Chapter 2
Paula dropped to her knees, clinging to Katherine's leg.
"Katherine, Mom had no choice," she pleaded.
"I just didn't want you to feel ashamed, so I lied to you.
"Katherine, please, just listen to me..."
Katherine lashed out, landing a furious slap on Paula's face.
She screamed, "You made me a laughingstock.
"How am I supposed to face my classmates now?"
The cop frowned and stepped in.
The cop said, "Control yourself."
Katherine shoved Paula aside.
Katherine snapped, "Go ahead, call the police.
"Get this crazy woman out of here!"
She pointed right at me.
"She's making stuff up about me. She's just jealous."
The cop shot her a cold, hard look and said, "Miss, we've confirmed the identities.
"This house belongs to Ms. Reed.
"You are suspected of unlawful entry.
"You'll need to come down to the station with us."
Katherine was completely floored.
She shot a look at the cop, then at Paula.
Her gaze finally landed on me.
She looked absolutely terrified.
I stayed completely unmoved.
I added, "Oh, and you might as well take a look at the damage in the living room.
"That vase over there? It's a genuine ancient piece, worth several hundred thousand dollars on the market."
Paula's eyes rolled back and she collapsed on the spot.
Katherine screamed, snatched up her bag, and made a break for it.
The cop stepped in and stopped her cold.
I watched as they were loaded into the squad car.
Neighbors craned their necks, trying to catch a glimpse.
I couldn't care less.
I turned, walked inside, and changed the locks.
On Monday morning, I was in my senior business school class.
Something felt weird in the air.
I slipped into the back row and sat down.
A bunch of girls were huddled together in the front row.
They were gossiping nonstop.
"Did you hear? Katherine's family is seriously loaded."
"She spent the weekend at their villa in Splendor Garden."
"That's a super rich neighborhood, three thousand dollars per square meter."
"Her mom even drives her to school in a luxury car."
"I heard her mom's a businesswoman. This villa is just pocket change for her family."
I opened my book and kept quiet.
Katherine walked in.
She strutted in, head held high, like a peacock showing off its feathers.
Even though she'd just spent yesterday at the police station, she acted like it was just another day, as if nothing had happened.
Or maybe she'd already spun a fresh tale for everyone.
When Katherine spotted me, she gave me a look dripping with contempt.
She raised her voice on purpose so everyone could hear, "Some people just won't take a hint.
"She wouldn't leave my house all weekend, then called the cops and tried to make my mom look bad.
"She's so broke, it's honestly embarrassing."
Her sidekick, Duncan Scott, jumped in right away.
"Yeah, Leila, you've got zero shame.
"The housekeeper took you in out of kindness, and you still turn around and bite her?"
Duncan was your classic trust fund kid; his family's got plenty of cash.
He'd been trying to win over Katherine for the longest time.
I closed my book and looked straight at Katherine.
"Isn't your mom just the housekeeper?" I asked.
The whole class went dead silent.
Katherine's face fell.
"You're talking nonsense!" she snapped.
"My mom's just... just experiencing life, that's all.
"She's a philanthropist.
"That villa? It's totally in my mom's name."
I pulled out my phone and played a recording.
It was the conversation from the police station yesterday.
Paula's voice came through loud and clear.
"I'm just the housekeeper. I messed up. Please, Ms. Reed, don't make things worse for me," Paula pleaded.
The classroom went dead silent.
Katherine's face turned a dark shade of red.
"You recorded that?" Katherine yelled.
"That's an invasion of privacy."
I said, "This is official evidence for the case.
"Duncan, do you really want to hear the truth about your so-called 'rich girl'?"
Duncan was stunned, caught completely off guard.
For a second, suspicion flashed in his eyes.
Katherine, red-faced and furious, grabbed a book and threw it right at me.
"Shut up!" she snapped.
I leaned out of the way.
The book landed on the floor with a loud thump.
I said, "Katherine, the truth always comes out sooner or later.
"Don't take everyone for fools."
Katherine stormed out of the classroom, her face burning with rage.
The classroom was buzzing with whispers.
The room erupted in laughter.
I went back to my book.
Round one was done.
On Tuesday, I got a friend request on WhatsApp from Katherine's dad.
I hit accept.
A voice message popped up from him.
His voice was harsh and domineering.
"Listen up, girl, I'm Katherine's dad.
"You, an orphan with no parents, think you can bully my daughter?
"Don't think I can't find someone to make you disappear."
I listened to his message and couldn't help but laugh.
I replied with a voice message.
"Mr. Harvey, this is Leila Reed.
"Your daughter broke into my home and destroyed my property.
"That's a serious crime.
"Not only are you refusing to pay up as her guardian, but you're also threatening the victim?
"I'm sending this recording to the cops."
He went quiet for a few minutes.
Then he sent a message: [Don't get ahead of yourself.]
[How much could that crappy house even be worth?]
[Fine, I'll pay you, so drop it.]
[If you make my daughter look bad at school, you're asking for trouble.]
I took a screenshot and saved it.
It could be another piece of evidence.
On Friday afternoon, my advisor called me into his office.
On his desk was an exquisite box of hairy crabs.