Chapter 33
Just as the bag was about to hit her, Charlotte stepped aside with easy grace. Olivia’s swing missed completely and she stumbled forward, nearly losing her balance.
“You dare dodge me?”
The bag hit the floor with a thud. Furious, Olivia raised her hand, aiming a slap right at Charlotte’s face.
Charlotte had always been the one to stand there and take it, never fighting back, just quietly enduring whatever Olivia threw her way.
But not today. Charlotte’s eyes narrowed. She caught Olivia’s wrist and, without thinking, twisted her arm and slapped her right back.
The smack rang out. Olivia’s head snapped to the side and she crashed to the floor.
“Olivia!”
Susan burst out of the house just in time to see Olivia hit the ground. She rushed over and helped her up.
Ever since Elizabeth brought Olivia home at age three, she’d been the family’s darling. Spoiled, protected, never scolded, let alone hit.
To be slapped by Charlotte, and in front of everyone…
“Charlotte, what do you think you’re doing?”
Susan dusted off Olivia’s clothes, then pointed straight at Charlotte, her face red with fury. “Looks like Steven was right about you. A few years in the countryside and you’ve turned wild. No manners at all.”
“You’re going to apologize to Olivia right now. And then let her hit you back.”
As soon as Susan said that, the other servants looked at Charlotte with pity. Susan had always been powerful in this house, right behind Steven, Elizabeth, and Olivia. She’d bullied Charlotte for years.
Now Charlotte had gotten on her bad side again. Who knew what would happen next?
Charlotte didn’t move. Her eyes glittered coldly, full of challenge.
Susan took a step closer, her finger almost poking Charlotte’s face. Her voice got louder. “Are you deaf? I told you-”
Before she could finish, Charlotte grabbed her finger.
Everyone stared in shock as Charlotte kicked Susan hard in the knee.
There was a sickening crack as Susan’s knee buckled and she
dropped to the ground in from net
Charlotte. Her scream of pain filled the hallway.
For someone Susan’s age, a fall like that could be serious.
The other maids froze, their faces pale. Olivia tried to step forward but stopped when Charlotte looked her way That look was icy cold, so chilling that Olivia backed away without a word.
Charlotte…
Is she having another episode? How did she change this much?
Charlotte leaned down, a cold, unsettling smile on her lips. “Since when does a servant get to teach the master the rules?”
She squeezed Susan’s finger, making her wince in pain.
Sweat was pouring down Susan’s face. She hated Charlotte, but right now, she could only give in. “No,… I wouldn’t dare. I was wrong. shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”
Charlotte looked down at her, eyes sharp and unfeeling. “Here’s my rule. Anyone
who forgets it will end up just like this.”
The warning couldn’t have been more clear.
The maids and guards exchanged nervous looks before lowering their heads.
“I understand,” Susan stammered, nodding quickly.
Charlotte let go of her hand, then calmly pulled a disinfectant wipe from her bag and cleaned her hands, slow and unbothered.
Her face was totally calm, almost serene, but that only made her scarier.
Was this really the same scared, simple Charlotte from before?
She was different now. Completely different.
When she finished cleaning up, Charlotte tossed the wipe in the trash, then slid into
the car.
“If Steven and his family want to settle this, tell them to wait until I get back tonight.”