Chapter 1: The Truth Behind the Marble Walls

The silence inside the mansion was unbearable.

Richard Ashford slowly placed his briefcase on the marble floor without taking his eyes off his wife.

"Emily," he said softly.

The little girl hesitated.

She looked toward her stepmother out of instinct, afraid to move without permission.

That single glance shattered Richard's heart.

He walked across the foyer, dropped to one knee, and gently lifted his daughter into his arms.

She weighed far less than an eight-year-old should.

Her tiny hands instinctively grabbed the front of his suit as though she feared he would disappear again.

"I'm sorry," Richard whispered.

"I promised your mother I would always protect you."

Emily buried her face against his shoulder and finally cried without trying to hide it.

Behind them, Victoria forced herself to laugh.

"Richard... you've misunderstood."

"She wanted to help the staff."

"Cleaning teaches responsibility."

Richard slowly turned.

"Take off your bracelet."

Victoria blinked.

"What?"

"The diamond bracelet."

Confused, she removed it.

Richard handed it to the head housekeeper.

"Scrub the foyer while wearing this."

The housekeeper looked horrified.

"I... I couldn't, sir."

"Why not?"

"I wasn't hired to clean jewelry while scrubbing floors."

Richard nodded.

"Exactly."

His eyes returned to Victoria.

"So why was my daughter?"

The servants lowered their heads.

One elderly maid stepped forward with trembling hands.

"Sir..."

"I've worked here for twenty-three years."

"I can't stay silent anymore."

One after another, the servants revealed everything.

Emily had been forced to clean every morning.

She ate separately in the kitchen.

Her bedroom had been turned into Victoria's private dressing room.

The little heiress had been sleeping inside a storage room beside the laundry.

Every sentence made Richard's expression colder.

By the time the last servant finished speaking...

Victoria's confidence had completely disappeared.