My Father Abandoned Us for Wealth and I Ended Up Cleaning His Mansion

Secrets in the Study

Arthur cleared his throat, his voice tight as he tried to regain his composure. He didn't look at Lily, who was still kneeling on the floor, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Yes, Eleanor," he managed to say, adjusting his cuffs. "A meeting was canceled. I need to review some papers in my study. Please, have the staff clear up here."

Eleanor glided down the stairs, her sharp eyes darting between her husband’s pale face and the trembling young maid on the floor. She sensed the sudden tension in the room but chose not to press it immediately. Instead, she waved a hand dismissively. "Well, make sure she finishes the lobby first. The floors are filthy," Eleanor said coldly before wandering toward the garden terrace.

The moment Eleanor was out of sight, Arthur grabbed Lily by the elbow, pulling her gently but urgently to her feet. He dragged her into the secluded study, locking the heavy mahogany door behind them. Lily yanked her arm away, staring at him with a mixture of fury and deep-seated pain.

"What are you doing here, Lily? How did you find me?" Arthur whispered frantically, his hands shaking.

"I didn't find you!" Lily spat back, tears spilling over her lashes. "I took a job to keep Mom from losing her apartment! She's sick, Dad. Really sick. And you're living in a palace while we starve!"

Arthur closed his eyes, the weight of his past cowardice visibly crushing his shoulders. He confessed that when he left, he was deeply in debt to dangerous people. He had married Eleanor, the wealthy heiress to a real estate empire, to save himself. But Eleanor’s father had forced him to sign a strict prenuptial agreement: if any scandals from his past came to light, Arthur would be cast out with absolutely nothing. He had spent the last decade living in a golden cage, terrified of his secrets being exposed.