A Father Demands Answers After Finding His Daughter Kneeling on the Marble Floor — Part 2

Previously: When James returned early from his business trip, he expected a quiet house. Instead, he found his beloved daughter Mia sobbing in a maid's uniform, while his new wife watched with cold satisfaction.

The silence that followed James's demand was suffocating. Caroline’s fake smile faltered, but she quickly recovered, letting out a soft, nervous chuckle. She reached out to touch James's arm, but he coldly stepped back, refusing her touch.

"Oh, sweetheart, don't be so dramatic," Caroline said, her voice smooth but tight. "Mia and I were just having a little chat about responsibility. She volunteered to help the staff. It’s good for her to learn the value of hard work, don't you think?"

Mia stood up, her legs shaking. She wiped her wet hands on her apron, the tears still flowing freely down her cheeks.

"That's a lie!" Mia sobbed, her voice cracking with weeks of pent-up fear and exhaustion. "She took my phone, Dad! She locked me in the old guest house. She told me that if I tried to contact you, she would use her position to ruin your company. She said you hated me and that you never wanted to see me again!"

James’s face grew incredibly pale. He turned his gaze slowly toward Caroline, whose composed facade was finally beginning to crack.

"Is this true?" James asked, his voice dangerously low.

Caroline scoffed, crossing her arms defensively.

"James, please. She’s a troubled girl making up stories. Besides, need I remind you who actually runs the logistics of your firm now? You signed the power of attorney over to me when you were in the hospital last month. If you make a scene, I can dismantle your life's work in a single afternoon."

The sheer audacity of Caroline's threat hung heavily in the air. She truly believed she had won, holding the ultimate leverage over the husband she had systematically isolated from his only child.