Semua Bab The Housekeeper's Daughter Seized My Villa, I Sent Her to Prison: Bab 1 - Bab 9

I had never imagined that one day, as the founder of a Wall Street venture capital firm, I would be called a freeloader to my face.What made it worse — that estate was mine.Thirty minutes after my call, a patrol car pulled up at the curb.Before the officer could even ask what had happened, Alice — my housekeeper — spotted them through the video intercom.She threw the front door open and hurried out to meet me, face drained of color."Ms. Wolfe, what's going on? Why did you call the police?"I just looked at her. I didn't say anything.The officer studied her. "This woman reports an unlawful entry at her residence. Are you the one she's referring to?"Panic flashed across Alice's face.Her hands clenched together, sweat beading on her forehead. "No, no — it's not what it looks like! I'm the cook Ms. Wolfe hired. I just brought my daughter to visit, and she accidentally closed the door behind us. There's no break-in, I swear."She gestured at the open doorway, forcing a smile. "See?

The main hall was a wreck.Balloons, streamers, and paper plates everywhere. Cake crumbs across the coffee table. Frosting smeared on the leather couch. Footprints tracked across the carpet.A huge banner stretched across the wall, the pink letters glaring at me: HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY, LILY!My estate had been turned into a birthday party.My fists clenched at my sides.This estate was the last thing my father had ever given me. I cleaned it myself. No one understood what it meant to me — and now it had been trashed beyond recognition.I scanned the room and spotted Lily on the center couch.A circle of girls her age sat around her, chattering excitedly."Lily, your mom totally spoils you! This party is insane!""I heard that dress costs tens of thousands. Mrs. Hayes really loves you.""That necklace too, it's gorgeous. Did your mom buy that for you as well?"Lily touched the necklace at her throat and smirked."Of course. Mom drove me out of state to buy it. Five hundred thousand.""And

Lily's hand froze in midair. She turned toward the door.A line of bodyguards in black suits filed in — broad-shouldered, hard-faced, eyes sharp as a hunter's. They moved into the hall in formation.The man at the front wore a custom black suit and carried himself with the steady authority of someone used to being obeyed.His name was Lucas Knight. He was my second-in-command — the man who had built my Wall Street empire alongside me.Behind him came over twenty members of my legal team, each with a document case and a body camera.Lily's friends gaped."What's going on? Who are these guys?""It's Lily's eighteenth! Maybe Mrs. Hayes set this up?""That guy in front is gorgeous —""Maybe Mrs. Hayes is setting Lily up with someone."Lily's eyes lit up. She dropped the knife, smoothed her dress and her hair, and pulled on a coy little smile.She stepped forward like she owned the place, trying to look composed but unable to hide her excitement."Excuse me — and you are? What brings you he

Alice ran in, breathing hard.The moment she saw me, Lucas, and the team filling the room, her face drained of color.Lily's friends rushed her at once."Mrs. Hayes, you're finally here! That maid hired a bunch of actors to scare us! They keep saying she's some Wall Street CEO — that the estate and the cars are hers and you're her servant! They want to detain us, make us pay for damages!"Alice didn't move. She stood there, pale, scanning the wreckage of her daughter's party.She saw the cut on my face. The state of my hair. Her lips trembled, but no words came out.Lily ran to her and pointed at me, then at Lucas, furious."Mom! Tell them! They're calling you a maid. They're saying the cars and the estate are hers! Tell them you own all of this — go on!"Alice didn't speak."Mom?" Lily shook her arm hard, sensing something was wrong. "What's wrong with you? Say something!"Alice slowly raised her head and looked at me. There was nothing in her eyes but fear and pleading.She crossed t

Alice slid down the wall and sat on the floor, hollow-eyed.Lily finally understood the kind of trouble she was in.She bit her lip and walked toward me. Her voice shook."Ms… Ms. Wolfe, right? This is all a misunderstanding. I didn't know the cars and the house were yours. I thought —""You thought what?" I held her gaze. "You thought because I was a poor maid, you could hit me and break my things?""Even if I really were a maid, what you did is enough to put you in a cell. I've already called the police. They'll be here any minute. I'm pressing every charge available — assault, malicious destruction of property. I will not settle."The color left Lily's face. She turned to Alice, sobbing. "Mom! Say something! You said you'd protect me! Why aren't you saying anything?"Alice looked up at her daughter from the floor, her face full of pain. "Lily… I can't even protect myself. How am I supposed to protect you?"Lily went still.Sirens cut through the air outside. The officers walked in.