My Cruel Stepmother Forced Me to Clean, but Her Fiancé Discovered My True Identity

The Humiliation in the Lobby

The grand lobby of the estate was a masterpiece of white marble and polished columns, designed to project wealth and prestige. But for Sophie, it had become a prison. Dressed in a simple, faded cream-colored dress, she knelt on the cold, wet floor, a rough sponge in her hand. A server had spilled red wine across the pristine marble, and her stepmother, Katherine, had immediately seized the opportunity to humiliate her before the evening guests arrived.

"Clean it up, Sophie," Katherine had ordered, her emerald green dress shimmering in the bright indoor light. She stood over the girl, holding a cocktail glass, her expression dripping with smug satisfaction. "Make sure you get every single spot. We wouldn't want our distinguished guests to think we live like savages."

Sophie swallowed her tears, her hands trembling as she scrubbed the stubborn red stain. She had lived under Katherine's tyrannical rule ever since her father passed away, but this was a new low. Suddenly, the heavy glass doors swung open, and Edward stepped into the lobby. Dressed in a tailored tan suit and carrying a brown leather case, he stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes locked onto Sophie, kneeling on the floor, and his face instantly hardened into a mask of pure shock.

Katherine didn't notice the storm brewing in his eyes. She stepped forward with a light, mocking laugh.

"She's just doing what she's good at, cleaning,"

she said, expecting her wealthy fiancé to join in her amusement.

Instead, Edward's jaw clenched. Without a word to Katherine, he pulled his phone from his pocket, pressed it to his ear, and spoke with terrifying authority. "Cancel everything. Now!" he demanded. Katherine's smile vanished.

"What?"

she gasped. Edward looked at her with icy disdain.

"This house is no longer yours,"

he said coldly into the receiver. As Katherine's face fell in utter disbelief, Sophie looked up, her tear-filled eyes wide with confusion. What did he mean?