Morning sunlight flooded the master bedroom. Eileen woke up feeling completely refreshed, a stark contrast to the agony of the previous day.
She showered quickly and dressed in a crisp, white silk loungewear set. It was elegant but comfortable, projecting a relaxed authority.
She walked down the sweeping spiral staircase, holding a cup of black coffee. As she reached the foyer, she noticed the tense posture of the security guards stationed by the front door.
Mr. Ainsworth stepped forward, his face pinched in disapproval.
"Madam," the butler said, bowing slightly. "The former assistant, Mindy, is at the front gates. She is causing a scene. She refuses to leave until she speaks with you."
Eileen took a slow sip of her coffee. The bitter liquid washed over her tongue.
She lowered the cup and smiled coldly. "Let her in. Bring her to the front lawn."
The heavy iron gates groaned as they opened just enough to let a person through. Two massive security guards dragged Mindy onto the manicured grass.
Mindy looked terrible. Her hair was a tangled mess, her clothes were wrinkled, and her face was streaked with black mascara.
The moment she saw Eileen standing on the marble steps, Mindy broke free from the guards and threw herself onto the grass. Her knees hit the ground hard.
"Eileen! Please!" Mindy screamed, her voice cracking. "You can't fire me! I need this job! My mother is in the hospital, I need the insurance money!"
A few gardeners trimming the hedges nearby paused their work. They exchanged uncomfortable glances, pity softening their eyes.
Eileen stood on the top step, looking down at the sobbing girl. Her face was carved from marble. Not a single muscle twitched in sympathy.
She reached into the pocket of her silk trousers and pulled out her phone. She swiped the screen, opening an encrypted email sent by the Aura IT department at 3:00 AM.
Eileen didn't raise her voice, but the absolute coldness of her tone cut through Mindy's crying.
"Yesterday, at 3:15 PM, your personal bank account received an anonymous wire transfer of twenty thousand dollars."
Mindy's sobbing choked off instantly. Her eyes widened in sheer terror. She scrambled for an excuse. "That... that was a loan! From my uncle!"
Eileen let out a short, harsh laugh. She read the next line on the screen.
"At 3:20 PM, your phone connected to the public Wi-Fi network in the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hotel."
Eileen walked down two steps, closing the distance. Her presence was suffocating.
"At 3:25 PM, you sent an encrypted message containing a photo of my room number to an unregistered burner phone."
Eileen flipped her phone around and shoved the screen toward Mindy's face. The bright display showed the exact IP logs and data transfer records.
The irrefutable proof hit Mindy like a physical blow. The color drained completely from her face. Her jaw slacked, and she slumped forward, her hands pressing into the grass as if she couldn't support her own weight.
"You tried to destroy my life for twenty thousand dollars," Eileen said, her voice dripping with venom. "And now you want to play the victim?"
Eileen turned her head, sweeping her gaze over the gardeners and the security staff. She raised her voice, making sure every word echoed across the lawn.
"In this house, betrayal is a terminal disease."
The staff members who had felt pity a moment ago immediately looked down at their feet. The new Madam was terrifying.
Eileen looked at the head of security. "Throw her out. Tell the press camped outside that if any agency in this town hires her, they are declaring war on Aura Entertainment."
It was a total industry blacklist.
Mindy let out a bloodcurdling shriek. She lunged forward, trying to grab Eileen's ankles, but the guards snatched her by the arms and dragged her backward across the grass.
The heavy iron gates slammed shut, cutting off Mindy's wails.
The lawn was silent again.
Eileen took a deep breath of the morning air, smelling the cut grass. She brushed her hands together, a physical gesture of discarding trash.
Suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She felt the distinct weight of someone watching her.
She tilted her head back and looked up at the second-floor balcony.
Carlisle was sitting in his wheelchair, half-hidden in the shadows of the overhang. He held a porcelain teacup in his hand. He was looking down at her, having witnessed the entire execution.
Eileen didn't look away. She held his gaze across the distance. The morning sun hit her face, making her skin glow.
Carlisle's hand moved. Very slowly, he raised his teacup an inch in the air. It was a microscopic gesture of acknowledgment.
Eileen blinked in surprise. Then, a massive, genuine smile broke across her face. She raised her hand and gave him a cheeky, exaggerated wink.
Carlisle's Adam's apple bobbed hard. He gripped the wheels of his chair and violently spun it around, fleeing into the shadows of his bedroom.
Eileen laughed out loud, the sound ringing across the lawn as she turned to go back inside.
