Chapter 3 - THE STAFF WHO HAD ALREADY WARNED HIM
Rosa was not alone.
Luis, our groundskeeper, stood behind her.
So did Clara from the kitchen and Henry from maintenance.
They had been waiting inside the service corridor.
I had asked them to remain away from the test unless Vanessa became dangerous.
The bucket had changed that.
Daniel looked at Rosa.
“You told me she was rude.”
Rosa’s expression remained respectful.
“I told you she made Luis kneel.”
“I told you she called Clara stupid.”
“I told you she threatened to fire me after the wedding.”
“You said she was stressed.”
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“I thought there had been misunderstandings.”
Luis stepped forward.
“She stepped on a flower bed after I asked her to use the path.”
“Then she ordered me to clean her shoes while she wore them.”
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“Is that true?”
Vanessa laughed.
“Luis exaggerates everything.”
Luis removed his phone.
He displayed a photograph.
Vanessa sat on the garden bench with one foot raised.
Luis knelt before her holding a cloth.
The image had been captured by a delivery driver.
Daniel stared at it.
Clara spoke next.
“Last week, Miss Vanessa said the staff dining table was too close to the main kitchen.”
“She said seeing us eat ruined her appetite.”
“She ordered us to take meals beside the laundry machines.”
Vanessa turned toward me.
“You encouraged them to attack me.”
“No,” I said.
“I encouraged them to speak without fearing they would lose their jobs.”
Daniel looked around the foyer.
Every person avoided his eyes.
That hurt him more than Vanessa’s insults.
They had tried to warn him.
He had defended the person they feared.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Rosa answered gently.
“You loved her.”
“That made you hopeful.”
“It did not make what happened acceptable.”
Vanessa scoffed.
“This is ridiculous.”
“Your employees are performing because Eleanor pays them.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You called my mother Eleanor five minutes after throwing dirty water over her.”
“You called her Mrs. Whitmore for three years.”
“Which one was real?”
Vanessa’s expression became flat.
“The woman I respected did not wear a filthy uniform and challenge me.”
Daniel took a slow breath.
“My mother should not need expensive clothes before you consider her human.”
Vanessa’s face changed again.
She understood that tears would no longer control the room.
Her voice became cold.
“You are going to end our engagement because your mother dressed up and provoked me?”
Daniel looked at the engagement ring on her hand.
“I do not know what I am going to do yet.”
Vanessa smiled.
It was a small victory.
Then I spoke.
“This was not only a test of character.”
Daniel turned toward me.
I placed another folder on the foyer table.
“Yesterday, the Whitmore Foundation received a request to transfer twelve million dollars into a new charitable partnership.”
“The request carried your electronic signature.”
Daniel stared at the folder.
May you like
“I did not sign anything.”
Vanessa stopped smiling.
