Chapter 3

She arrived promptly at nine every morning, carrying either imported coffee that Mr.Bob loved or imported silk scarves that Ms.Bella preferred.

When chatting with Landon about college club activities, the two would laugh themselves silly, but she always stopped abruptly when I approached, turning to smile at me:

"Scarlett, Landon used to be so clueless. Once he forgot to bring the microphone to an event, and I had to run and borrow one."

At the dinner table, she'd serve me the steak I liked, saying softly:

"Landon always says you have a sensitive stomach. Eat more."

Her tone was so natural, as if she were the lady of the house and I were merely a guest.

My hand gripping the fork turned white. When Landon went to his study, I followed him in, my voice trembling:

"Did you keep me here just to watch Celeste play lady of the house?"

Landon's hand, which had been flipping through documents, froze. He turned to look at me with impatience in his eyes:

"Scarlett, do you have paranoid delusions? She let go of the past years ago. But you—what's the point of constantly dwelling on it?"

Then he slammed the door and left.

The first escalation of conflict occurred at the weekend family meeting.

Mr.Bob tapped on the table, saying Morrison Group lacked someone to head the overseas partnership project. Celeste came in carrying a fruit platter, and as she set it down, she "casually" mentioned:

"Last time I was in London, I liaised with this consortium's Asia regional director. He said he wanted to work with a familiar team."

Mr.Bob's eyes lit up. He turned to me:

"Scarlett, what if we let Celeste help out at the company? Her experience matches perfectly."

"No!" I stood up abruptly.

"How can we let an outsider handle the company's important projects? She..."

My words caught in my throat, forced back by Landon's glare.

Celeste's eyes instantly reddened. Her fingers twisted the edge of her apron:

"Mr.Bob, I was presumptuous. I just saw Landon so busy he couldn't sleep, and I wanted to help. After all, in the past..."

She didn't continue, but her shoulders trembled slightly, as if she'd suffered a great injustice.

Landon's face darkened:

"Scarlett! Celeste is a professional who's thinking of this family. How did you become so petty and jealous?"

Ms.Bella quickly pulled me back down:

"Scarlett, Celeste has good intentions. Don't think the worst."

I looked at the room full of eyes favoring Celeste, my nails digging deep into my palms.

That night, I added two more items to my list: "Will infiltrate the company under the guise of 'helping'" and "Excels at playing the victim to manipulate opinion."

But it didn't matter anymore. I'd already decided to leave.

Whatever game Celeste was playing, it had nothing to do with me.

The next day, a scream woke the entire household.

Ms.Bella screamed as she rushed into the living room, saying the imperial green ring that had been passed down three generations in her treasured jewelry box was missing.

The whole family turned the house upside down, from the storage room to the garage. Even the housekeeper's room was searched.

Finally, Landon's assistant found the ring in the hidden compartment of my jewelry box.

There was even a strand of my long hair tangled around the ring.

Caught red-handed.

Such a crude framing technique.

I never expected that even as I was preparing to leave, I'd still be caught up in something like this.

Landon clutched the ring, his knuckles white, looking at me as if I were a stranger:

"Scarlett, if you wanted jewelry, I could buy it for you. Why would you steal mom's heirloom? It's the most precious thing from her dowry!"

"It wasn't me!" I said coldly. "Someone planted it. Celeste was in my room yesterday afternoon!"

But he suddenly flung my hand away and stepped back:

"Celeste was downstairs with mom arranging flowers all afternoon. There were people watching the whole time. Scarlett, can you stop slandering her?"

I looked at his silence, at the disappointment in my in-laws' eyes. My heart felt like it had been pierced by an ice pick.

At that moment, Celeste walked over, supporting Ms.Bella's arm. After hesitating for a long time, she said quietly:

"Mr.Bob, Ms.Bella, Landon, I think I saw Scarlett lingering outside mom's jewelry room the other day... Maybe she just had a momentary lapse in judgment. Please don't blame her."