Chapter 4

I screamed until my voice was hoarse. Finally, a voice full of reluctance sounded from outside the door.

“Miss Alice, please don’t shout, it’s no use…”

It was Maria, the housekeeper who usually cleaned this floor. Her voice came through the door, tinged with fear.

“It’s Miss Brittany’s strict order. She said anyone who dares to open your door will be fired immediately. We have no choice.”

My last sliver of hope extinguished. I slid down the door to the floor, my body turning cold.

The servants all knew perfectly well that Brittany was the rightful eldest daughter of this house, and I was merely a foster daughter who could lose favor at any moment.

I watched the sky outside the window slowly dim. I stopped shouting, just sat with my knees hugged, my hope fading with time.

Just then, Eleanor’s voice, full of suppressed anger, suddenly came from outside the door.

“You’ve all gone mad! Who gave you the nerve to lock Alice in her room? I’m still alive and well in this house! Who are you to give orders?!”

“Open that door immediately!”

The door was quickly opened. Outside, several servants stood in a trembling line, heads bowed, not daring to breathe.

Brittany, hearing the commotion, also burst out of her room, screaming at Eleanor.

“Mom! What are you doing?! I just don’t want this mongrel to steal my things! Why are you helping her?!”

Eleanor looked at her daughter’s hysterical state and said nothing more. She simply ordered James, the butler, standing nearby.

“Take Miss Brittany back to her room and keep her there. She’s not allowed to step out until Alice and I return!”

Brittany’s screams were cut off behind the door. Eleanor then turned to me, not saying much, and hurried me into the car.

The atmosphere in the car was suffocatingly heavy during the drive.

Eleanor kept staring out the window, her brow furrowed. I knew she was worried about Brittany; after all, this was the first time she had spoken such harsh words to her beloved daughter.

Sure enough, not long after we arrived at the office, Eleanor’s phone rang. It was James, the butler.

“Madam, it’s terrible! Please come back quickly! Miss Brittany, she’s… she’s threatening to jump! She’s sitting on the windowsill now, refusing to come down no matter who tries to persuade her!”

Eleanor’s face instantly went pale. She abruptly stood up from her seat, grabbing her bag in a panic, not even sparing me a glance. She just hastily tossed out a single sentence.

“Alice, you finish the rest of the paperwork yourself!”

My heart sank heavily. Brittany had indeed resorted to the most extreme measure.

I was afraid Eleanor would soften and compromise again under her daughter’s suicide threat, so I didn't dare to delay for a moment. I rushed through all the procedures as quickly as possible.

Even with the plane ticket and documents firmly in my hand, I felt a little dazed.

Had it really gone through? Brittany hadn't managed to sabotage everything at the last minute?

It was almost too smooth, leaving me with a faint sense of unease.

I took a deep breath and walked out of the office lobby. The next second, I froze in place.

Right at the main entrance of the building, Brittany stood leisurely, a triumphant sneer replacing her earlier frantic expression.

And behind her, five or six muscular men in black suits blocked all my escape routes.

“Alice Vance, so eager to take what you stole and fly off? As expected, trash is trash. You steal things and act so righteous.”

She lifted her chin and commanded the men behind her.

“Go, teach her a good lesson. Teach her that other people’s things are not to be touched.”