Chapter 3

My absolute endurance drove Vivian insane.

It was like punching cotton. The sheer frustration of not getting the hysterical reaction she craved made her increasingly unhinged. She desperately needed to prove to Arthur that she was the one and only mistress of this house.

On the evening of the fourth day.

Timing it perfectly with the arrival of Arthur's motorcade at the front gates, Vivian positioned herself at the top of the grand staircase on the second floor.

I had just come up from the kitchen with a glass of warm water.

Vivian spread her arms, blocking my path.

"Playing the martyr, Veronica?" she sneered. "Do you really think giving up the master bedroom makes you look dignified? Do you think Arthur is going to spare you a second glance?"

I stood two steps below her, holding my glass. "Move."

"I won't!"

Vivian scoffed, suddenly leaning in close, dropping her voice to a venomous whisper. "You know what Arthur said in bed last night? He said touching you makes his skin crawl. Like fucking a corpse."

My heart didn't even skip a beat. I actually found it laughable.

If she had seen the ten years in that basement, she would know that Arthur's disgust was a luxury I would kill for.

"Are you done?" I lifted my eyes, looking at her with blank indifference. "If you're done, get out of my way."

Right at that moment, the heavy thud of the front doors opening echoed from the foyer below. Arthur was home.

Vivian's eyes flashed. She suddenly reached out and clamped her hand around my wrist.

"What are you doing?" I frowned, trying to shake her off.

But Vivian just gave me a twisted, psychotic smile.

"Since you love this estate so much, Veronica... I'm going to make sure you stay kneeling right here."

The moment the words left her mouth, Vivian let out a blood-curdling scream.

"Ahhh—! Sister, no—!"

And then, without me exerting a single ounce of force, Vivian threw her upper body backward.

She tumbled violently down the long, sweeping marble staircase.

I stood frozen on the steps, staring down in cold disbelief. To frame me, she was actually willing to risk her own life.

"Vivian!"

A roar of absolute fury ripped through the foyer.

Arthur shoved the butler aside, dropping to one knee to gather Vivian's bloodied, bruised body into his arms.

"Arthur... it hurts so much..." Vivian trembled, raising a shaking finger to point up at me. "It was Sister... I just wanted to ask her to come down and have dinner with you... She went crazy and pushed me..."

"Arthur, my head is killing me. Am I going to die...?"

Arthur's head snapped up.

His eyes locked onto me, dark and murderous. "You're dead, Veronica."

I stood there, holding my lukewarm water. "I didn't push her."

Arthur didn't hear a word.

He carefully scooped Vivian up into his arms, turning his lethal glare to the trembling bodyguards standing nearby.

"Drag her down."

His voice boomed off the vaulted ceilings. "Put her on her knees right in the center of the room."

"No cushions. No water. She stays on that floor until she admits what a vicious bitch she is."

Two massive bodyguards instantly charged up the stairs. They grabbed my shoulders in a vice grip and roughly dragged me down the steps.

One of them kicked the back of my knees.

Smash.

My kneecaps slammed into the freezing, unforgiving marble floor. Agony exploded through my legs, draining the color from my face as cold sweat broke out across my forehead.

Arthur stood over me, holding Vivian.

"This is the price of your little obedient act, Veronica."

He turned and carried Vivian toward the medical wing, leaving the guards to watch me kneel.

Chapter 3

My absolute endurance drove Vivian insane.

On the evening of the fourth day.

Timing it perfectly with the arrival of Arthur's motorcade at the front gates, Vivian positioned herself at the top of the grand staircase on the second floor.

I had just come up from the kitchen with a glass of warm water.

Vivian spread her arms, blocking my path.

"Playing the martyr, Veronica?" she sneered. "Do you really think giving up the master bedroom makes you look dignified? Do you think Arthur is going to spare you a second glance?"

I stood two steps below her, holding my glass. "Move."

"I won't!"

Vivian scoffed, suddenly leaning in close, dropping her voice to a venomous whisper. "You know what Arthur said in bed last night? He said touching you makes his skin crawl. Like fucking a corpse."

My heart didn't even skip a beat. I actually found it laughable.

If she had seen the ten years in that basement, she would know that Arthur's disgust was a luxury I would kill for.

"Are you done?" I lifted my eyes, looking at her with blank indifference. "If you're done, get out of my way."

Right at that moment, the heavy thud of the front doors opening echoed from the foyer below. Arthur was home.

Vivian's eyes flashed. She suddenly reached out and clamped her hand around my wrist.

"What are you doing?" I frowned, trying to shake her off.

But Vivian just gave me a twisted, psychotic smile.

"Since you love this estate so much, Veronica... I'm going to make sure you stay kneeling right here."

The moment the words left her mouth, Vivian let out a blood-curdling scream.

"Ahhh—! Sister, no—!"

And then, without me exerting a single ounce of force, Vivian threw her upper body backward.

She tumbled violently down the long, sweeping marble staircase.

I stood frozen on the steps, staring down in cold disbelief. To frame me, she was actually willing to risk her own life.

"Vivian!"

A roar of absolute fury ripped through the foyer.

Arthur shoved the butler aside, dropping to one knee to gather Vivian's bloodied, bruised body into his arms.

"Arthur, my head is killing me. Am I going to die...?"

Arthur's head snapped up.

His eyes locked onto me, dark and murderous. "You're dead, Veronica."

I stood there, holding my lukewarm water. "I didn't push her."

Arthur didn't hear a word.

He carefully scooped Vivian up into his arms, turning his lethal glare to the trembling bodyguards standing nearby.

"Drag her down."

His voice boomed off the vaulted ceilings. "Put her on her knees right in the center of the room."

"No cushions. No water. She stays on that floor until she admits what a vicious bitch she is."

Two massive bodyguards instantly charged up the stairs. They grabbed my shoulders in a vice grip and roughly dragged me down the steps.

One of them kicked the back of my knees.

Smash.

My kneecaps slammed into the freezing, unforgiving marble floor. Agony exploded through my legs, draining the color from my face as cold sweat broke out across my forehead.

Arthur stood over me, holding Vivian.

"This is the price of your little obedient act, Veronica."

He turned and carried Vivian toward the medical wing, leaving the guards to watch me kneel.