Chapter 12 - The Trojan Horse
The very next morning, the heavy iron gates of the estate swung open to admit a sleek black town car. I stood on the grand staircase next to Garrett, watching closely as the driver opened the rear door. Evelyn stepped out first, leaning elegantly on her pearl-handled walking stick, looking entirely innocent.
A moment later, Florence emerged from the vehicle. She was wearing a conservative, expensive suit that I knew she couldn't afford on her own. She carried a sleek medical bag, playing the part of a dedicated caregiver flawlessly.
Garrett’s jaw tightened as the two women walked into the grand foyer. Evelyn smiled warmly, acting as though the threatening text message from the night before had never happened. She cheerfully announced that her health was declining and she had hired Florence as her live-in companion and private nurse.
I felt a surge of pure anger at the sheer audacity of their plan. They were using my exact strategy against me, planting a hostile spy inside the house under the guise of medical care.
Garrett stepped forward, his cane tapping loudly against the marble floor. He coldly informed his mother that Florence was not welcome on his property, especially considering her son had just tried to steal his entire company.
Evelyn feigned a look of deep heartbreak. She gently reminded Garrett that the deed to the main estate was technically still held in the family trust, which she co-managed. Until the legal dust from Douglas's arrest settled, Evelyn had the absolute legal right to reside in the mansion with any medical staff she deemed necessary.
Florence looked at me over Evelyn’s shoulder and offered a sickly sweet, condescending smile. She whispered that it was so nice to see me again, purposefully using my old married name to remind me of my past trauma.
I refused to break eye contact. I calmly stepped down the stairs, towering over Florence in my high heels. I told her, in a voice dripping with icy authority, that she might be Evelyn's guest, but I ran this household. I laid down the ground rules immediately: Florence was restricted to the East Wing, she was not to interact with the estate staff, and if I caught her anywhere near Garrett’s private quarters, I would have her arrested for trespassing.
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Florence’s fake smile faltered for a fraction of a second, realizing I was no longer easily intimidated. Evelyn quickly intervened, insisting that they were only here for family unity and healing.
As the security guards escorted the two women to their rooms, Garrett pulled me aside. He told me that Evelyn was trying to provoke us into making an emotional mistake. We had to remain completely rational. He kissed my forehead and promised that by the end of the week, he would find the legal loophole needed to evict them permanently.
