Chapter 40

Mary said, “If someone causes serious trouble or creates a huge loss, Rosewood Manor will kick them out. But if it’s just a minor issue, we might give them another chance.”
Before Anastasia could say a word, Mary turned and snapped at May, “Well? Apologize to madam this instant! You’re lucky it was just a few flowers this time—if
it had been anything worse, you’d have been thrown out for sure!” Thɪs chapter is updated by
May hurriedly stammered, “Madam, I’m so sorry! Please forgive me just this once!”
Anastasia let out a cynical, icy smile.
Sneaking into her room and stealing from her, yet in Mary’s words, it was nothing more than “taking a few flowers”?
“Is the management at Rosewood Manor always so lenient?” she asked coolly.
“If you don’t believe me, madam, we can ask Mr. Lancaster himself. Let him decide,” Mary replied, her smile a little too forced.
Anastasia’s gaze was frosty and unyielding. She said nothing.
The silence in the sitting room was so heavy, you could have heard a pin drop. No one even dared breathe too loudly.
The maids all exchanged uneasy glances.
They’d thought the new mistress was just a naive young girl. Clearly, they’d all guessed wrong.
If nothing else, that presence of hers-so calm, so commanding-marked her as anything but ordinary.
Was it just their imagination, or was there a faint echo of Mr. Lancaster’s own demeanor in her?
“Fine. This time, I’ll let it go,” Anastasia finally said after a long pause, her voice level as she looked at May. “But if there’s ever a next time, leaving Rosewood Manor will be the least of your worries.”
May let out a shaky sigh of relief. “Thank you, madam!”
She didn’t take Anastasia’s warning to heart at all.
Anastasia stood.
She wasn’t about to make things awkward for Harrison, stuck between her and Mary.
Letting May off the hook just this once wasn’t a big deal; there would be plenty of chances to deal with her properly later.
“Your bonus for the next few months is suspended. Any objections?” she said to May before leaving.
May’s face stiffened, but she forced a smile. “No objections
Inside, resentment burned. The bonuses at Rosewood Manor were famously generous—often more than regular wages. She’d borrowed a lot of money, counting on those bonuses to pay it back.
After Anastasia left, Alice pulled May aside.
“Don’t worry, May. This is all because of me if they take away your bonus, I’ll make it up to you,” Alice promised.
“Alice, you’re the best,” May said, genuinely touched, forgetting entirely that all the flowers she’d taken had been for Alice in the first place.
“We’re friends, aren’t we?” Alice replied, smiling. “But honestly, I don’t think you’ll last long at Rosewood Manor. Anastasia’s petty-she might have agreed with my mom for now, but she’ll find a way to get rid of you later.”
May’s expression changed.
Seeing her reaction, Alice sighed. “You pulled every string you had to get this job. It would be such a shame to lose it now
May’s eyes flickered with emotion, then suddenly hardened. “Then maybe she’s the one who should be thrown out first!”
A sly little smile tugged at Alice’s lips.
Stealing flowers was really nothing in the grand scheme of things. Anastasia didn’t even bother mentioning it to Harrison. He had more important matters to deal with -no need to trouble him over something so trivial.
With the leftover flowers, Anastasia picked out the prettiest ones, intending to press them in a book. That’s when she realized she didn’t have any books—she’d left her old ones behind at the Sterling house, and the rest were back in her college dorm.
She went to knock on Harrison’s study door.
Logan opened it and, sensing her purpose, politely stepped aside.
“Mr. Lancaster, madam is here.”
Harrison put down his paperwork and looked up. “What is it?”
Anastasia clasped her hands behind her back and asked sweetly, “Honey, do you
have any books you don’t need? Can I borrow a few?”