Julian stopped in his tracks when he heard the servant say his name.
He looked at the empty bucket lying sideways on the wet floor.
Water pooled around Eleanor's shoes while Victoria stood completely dry.
The red silk gown did not have a single drop of water on it.
Julian pointed an angry finger right at Eleanor's face in defiance.
Julian: You are fired from this estate starting right now!
Eleanor: You do not have the legal authority to fire me.
Victoria: Julian, call the security guards to throw her outside!
Julian: Who do you think you are speaking to me like that?
Eleanor slowly removed her dark eyeglasses and held his stern gaze.
Julian stared at her face and suddenly turned pale as chalk.
His raised arm dropped down to his side in total disbelief.
Julian: Mother... do you know who this woman actually is?
Victoria: She is just an insolent servant girl, Julian!
Julian: No, mother... she is Eleanor Vance, my late father's sister.
Victoria let out a sharp gasp and stumbled back a step.
Her hand clutched at the pearls hanging around her red collar.
Victoria: What nonsense are you talking about right now, Julian?
Julian: She is the primary trustee of the family foundation and estate.
Eleanor wiped a drop of water off her cheek with dignity.
Eleanor: I came into this house incognito to observe your behavior.
Victoria: This is a absurd trick to embarrass our family!
Eleanor: The family trust owns this entire mansion, Victoria.
Julian: Aunt Eleanor, I had no idea you were coming here.
Eleanor: You let your mother treat workers like dirt under her feet.
Julian: I thought she was just managing the household staff normally.
Eleanor: Splashing cold water on staff is not managing a household.
Clara walked out from the kitchen with a stack of papers.
She carried a leather folder that Eleanor had hidden in the kitchen.
Clara handed the dark folder straight to Eleanor with a smile.
Clara: Here are the trust documents you requested, Miss Vance.
Victoria: You were working together with this maid the whole time?
Eleanor: Clara is an honest worker who deserves respect and dignity.
Victoria: Julian, tell her to leave our property right now!
Julian: Mother, stop talking before you make this much worse!
Julian turned toward his aunt with deep shame in his eyes.
Julian: I am deeply sorry for how I just spoke to you.
Eleanor: Your apology means nothing without real accountability behind it.
Eleanor opened the heavy leather folder in front of both of them.