Chapter 2

I was stunned by her response. Not only was it shameless, but she had the nerve to mutter defiantly: "She's just a girl, and she’ll eventually need to learn how to serve her future family. I'm just getting her ready!"

"You disappear for two or three years, and come back just to pick fights."

I was livid, yet couldn't help but be a bit amused by her audacity: "You're lucky I've got standards and won’t waste my time arguing with people like you."

"You need to pack up and leave my house right now!"

Instead of backing down, she just got bolder: "Go ahead, fire me if you dare!"

"And you act like you're above everything? Back in my hometown, your mother-in-law would give you a piece of her mind!"

With that, she let out a dismissive snort and strutted back to the maid's quarters. Watching her arrogant retreat made my blood boil. How could a maid have such audacity, and why was Ulises allowing someone like her to bully his own daughter?

Fighting the urge to curse, I turned to comfort Harper, soothing her for bedtime: "Don’t worry, sweetheart. I'm here, and no one can hurt you with me around."

"Let's head back to your room, okay?"

Harper buried her head in my shoulder and nodded trustingly.

I held her tiny hand, ready to lead her back, but she didn’t move. She hesitated, glancing up timidly, her voice a whisper: "The room... it’s not that way."

I was puzzled. Then, helplessly, I watched her open a small nearby door and walk into a cramped storage space, curling up among old clothes.

Seeing this, my heart raced with anger, fists clenched tight. During our video calls, I thought Harper was just using the storage room for privacy—not that she was living there!

No bed, just a nest of old clothes. Yet she was my daughter, the rightful heiress of this estate!

Who dared push my daughter into such a miserable situation?

My temples throbbed with fury, but I kept a gentle expression: "Come, Harper—"

"We're not staying here. Mommy will take you back to your proper room."