Chapter 4 - The Ultimatum
The atmosphere in the house shifted dramatically after the gala.
Victoria kept Emily on as a housekeeper, but her treatment became subtle psychological warfare. She assigned Emily grueling, sixteen-hour shifts, scrubbing floors and prepping the estate, while insisting that Lily practice on the grand piano in the drawing room under the watchful eye of a strict tutor Victoria had hired.
Victoria was preparing for the annual Manhattan Cultural Foundation Showcase—the biggest charity event of the year, where the winner received a half-million-dollar grant and massive media coverage. Victoria wanted Lily to perform under the Whitmore family name.
One evening, while cleaning Victoria's private study, Emily overheard a hushed telephone conversation.
"She’s a goldmine, Arthur," Victoria was telling her attorney over the line. "The girl's father abandoned them years ago. The mother has no financial resources and no legal backing. I’m having my legal team draft full guardianship papers. If we declare Emily financially incompetent, I can assume legal custody of Lily before the showcase."
Emily stopped cold, her feather duster falling from her hand.
They weren't just trying to sponsor Lily—they were planning to steal her child.
Panic surged through Emily’s veins. She quietly backed out of the room, ran down the service stairs to the staff pantry, and packed Lily’s pink backpack in under two minutes.
"Mommy?" Lily asked, rubbing her tired eyes from her cot. "Are we going home?"
"We're leaving, baby," Emily whispered, tears streaming down her face as she wrapped Lily in her coat. "Right now."
They slipped out through the side alley into the pouring rain. But as they hit 5th Avenue, a sleek black sedan pulled up to the curb, blocking their path.
May you like
The rear window rolled down. It was Julian Sterling.
"Get in, Emily," Julian said urgently. "Before Victoria notices you're gone."
