under our roof.Thinking back on it now, it was precisely because of our kindness that we had walked step by step into her trap.The question that had plagued me, the one I couldn't grasp even as I died, suddenly returned, despite all my careful preparations.How could the child she was carrying be Daniel's?After we got married, Daniel and I started trying for a baby, but no matter how long we tried, I never got pregnant. It was only after going to the hospital for tests that we learned he had azoospermia.The doctor had been blunt. Daniel could not have children at all. Even IVF

Chapter 3

The cameras were installed overnight. Aside from the bathroom and my bedroom, there were no blind spots.Marco was efficient as well. He promised to uncover her background within a week.With everything set, I lay restlessly in bed, waiting for May 18 to arrive. It was the day that had condemned me to eternal ruin in my previous life.I did not sleep at all. When I got up in the morning, the woman who stared back at me in the mirror had two deep, dark circles under her eyes.Megan was not a live-in housekeeper. She usually arrived around nine in the morning.In my previous life, on this very day, I had left early to go to the airport to pick Daniel up. Today, I followed the same path as before.Before heading out, I even gave Megan a call."We won't be home at all today. You don't need to cook lunch or dinner. Just clean up."On the other end of the line, she sounded gentle and respectful, completely different from the woman who would later cry in front of the courthouse.I to

Chapter 4

The sound in my earpiece cut off abruptly, followed by a harsh crackling hiss. I hurriedly pulled the earpiece out and rubbed my ear.What a shame.In the end, I still hadn't heard clearly what they were actually saying.Nevertheless, from Sophie's fragmented remarks, I could sense that something was deeply wrong with the pregnancy.Even if she was Daniel's student and had plenty of chances to get close to him, her mother was the one who was pregnant.How on earth had they pulled this off?I stayed in the cafe for nearly half a day. It was only when I saw the two of them eating lunch in my house through the surveillance feed that I realized how much time had passed.In my memories of my previous life, Sophie never appeared from beginning to end. Thinking back now, she must have spread the rumors at the university about Daniel molesting female students.Daniel messaged me to say he had already booked a restaurant and planned a romantic candlelight dinner for the evening.When I

Chapter 5

I downloaded the surveillance footage and stored it carefully, saving it for the counterattack that would come later.Daniel had already found out about the accusation she posted online. He no longer cared about our tenth anniversary. He contacted me immediately, desperately explaining and insisting that he was innocent.How could I not believe him?Setting aside the fact that he had never even had a chance to be alone with her, his azoospermia was an indisputable medical fact.The news exploded at his university. He was summoned for discussions by a succession of leaders. They all said they believed him and told him not to put too much pressure on himself.By then, Megan and Sophie had already left the house.I called Daniel home.He rushed back in a panic. The moment he saw me, he wrapped me tightly in his arms. I patted his slightly trembling back."Whatever happens, we'll face it together."After calming him down, I began discussing our next steps with him.He was a firm

Chapter 6

On the day Megan went to do the paternity test, she called the police.Early that morning, officers came to our home to collect evidence and conduct an investigation. They warned Daniel and me not to leave the city and to remain available to cooperate at all times.After seeing the police off, Daniel and I turned on the computer and joined Megan's livestream.Her face was covered in injuries as she arrived at the paternity testing center with Sophie. With them were dozens of self-proclaimed justice-seeking netizens and representatives from every major media outlet.More than ten livestreams were broadcasting the paternity test simultaneously. The scale of it could only be described as overwhelming.Accompanied by notary officials, Megan provided her samples.Because the case was so high profile, the results were expedited. Everyone waited together in the main hall.Meanwhile, Megan and Sophie sat calmly in their chairs. They were extremely confident about the outcome. If you loo

Chapter 7

In the livestream, Megan held the paternity test report high above her head."Open your eyes and look! The child I'm carrying is Daniel Whitmore's. He assaulted me! I will sue him!"Alas, she failed to notice that the looks directed at her from everyone present were filled with disdain and contempt."Report whoever the hell you want! I just want to know, are you paying today or not? If you don't, we'll take those posters straight to your hometown!" Victor shouted at her head-on. Her expression stiffened, her teeth clenched tight. "As long as I win the lawsuit, I'll naturally be able to pay you back. This child is Daniel Whitmore's. He has to compensate me!"Under Victor's relentless pressure, she revealed more and more cracks. Every sentence she spoke revolved around money.Sophie desperately tugged at her arm, signaling for her to stop talking.However, by then, Megan had already lost her rationality, provoked beyond reason by the glaring nude photos and Victor's threats.The

Chapter 8

Dusk settled in as the sun dipped below the horizon. Dad and Daniel returned home carrying a bucket of fish.The moment Great-Uncle Harold saw Daniel, the smile vanished from his face, replaced by a grave expression.Daniel thought Great-Uncle Harold had seen the news online and was doubting him. His expression grew awkward.Even during dinner, Great-Uncle Harold’s furrowed brow never relaxed. He hesitated several times, as if wanting to speak, and finally couldn’t hold back anymore."Danny, have things been going badly for you lately?"Daniel froze for a moment, then answered helplessly, "Great-Uncle Harold, not just badly. Very badly."I followed his lead and recounted everything that had happened over the past few days, one detail at a time."What we can’t understand is how the baby she’s carrying could be his. It’s just too strange."Daniel set down his cutleries and raised three fingers with one hand. "I swear, I really didn’t do anything to betray Vivian. And Mom and Dad

Chapter 9

We stayed home for a few more days.Online attention flares up fast and dies just as quickly.In only two days, the incident had already dropped off the trending charts.The police summoned us to the station for questioning.Although there was still no concrete evidence accusing Daniel of rape, the fetus she claimed to be carrying was identified as his, so she still proceeded to sue us.On the day of the hearing, Daniel and I sat at the defendant’s table.Megan and Sophie sat high and mighty at the plaintiff’s table. As if that weren’t enough, the mother and daughter, having learned nothing, had invited the media to attend.I stared at her belly, a wave of panic rising in me.Were Great-Uncle’s words really accurate? Why hadn’t things improved at all?Well, now that it had come to this, we had already done everything we could. All that remained was to leave it to fate.When it came time for both sides to present evidence, Megan had nothing beyond the paternity test to support

Chapter 10

The police escorted Daniel and me back home and told us to stay put and wait for the outcome.Great-Uncle Harold’s method had finally worked.The next day, the precinct captain came to our house in person. He told us that Megan had never been pregnant.After being sent to the hospital, she had expelled several more clumps of hair, the strands twisted together with her internal organs. She had died in agony.I supposed that this was the true retaliation of the spirit-bound blood.As for why the paternity test had shown the fetus to be Daniel’s, even the police were completely baffled.Daniel and I exchanged a smile. Things this uncanny were better left unexplained to the authorities.What happened in the courtroom had all been captured by reporters. They posted the footage online. Although both faces were blurred, everyone knew exactly who the two women were.Overnight, the truth came out.Sophie was publicly berated at university. The academic affairs office expelled her for m

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