My Stepmother Made Me Clean the Floor Not Knowing Who Owned the Mansion

The Unwelcome Guest

The grand foyer of the Sterling estate was a monument to old money and unchecked arrogance. Towering Corinthian columns carved from flawless white marble stretched toward a vaulted ceiling, while the warm glow of crystal chandeliers illuminated the high-society guests who mingled below. It was Diana’s crowning achievement—a lavish cocktail party designed to solidify her status as the undisputed matriarch of the city's elite. Clad in a shimmering gold satin dress, she floated through the crowd, a half-empty champagne glass in hand, her laughter ringing out like cheap brass.

But on the floor, far below the gaze of the glittering crowd, was Lucy. Wearing a simple, faded white cotton dress that had seen far better days, the young woman was on her knees. A guest had carelessly spilled a glass of red wine, and Diana had seized the opportunity to humiliate her stepdaughter. With a bucket of soapy water beside her, Lucy desperately scrubbed the sticky red stain from the porous white marble, her fingers red and raw from the harsh chemicals.

The heavy mahogany double doors suddenly swung open, cutting through the ambient chatter. Richard stepped into the foyer. Dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal wool suit and carrying a worn brown leather briefcase, he stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes scanned the room, bypassing the opulent decorations and landing directly on Lucy. The shock on his face quickly hardened into a cold, dangerous fury.

Diana, completely oblivious to the storm brewing in his eyes, stepped forward with a smug, mocking smile. She gestured toward Lucy with her cocktail glass.

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

she said, her voice dripping with condescension.

Richard did not smile. He slowly pulled a sleek black phone from his pocket, pressed it to his ear, and spoke with terrifying calmness.

"Cancel everything. Now."

Diana’s smile faltered.

"What?"

she asked, her voice cracking slightly.

Richard looked her dead in the eye, his voice echoing in the sudden silence of the room.

"This house is no longer yours."