Power Struggles In The House

Eve was stunned by Leila's sudden question. It wasn't something she expected from the introverted girl. She smoothed out a non-existent wrinkle on her sleeve, smiling prettily.

"They didn't," she sighed, adding with a troubled expression, "They probably forgot. After all, you haven't been home for almost a year. Preparing meals for two might have become a habit for them. We can't really blame them, can we? They are too pitiful."

"Pitiful?" Leila's lips curled into a half-smile as she took out her phone from her baggy jeans, meeting Eve's wide eyes. "Then I have no choice but to inform my dad to fire them. After all, they are old and have dementia, and no one is paying them just so they can let me go hungry."

Seeing Leila tap repeatedly on her phone, alarm bells went off in Eve's head. There was no way she could let that guy with the daughter complex hear about this. She hurriedly yelled, "Stop, Leila!"

"Step Mom?"

It was only then that Eve realized Leila had changed the way she addressed her. In the past, she always called her "Mommy," but without her noticing, it had changed to "Step Mom."

She inhaled deeply to calm herself and fixed her expression before scolding Leila with a righteous tone. "Leila, is that what I taught you? We shouldn't act arrogantly because of our lofty position. Moreover, you should have specifically asked the kitchen to prepare your meal. If you fire them, have you thought about how they are going to make a living?"

Leila's expression didn't change, but her hand under the table had already curled into a fist.

She wasn't really that cruel to sack the workers because she knew clearly Eve had something to do with this. But she had to do something, or they would think she was too easy to bully.

Since she couldn't win against Eve's eloquent mouth, she could only do one thing right now. She was about to get into action when an old but authoritative voice sounded.

"Our Faisal family hired them because we thought they were capable of cooking, not because they were jobless. Why should we put up with them because of their family background or issues? Moreover, I don't think they lack job opportunities, do they?" Everyone turned to the source of the sound, where the old butler was walking in with her handmaid.

Maya was known for being incredibly stern, so much so that servants were too afraid to make mistakes. When they found out she was the one who had raised the CEO, they thought it was no wonder he became a carbon copy of her cold character.

"Butler..." Eve called out, her expression changing slightly. This old witch was even harder to deal with than that man.

Not only was the old witch more eloquent, but she was also so stubborn and hard to talk to. Eve had tried to stylishly poach her into her camp by offering incredible benefits that many people would die for, but the stubborn old woman didn't bat an eyelash, warning her never to think about that again, lest she wouldn't hesitate to tell the chief.

That had successfully put a stop to all the designs she had on her.

"Go and get the servants here," she said. Her assistant, Mara, acknowledged and went to call the servants.

The servants came in soon, about ten of them, excluding the ones working outside the house.

"You failed to cook for the Young Lady. Do you know your punishment?"

The servants were silent, exchanging glances before one of them curiously voiced out, her tone tinged with disdain.

"Isn't the Missy of the House Lady Julianne? Why should we cater to someone else?"

The room descended into pin-drop silence, and even the other servants knew something was wrong.

The servant voiced out again, this time nudging another servant beside her as she asked curiously, "Did I say something wrong? Don't tell me the stray Missy is someone important?"

The person being nudged refused to budge, thinking in her heart where this moron who couldn't read the mood came from.

Leila chuckled silently, glancing at Julianne, whose lips had curled into a delighted smile at the unfolding drama but froze upon feeling her gaze.

"What is your name?" Leila turned to the 'curious' servant.

"Why should I answer you?" The servant raised her chin loftily, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

Leila couldn't resist chuckling once again, but her eyes were void of any warmth as she tapped on the chair rhythmically.

"I didn't know staying outside for less than three months had dropped my status so much that I couldn't even ask for the name of a servant."

"What status do you have in the first place?" the servant retorted sharply.

Leila couldn't be bothered to reply to her and looked at Maya. "Give her three months of her salary and let her leave."

Maya acquiesced. "Yes, Young Lady."

"Are you guys cosplaying? Sack me? I am afraid you haven't woken up yet, have you?" the servant said, her tone mocking as she smirked.

Then she turned to Eve and smiled flatteringly, the speed at which her expression changed taking everyone by surprise.

"Madam, can you even hear this old woman and this stray girl?"

Eve's expression changed as she slammed the table. "Go and call the guards here, let her get lost immediately!"

The woman chuckled happily, pointing at the old butler and Leila.

"You too, don't you hear the Madam's order, you should get lost."

Everyone looked at her as if she was a fool. Or was she trying to act like one?

The woman was oblivious to this as she grew even more pompous. "Are you guys deaf?! Our Missy just ordered you to leave yet you continue sitting there? Are you surprised by the opulence of the house and don't want to leave? No way, you are going out of this house today!"

For the first time, Eve was so angry that she nearly wanted to pounce on the woman and drag her out.

Was she a fool?! Did she get her wisdom with a basket when God was distributing it, or was her basic sense put inside her bra and couldn't be brought out in public?

Eve really regretted employing this good-for-nothing woman whose mouth was the only asset she had. But right now, the honeyed mouth was definitely rinsed with vinegar; otherwise, she wouldn't be bent on destroying her!