Chapter 4

“Baby, I'm done pretending. Time to lay it all out.”

“The truth is, my family's loaded.”

“This right here is my real home!”

Lewis said all this to the girl beside him.

Then shot me a look, quick.

I caught it and nodded.

“What?”

Gwendolen's face went blank with shock.

“Lewis, this... this mansion is really yours?”

“Of course.”

“Don't believe me? Ask her.”

“Who's she?”

Gwendolen looked at me.

“The maid we hired.”

Playing along, I walked over and bowed to them.

“Young master.”

“Mm.”

Lewis nodded, soaking up every second of it.

“Huh?”

“This young a... maid?”

Gwendolen eyed me, half in doubt.

“My mom hired her.”

“I thought she was too young to be any good, but turns out she works hard.”

“Well? Go make the tea.”

“Yes, young master.”

I hurried off to make it right away.

Seeing that I really was the ‘maid,’ Gwendolen was over the moon. “Baby, if your family's this rich, why lie to my parents that you had no money? They were furious.”

“Ah, my mom says a family shouldn't flaunt its wealth. She told me to keep it low-key.”

“Here. A gift for you.”

He pulled the stolen gold necklace out of his pocket.

Gwendolen couldn't stop grinning.

Lucretia came out of her room, said hello to Gwendolen.

Then came to the tea station to explain herself to me.

I smiled and told her it was fine.

She gripped my hand. “Sis, I was really scared you'd be angry.”

“How could I be angry when it helps your brother?”

“You're the best friend a girl could ever have.”

Smiling, I carried the finished tea out.

That evening, after Gwendolen ate dinner at the house,

Lewis walked her out.

No telling what the two of them talked about.

When he came back, Lewis was oddly worked up.

“Mom, sis, Gwendolen agreed to marry me.”

“But she says she's bringing her parents over in a couple of days.”

Lucretia pursed her lips. “Let them come, then.”

“Her parents are sharp. I don't think they'll be that easy to fool.”

“If this slips, I'll never marry Gwendolen in my life.”

A vicious glint flashed through Lucretia's mother's eyes.

Then she asked her daughter. “How's your part coming along?”

“I practiced another eight hours today.”

“It should be ready.”

Lewis shot to his feet. “No sense dragging it out. We do it tonight!”

“What are you all talking about?”

I came in from the garden to the living room.

The moment they saw me, their faces changed.

Lewis frowned and asked me in a low voice. “You... heard all that?”

I nodded. “I did.”

Lewis turned and traded a look with his mother.

Maura narrowed her eyes, signaling him to move.

Lewis didn't waste a moment.

He strode straight at me.