Part 1
Veronica tried to touch his arm.
The silk of her robe brushed against his suit.
Ethan stepped back.
The distance between them suddenly felt like an unbreachable wall.
"They are just employees, Ethan. They are paid to do a job."
Her voice was smooth, like honey covering poison.
"They are people," Ethan corrected.
His voice was cold.
Cold as ice.
Veronica’s perfect smile finally slipped.
The corners of her mouth twitched.
"You are seriously choosing a maid over me?"
"I am choosing decency," he said.
He turned his back on her.
"Ethan! Don't you dare walk away from me!"
She screamed his name.
It was a sound filled with ugly rage.
He didn't look back.
Not even once.
He walked out of the master bedroom and closed the door.
The grand hallway felt warmer than that bedroom.
He returned to the living area.
Rosa was holding Lily tightly against her chest.
The little girl’s eyes were still wide with fear.
She was still clutching the broken yellow rabbit.
Ethan knelt down in front of them.
The powerful billionaire became small just to look into a child's eyes.
He looked at Lily.
"Nobody is going anywhere," he promised softly.
Rosa’s tears finally spilled over her cheeks.
"Mr. Mercer, please... I can find another job. I don't want to cause trouble."
"No," Ethan said.
His decision was final.
"You stay here. This is your home."
He reached out his hand.
He gently touched the broken ear of the toy rabbit.
"And tomorrow, we fix this."
Lily looked at him through her tears.
A tiny, fragile smile appeared on her face.
But Ethan knew this was just the beginning of a storm.
Veronica would not accept this quietly.
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She was a woman who always got exactly what she wanted.
And right now, she wanted revenge.
