Chapter 4 - The Golden Cage
The elite guests quickly went back to their champagne and polite conversations, assuming the brief spectacle with the gardener was over.
Eleanor walked stiffly across the limestone terrace, her ivory suit rustling as she approached her daughter and the young man. She kept her voice low, hissing venomously so the surrounding guests wouldn't hear her true nature.
"Get up, Olivia," Eleanor snapped, grabbing her daughter's arm and yanking her to her feet. "Have you completely lost your mind? Kneeling on the floor with a low-class laborer in front of the board of directors? You are embarrassing our family name!"
Olivia wrenched her arm out of her mother's grip, her face flushed with righteous fury.
"Lucas isn't just a laborer, Mother!" Olivia fired back sharply, her voice trembling with emotion. "He works hard to maintain this property while you sit inside drinking champagne and treating people like dirt! You treat everyone like they're beneath you!"
Eleanor raised her hand, threatening to slap her daughter right there on the terrace.
Before the blow could land, a calm, deep voice interrupted the toxic escalation.
"I wouldn't do that, Mrs. Vance," Lucas said softly.
May you like
He stood up to his full, imposing height, brushing the dirt off his faded navy work shirt. He looked entirely unafraid of the wealthy socialite.
👉 Eleanor laughed a cruel, dismissive laugh, entirely unaware of the legal trap closing around her.
