When Genevieve saw someone she’d already fired standing in Aurora’s villa, she hesitated awkwardly as she opened the door.
“What are you doing here?”
Mrs. Hill replied with a sarcastic tone, “Oh, it’s all thanks to Miss Aurora. She saw me working as a cleaner and invited me to be her housekeeper. Unlike some people, who fire others on a whim and deduct wages for no reason, Aurora treats people generously.”
Back when Genevieve dismissed Mrs. Hill from the Montgomery family, the older woman had no choice but to work as a cleaner. The job was exhausting, the pay was meager, and worse, she was only a temporary worker with no job security.
When Aurora saw her at the sales office, she offered Mrs. Hill a job at her home. Aurora even bought her insurance and gave her holiday bonuses. Compared to Genevieve, Aurora was far more generous.
In the past, no one would have dared to speak to Genevieve like this. But now, having lost everything, Genevieve could no longer command the same respect. Mrs. Hill, who had always been outspoken, no longer needed to fear her.
Genevieve knew she’d treated her staff poorly in the past, never showing them respect. Only now, when she had fallen from grace, did she realize her mistakes.
“Mrs. Hill, it’s been so long. Do you really need to bring this up? We’re here to see Mr. Barnet.”
“Mr. Barnet is sleeping. Come back tomorrow,” Mrs. Hill said, about to shut the door.
“How can you talk like this? We’re here for something important with Julian. Don’t regret it if you don’t listen,” Zachary blurted out, surprised that a former housekeeper dared to act so boldly.
“You two wait here. I’ll ask Mr. Barnet if he’ll see you,” Mrs. Hill replied.
A few minutes later, she returned. “Come in.”
This was Genevieve’s first time visiting Aurora’s home. She assumed that with Aurora’s status and her relationship with Julian, they would live in a luxurious mansion. To her surprise, the house was modest.
For ordinary people, a house of over 200 square meters for just two or three people would be more than enough. But considering Julian and Aurora’s social standing, it seemed unexpectedly low-key.
Genevieve and Zachary sat in the living room. Mrs. Hill only brought them two glasses of plain water, not even bothering with tea.
The atmosphere was eerily quiet. Given the unpleasant history between them, Genevieve wisely decided not to engage Mrs. Hill in conversation-it would only lead to more snide remarks.
The sound of footsteps echoed on the stairs. Though the steps were light, Genevieve and Zachary both tensed up. Zachary, in particular, felt a chill run through him, remembering how Julian had once whipped him. The psychological shadow of that moment lingered.
Before Julian even appeared, an invisible pressure seemed to envelop them. Genevieve instinctively stood up. “Mr. Barnet.”
Julian was dressed casually today, without his usual suit and tie. Yet the cold aura emanating from him made Genevieve’s heart tremble.
Zachary also stood up nervously. Julian’s expression was unreadable. “What are you here for?”
Although Julian had taken a nap, his complexion was still poor, his face shadowed with dark circles.
“Mr. Barnet, we’re here about Ivy,” Genevieve began cautiously.
“Ivy?” Julian’s voice grew colder at the mention of her name. “Don’t worry. I won’t hold her actions against you.” He sat down on the sofa, exuding an air of authority.
Genevieve and Zachary didn’t dare to sit. Genevieve bit her lip before continuing, “We saw the news about the two of them falling into the sea. Mr. Barnet, do you know what happened?”
“Ivy snuck onto the ship and tried to stab Aurora when she wasn’t paying attention. Someone had tampered with the ship’s railing beforehand. While Aurora was dodging, she fell overboard,” Julian explained, his tone sharp and biting.
“Someone tampered with the railing?” Genevieve frowned. This situation was more complicated than it seemed. “Then why did Ivy fall into the sea as well?”
“After Aurora fell, the person who tampered with the railing pushed Ivy into the sea too, hoping to kill two birds with one stone,” Julian said through gritted teeth. While Ivy wasn’t entirely to blame, she bore some responsibility.
“Who would be so cruel, Mr. Barnet?”
Julian sneered. “Why don’t you ask your good daughter who she’s been associating with? She was used as a scapegoat without even realizing it, and now she’s paid with her life. Utterly foolish.”
“Mr. Barnet, Ivy is young and naive. She can’t tell right from wrong and is easily influenced. She’s been distant from me lately, not telling me anything. Please, tell me what happened,” Genevieve pleaded, her face full of sorrow. If she had known things would turn out this way, she would never have let Ivy leave.
Julian had already received a report from his private investigator about the events surrounding Ivy.
“Let me ask you-do you know Mio Walsh?” Julian’s voice was cold, his eyes narrowing as he studied their reactions.
Zachary answered proudly, “Of course! He’s my sister’s boyfriend. He’s a great guy.”
Genevieve, however, felt a pang of unease at the mention of Mio Walsh. She’d always been against Ivy dating him. Something about the man felt off. Ivy had neither money nor talent-what could he possibly see in her?
“A great guy?” Julian scoffed. “Sure, he’s great-great at making your sister his scapegoat. He’s been playing a deadly game of using others to do his dirty work.”
“What are you talking about? Mr. Walsh isn’t like that! He even came up with half a million to save me when I was in trouble with those gamblers. He said he’d help me find a job at his company in New York after I graduate,” Zachary argued, his face full of disbelief.
Genevieve sighed inwardly. Both Zachary and Ivy had inherited none of her cunning or sharp instincts. They were the type to be sold off and still thank their seller.
“Not like that? How naive. That half a million was your sister’s ransom. Do you still think he’s so great?”
“Julian, don’t think just because you’re rich you can look down on us! Not everyone in this world is as rotten as you!” Zachary shot back angrily.
“Shut up!” Genevieve snapped, glaring at him. “Don’t forget why we’re here!”
Genevieve remained composed. She’d never approved of Ivy’s relationship with Mio Walsh, and now that things had turned out this way, Julian was clearly upset. He wouldn’t be in the mood for jokes.
“Mr. Barnet, are you saying Mio Walsh is the mastermind behind this? If he already tampered with the railing, he could have just killed Aurora directly. Why go through all the trouble, even spending millions to get close to Ivy?” Genevieve asked, cutting straight to the point.
“I said Ivy was just his scapegoat. Even I can only speculate that it was him-I have no concrete evidence. The assassin won’t reveal their employer’s identity.
But that’s exactly what he wanted. Everyone assumes Ivy tried to kill Aurora, and he walks away clean.”
“Who is he trying to please?” Genevieve pressed.