Chapter 542

Anthony Castillo was stunned. "You want to meet her?"

"Yes."

"...Why?"

A light sparked in Anthony's eyes.

Could it be that Miss Evelyn was also interested in him?

He didn't dare ask that out loud.

Evelyn Ross lowered her gaze.

She spoke slowly. "No particular reason. Is she in the country right now?"

"She is. She came with Natalie. They're staying at my house. And... my grandfather is here too."

Anthony's expression turned troubled.

His grandfather had arrived and immediately started pressuring him to marry his cousin.

But he and Nicole had no feelings for each other.

He didn't want to marry her.

Yet his grandfather was the family patriarch.

His word alone could decide Anthony's marriage.

Anthony's resistance was futile.

He could only say he had someone he liked.

But his grandfather insisted on meeting this person...

Thinking of this, Anthony looked at Evelyn.

His eyes suddenly brightened. "Um... how about you come to my house as a guest tomorrow?"

Evelyn considered it.

She nodded. "Alright."

She needed to meet this Nicole Sterling.

If her guess was correct, Nicole was definitely "Fox."

Anthony smiled, looking down.

While they were talking, the kitchen had prepared new dishes.

Preston Valentine and the housekeepers worked quickly.

Several new dishes were placed on the dining table.

After Evelyn and Alexander Vance finished eating, they took Chloe Davis upstairs.

Her room was already prepared.

It was a suite, perfect for a family of three.

The others also returned to their rooms.

The Valentine brothers were rarely all together.

They gathered to play cards.

Susan Langley watched Preston with a dark expression.

She turned and left the game room.

Just outside, she collided with the housekeeper Joanna Sterling.

They bumped into each other.

Joanna was carrying a fruit platter.

Fruit scattered everywhere.

Joanna had been trained in etiquette. She knew not to blame the family.

She immediately bowed her head in apology and began cleaning up.

The head housekeeper had said the family was very kind.

Apologizing immediately when something happened would be fine.

But Susan kicked her.

Joanna fell to the floor.

She was stunned.

Susan looked down at her from above.

Her face was full of disdain. "In this house, even a lowly maid like you dares to bully me now?"

Joanna quickly waved her hands. "I didn't, Miss Susan. It wasn't on purpose. I really..."

Before she could finish, Susan pointed at her own clothes.

She said angrily, "You stained my clothes. You have to pay for it today! Otherwise, I won't let this go!"

Joanna bit her lip.

After a moment, she took a deep breath. "Fine. How much? I'll pay."

She was just unlucky.

But Susan spoke lightly. "Thirteen thousand."

"What?"

Joanna was shocked.

She looked at Susan in disbelief.

She examined the clothes in astonishment. "This outfit is worth thirteen thousand?"

Susan sneered. "Of course! Someone as poor as you wouldn't know! Can you even afford that? If not, it'll be deducted from your salary!"

Joanna bit her lip.

Her eyes reddened.

But she took another deep breath. "Miss Susan, that's beyond my means. And just now, you weren't looking and walked right into me."

Susan flared up instantly. "How dare you speak to me like that? Are you saying I'm blind?"

"I didn't say that. I..."

"You what?"

Susan took a step forward.

She raised her hand and slapped Joanna!

Slap!

A crisp sound echoed.

Joanna was dazed.

She covered her face, glaring angrily at Susan.

Then she slapped her back!

Susan was stunned. "You, a maid, dare to hit me?"

Joanna scoffed. "It's the 21st century. Everyone is equal. What's wrong with being a maid? Are maids inferior? What kind of thinking is that?"

Susan was breathing heavily.

She glared furiously at Joanna.

"What's going on?"

Preston's voice came.

Susan immediately walked over to him.

She spoke in a pitiful, manipulative tone. "Preston, she wasn't watching where she was going. She stained my clothes and even hit me!"

Preston looked at Joanna.

Joanna pointed to her own cheek. "I have a slap mark on my face too, right? Miss Susan, why do you like telling such a one-sided story? You're not going to mention that you hit me first?"

Susan looked both wronged and angry. "Preston, do you see? In this house, I can't stay! Your sister targets me, and now even a little maid looks down on me! Or is it that someone told you to treat me this way?"

Joanna almost rolled her eyes. "Do you have a persecution complex or something?!"

Susan was furious. "Say that again?!"

Preston sighed. "Susan, enough. Why argue with a maid? So your clothes got dirty. I'll buy you a new one tomorrow. I'll transfer you the money in a bit!"

Susan took a deep breath.

She stared at Joanna.

By now, several other servants had gathered nearby.

If they saw that someone who defied her got off scot-free, what authority would she have left in the Valentine household?

Susan's eyes reddened. "Preston, I saved your life. You promised you wouldn't let me suffer any grievances. Is this what you call no grievances?"

She lowered her head, wiping the corner of her eye. "I was impulsive to hit her. But what right does a maid have to hit back? She must apologize to me!"

Joanna laughed scornfully. "No way!"

Susan immediately looked at her. "Preston, do you see? It's because you never stand up for me that my status in this house is so low! Are you just going to stand there and watch me get bullied?!"

Preston paused.

He looked helplessly at Joanna. "No matter what, you shouldn't have hit someone. In this matter, you need to apologize to Susan!"

Joanna: "Why should I?"

Preston: "Because I'm the master of this house! Will you apologize or not? If not, I'll have the head housekeeper fire you!"

Fire her?

Working for the Valentines meant light work and good pay.

It was a job many people wanted.

Joanna had worked hard to excel and get this position.

How could she be fired?

She pointed at Susan, exasperated. "Just because she saved you, you favor her?"

Preston: "That's right! Susan saved my life, so I definitely can't let her be wronged! You don't have to pay for the clothes. Just bow and apologize!"

Joanna's eyes reddened. "What if I saved your life too?"