Chapter 232
Ten minutes later.
“Ma’am, nothing’s missing!”
Anastasia nodded. Just then, Mary walked in.
The moment she saw Anastasia, Mary’s expression darkened. “Ma’am? What brings you back so soon?”
Anastasia fixed her with a cold look. “Mary, do you have any idea what just happened?”
Mary lowered her head, her tone polite but distant. “I was outside, giving the staff some instructions. I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean, ma’am.”
Anastasia let out a sharp, dismissive laugh. “So you mean you don’t know that Alice just barged in here with a crowd of people? I won’t even get into whether you’ve failed at raising your daughter, but as the housekeeper of Rosewood Manor, you’ve clearly neglected your duties.”
“Strangers wandered all through the house-some even went upstairs. Are you telling me you had no idea?”
“Upstairs is Mr. Harrison Lancaster’s study. There are important things in there. If anything went missing, would you be able to answer for it?”
She didn’t bother to spare Mary’s feelings, scolding her in front of all the staff.
Mary’s face turned ashen, humiliated.
She had worked for the Lancaster family for years, and not even Lady Lancaster had spoken to her like this. Anastasia was the first.
The other staff members stood frozen, barely daring to breathe.
Anastasia ignored Mary’s mortified expression. Her voice was steely as she gave one last warning: “If you still wish to keep this job, I’d better not catch you neglecting your duties again.”
“And another thing-didn’t I make it clear that Alice isn’t allowed in the main house? Who gave her the nerve to show up here with half the neighborhood? If you can’t control your daughter, Mary, I won’t hesitate to step in myself.”
With a glance at the clock-nearly time for Harrison to return-she said nothing more and strode out, heels clicking on the polished floor.
Mary was left standing there, swallowing the shame as the other staff cast furtive glances her way. She was so furious, she nearly fainted on the spot.
Meanwhile
Alice finally led her friends out of Rosewood Manor and let out a shaky sigh of relief.
She hadn’t even finished exhaling when someone next to her piped up, “Hey, wasn’t that Anastasia from sophomore year? What’s she doing here?”
“Yeah, isn’t this your house? And how did she dare talk to you that way?”
Alice looked up and saw all eyes on her, suspicion written on every face. Her heart skipped a beat.
“Of course this is my house,” she snapped. “But some people just love acting like they own the place.”
That remark only fueled everyone’s curiosity. “What do you mean?” Ná´‡w É´ovel chaptá´‡rs are published on
Alice seized the moment. “You’re all wondering why I can’t stand Anastasia, right? Well, here’s why!”
“She knows all about me and my boyfriend, but she’s constantly trying to get between us-shamelessly pushing herself at him.”
“What?” gasped someone. “Anastasia’s really that desperate?”
“But why did she have the nerve to act like she runs the house?” another asked, unconvinced.
Alice jumped in, “Because my boyfriend’s grandmother is obsessed with her. She’s totally fooled the old lady, and that’s why she has the nerve to act like she belongs here!”
The more she spoke, the angrier she became, as if everything she said were the absolute truth-that Anastasia really was a homewrecker, stealing her man.
“Oh my God, Anastasia is unbelievable!”
“Trying to steal someone’s boyfriend and acting like she owns the place-her attitude was outrageous! You’d think she really was the lady of the house.”
“With people like that at Kingsbridge University, she’s making us all look bad!”