Chapter 3
588words
Jessica Miller stood framed in the doorway, hands on her hips, smirking like she'd won the lottery:
"Oh, sister dear," she cooed, "Mother says Eve's room has the best light and view—perfect for Felix's studies. Eve can pick herself a nice little guest room instead."
I expected Eve to explode, but surprisingly, she merely lifted her gaze, her voice eerily calm.
"Fine. If he wants it so badly, he can have it."
She took my hand and moved to leave, but Jessica thrust her arm across the doorway, blocking our exit.
"Not so fast."
Jessica advanced, her voice dripping with venom.
"Mother also mentioned that the master suite you're occupying, dear sister, should rightfully belong to the true mistress of this house."
"After all, only women who produce male heirs deserve a place in the Grant family legacy."
Something snapped behind Eve's eyes. She whirled around, her gaze piercing Jessica like ice picks.
"What the hell are you implying? My parents never divorced. You're nothing but a cheap homewrecker, and you have the audacity to call yourself the mistress?"
Jessica's eyes instantly welled with practiced tears. She covered her face and staggered backward, the perfect picture of wounded innocence.
As if on cue, Victoria charged in from the hallway and cracked her palm across Eve's cheek.
The blow was vicious—harder than before—instantly raising an angry welt on Eve's skin.
"You insolent little bitch! How dare you speak that way!"
Victoria jabbed her finger in Eve's face, spittle flying from her lips.
"When I give an order about Jessica, who are you to question it?"
"This house belongs to Felix now. Jessica is Felix's mother, so naturally she deserves the master bedroom!"
"Your barren mother failed to produce a son. You should be on your knees thanking us for letting you stay at all!"
I pulled Eve behind me, dismissing Victoria's trembling rage, and turned to Jessica with the ghost of a smile playing on my lips.
"Very well. We'll take the guest rooms. Mrs. Wang, please prepare them. My daughter and I will move our things tonight."
Jessica wasn't finished. She stepped forward, blocking Mrs. Wang's path, her chin lifted in triumph.
"Hold on! I've already sent all the staff on paid leave. There won't be anyone to wait on you hand and foot anymore."
"Since you once played lady of the manor, surely you understand basic household duties?"
"Cleaning, cooking, laundry—you'll have to handle these menial tasks yourself now."
Victoria nodded approvingly from the sidelines, her expression glacial.
"Jessica is absolutely right. Without staff, you'll need to pull your own weight. No more playing queen bee."
Watching their little performance, I couldn't help but laugh—a genuine, throaty sound.
I reached into my handbag, extracting a document that I waved casually before Jessica's face.
"I don't mind manual labor. And you're welcome to the bedroom."
I stepped closer to Victoria and Jessica, my eyes hardening to glacial points.
"But you seem to have forgotten one crucial detail. For Charles's estate to legally transfer to Felix, you need the signature of his lawful wife—me."
"And after the way you've treated my daughter, I'm not feeling particularly cooperative."
The smug satisfaction drained from Jessica's face like water down a drain.
Victoria froze momentarily before recovering her authoritarian stance.
"You wouldn't dare refuse! Everything rightfully belongs to Felix anyway!"
I smiled coldly. "After how you've treated my daughter, I'd happily watch it all burn to the ground."
