Chapter 110



In Sarah’s mind, Kallie was the shameless other woman, not her. Sarah quickly found excuses for Jake in her mind. Jake’s marriage to Kallie had been arranged by the Reeves family, after all. Even though Roderick was no longer around, such a commotion would surely infuriate the elder Reeves, who would probably scold him.

Sarah looked at the invitation in her hand, a cold smirk curling her lips. This was the perfect chance. She planned to use this opportunity to show Kallie that there was a chasm between her and Jake that could never be bridged, rendering them impossible. Sarah firmly believed she was the only one deserving of Jake.

Sarah strode to the closet and hurled all of Kallie’s clothes onto the floor. Looking disdainfully around, she summoned a servant. “Remove this garbage. Why should it stay and sully my view? And…”

Sarah turned around, pacing the room as she continued, “Arrange for a house designer to come tomorrow. I can’t stand the style of this room. It needs redecorating!”

Upon hearing this, the servant glanced at Sarah, her eyes flickering with a hint of disdain. However, her tone remained polite as she spoke, “I’m sorry, Miss Miller, but you’ll need to discuss this with Mr. Reeves first. I’m not authorized to make such decisions. Furthermore, these clothes belong to Mrs. Reeves. You’ll need her consent to dispose of them.”

The servant stressed “Mrs. Reeves” intentionally, causing a noticeable shift in Sarah’s demeanor.

Infuriated, Sarah stepped forward and delivered a sharp slap across the servant’s face. The slap resonated through the room, leaving the servant’s cheek red and swollen.

Cradling her face in shock, the servant retorted, “Miss Miller, remember, this is the Reeves household, not the Millers.”

Jake, although often distant, never mistreated his servants. They shared a typical employer-employee relationship, and despite being well-compensated, they were not expected to tolerate such disrespect.

With a scornful laugh, Sarah, exploiting Jake’s absence, behaved rashly. “Indeed, this isn’t the Miller residence, but soon, I’ll be the lady of this house! Then, I can do as I please. Defy me today, and once I’m in charge, firing you will be my first order of business. That’s just how things are. My family’s standing and power eclipse yours. Feel aggrieved? Go weep to that worthless mute! She can’t even defend herself, much less you.”

The servant held firm, stating, “Miss Miller, I apologize, but even if you decide to terminate my employment today, I am not at liberty to handle these clothes. They are Reeves’ property. Should you wish to proceed, you’ll need to consult Mr. and Mrs. Reeves first.”

Each mention of “Mrs. Reeves” pierced Sarah’s heart like a dagger. Seething with anger, she seized the servant’s hand and hauled her toward the door. “Consider yourself dismissed as of this moment. Get the hell out now!”

At that instant, Kallie, who had heard the disturbance from upstairs, arrived at the top of the staircase. The servant flailed, clearly on the verge of tumbling down the steps.

Sarah, still gripping the servant’s hand, could have easily averted the fall, yet upon realizing the peril, she reflexively released her grip. In fact, Sarah nudged the servant slightly, causing the latter to lose her footing and stumble.

A wave of shock washed over Sarah’s face as she witnessed the fall. She still carried the memory of her own fall, and it had left a deep psychological mark on her. Yet, she hadn’t anticipated witnessing such an ordeal again.

Spotting Kallie’s intense stare, Sarah felt a sudden surge of anxiety. Her first instinct was to blame Kallie for everything, but she quickly remembered they were not alone.

Sarah’s emotions spilled over, and she began sobbing, overwhelmed by panic. “I can’t explain it. She just collapsed so suddenly. Maybe her footing was off.”

Kallie, however, paid Sarah no mind. Thankfully, the servant wasn’t badly injured. Kallie extended a helping hand and signed, asking whether the servant was feeling alright.

Most of the household staff, proficient in sign language, could understand Kallie’s gestures.

The servant, Hazel Clayton, had been the one to bring Kallie the invitation this morning. Despite her youth, Hazel had served in the mansion longer than any of her peers. Fortunately, the staircase was low, so Hazel’s fall wasn’t steep, yet the bruises marring her skin seemed severe. Overcome by the shock, she wept openly.

Hazel offered a comforting smile and reassured Kallie, “I’m alright.”

“What happened here?” Jake’s voice unexpectedly filled the air from behind them.

Before Hazel and Kallie could even respond, Sarah had bolted down the stairs and thrown herself into Jake’s arms, her face etched with panic. To any outsider, she might have appeared to be the victim.

Sarah exclaimed emotionally, “That servant just fell for no reason! Remember when Kallie shoved me down those stairs? That left me with deep-seated fears. Witnessing something like that again just terrified me!”

Jake’s eyebrows knitted together as he gently pushed Sarah aside and turned his attention to Hazel and Kallie.

“What’s going on here?” he demanded.

Hazel opened her mouth to explain, but Kallie was quicker. She seized Hazel’s wrist, gesturing gravely at Jake that this was no accident. She stressed that she saw Sarah push Hazel down, though she was not sure what Hazel could have done to provoke such a reaction.

Kallie emphasized that Sarah had pushed Hazel down the stairs.

“You’re lying!” Sarah’s voice soared as she abandoned her distressed facade. “Hazel just lost her balance. How is that my fault? You may despise me, but there’s no need to fabricate stories like this!”

Jake observed the unfolding drama with a grave expression, trying to piece together the truth.

Hazel wiped her tears, still sobbing as she spoke. “Miss Miller demanded a change in the bedroom’s style. When I insisted on your approval, she became furious and slapped me. Even after I stood my ground, she threatened to fire me, dragged me to the spiral staircase, and pushed me down.”

Hazel’s eyes met Sarah’s, filled with deep grievance. “Roderick hired me. I was merely adhering to the house rules. I had no intention of defying you, but because I couldn’t comply with your request, you attempted to kill me. That’s going too far!”

Sarah, often quick to point fingers, now felt the sharp bite of being accused, though she was indeed at fault. Fury surged within Sarah, but she restrained herself, aware of Jake’s presence. Turning to him with tear-filled eyes, she pleaded, “Jake, you know me. I might be quite spoiled, but violence is not in my nature, especially not here in your home. I can’t fathom why Kallie detests me so much. She scarred my face before, and now it seems she’s conspiring to ruin me. If she wants me gone, why not just say so? There’s no need to smear my reputation.”

Jake’s expression grew darker as he turned his attention to Hazel. “You know me well enough to understand this is your final opportunity to be truthful. There are numerous ways I can uncover the truth if I choose to pursue them.”

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