There had always been whispers in the company about me and him, but the truth was, we were clean.
The moment I stepped out the door, I turned to Larkin with a calm look.
“How many have you found?”
“Twenty-eight confirmed so far,” he replied. “Some are still submitting documents, and others came in with everything. I’m handling it.”
“Good. Make sure their food and lodging are taken care of. When the time comes, bring them all over.”
In the days that followed, I didn’t go home. I stayed at the company, sorting through every account, every detail.
When I finally walked back into the house, the first thing I saw was the fish tank, completely empty.
Laughter floated in from the kitchen. Hyacinth came out wearing an apron, smiling, holding a plate of freshly cooked fish.
On that plate was my koi. Worth twenty million.
Our eyes met. I had seen her photo before, and I recognized her instantly.
The two children were lounging on the sofa, legs propped up, phones in hand. From the kitchen, Vale’s cheerful voice rang out.
In that moment, fury rushed straight to my head.
"Who told you to cook my fish? Taking without asking is theft. Don’t you even know that much?"
From the kitchen, Vale’s voice rang out cheerfully, “Hyacinth, come taste the soup, does it need more salt?”
The two kids suddenly stood up, faces twisted with indignation.
“What do you mean, theft?”
“Yeah, this is our dad’s house. That means it’s ours too. What’s wrong with eating a fish?”
I let out a cold laugh.
“That koi was bought at a Canadian auction for twenty million. And you’re asking what’s wrong?”
The girl still hadn’t grasped the weight of the situation. She let out a gasp.
“Wow! A twenty-million fish? Quick, take a picture! I finally have something to flex on my besties. Let’s see who dares show off next.”
Vale poked his head out from the kitchen. The moment he saw me, guilt flickered across his face.
“Lettie, you’re back. You hadn’t come home in days, so I brought them over for a meal...”
I sneered.
“So you cooked my koi?”
He lowered his gaze. “You knew how much it was worth.”
Then he mumbled weakly, “Lettie, Hyacinth didn’t mean it. The kids wanted braised fish, but there wasn’t any at home…”
“When I saw it, Hyacinth had already killed the fish. Since it was already dead, it would’ve been a waste not to cook it, right? It’s not like strangers were the ones eating it.”
My gaze landed on the empty fish tank, and my chest tightened. That koi, I had raised it for five years, spending no less than two hundred thousand dollars a month. And now, with just one careless sentence, “it was already killed”, it was gone.
I took a slow breath, forcing down the fury that boiled beneath the surface. My expression turned to ice.
“She can accompany the fish, get out. Or I’ll call the police right now.”
The boy shot up instantly, his face twisted with arrogance.
“Old woman, who are you telling to get out? Call the police? Try it. I’ll break your legs.”
The girl stood as well, eyes blazing with indignation.
“You better show respect to my mom. She’s our real mother. If you keep acting like this, don’t expect us to treat you like family in the future.”
I lifted my eyes and looked at the two of them. Shameless. Just like Hyacinth.
Hyacinth stood between the two children, one eyebrow raised with a crooked grin, like an old scoundrel enjoying the chaos.
I had no desire to waste words on them. My gaze shifted to Vale.
“Vale, it’s time we had a proper talk.”
I turned and sat on the sofa. Vale glanced at the three beside him, then hesitated before sitting across from me.
It felt like a tribunal, four against one.
The two children glared at me. Hyacinth wore a look of complete detachment, as if none of it concerned her.
I didn’t bother with pleasantries.
“Vale, send them abroad immediately. I’ll provide ten million for living expenses. Otherwise, we’ll finish this conversation at the police station.”
The moment the words left my mouth, Hyacinth slammed her palm on the table.
